Position Information

NY HELPYes

AgencyAttorney General, Office of the

TitleLegal Assistant 1 or Trainee (NY HELPS) - SOMB

Occupational CategoryLegal

Salary Grade14

Bargaining UnitASU - Administrative Services Unit (CSEA)

Salary RangeFrom $47695 to $68630 Annually

Employment Type Full-Time

Appointment Type Contingent Permanent

Jurisdictional Class Competitive Class

Travel Percentage 0%

Schedule

Workweek Mon-Fri

Hours Per Week 37.5

Workday

From 8:30 AM

To 5 PM

Flextime allowed? No

Mandatory overtime? No

Compressed workweek allowed? No

Telecommuting allowed? No

Location

County New York

Street Address 28 Liberty Street

City New York

StateNY

Zip Code10005

Job Specifics

Duties Description This position is located in the New York City office of the Sex Offender Management Bureau (SOMB) within the Office of the New York State Attorney General.

On April 13, 2007, the Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act (SOMTA) went into effect to enhance public safety by providing for the civil management of recidivistic sex offenders upon the expiration of their criminal sentence. SOMTA provides for management of these offenders in a secure treatment facility in the custody of the Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) for the most dangerous offenders; or through a regimen of strict and intensive supervision and treatment (SIST), for those offenders the courts have found appropriate to be managed in the community, under close supervision by the New York State Division of Parole. As part of SOMTA, Article 10 was added to the New York Mental Hygiene Law (MHL), which establishes the procedural provisions for the civil management of sex offenders.

SOMB was created by the Attorney General to represent the state of New York in all Article 10 litigation. SOMB works in concert with the Article 10 partners, the Office of Sex Offender Management within the Division of Criminal Justice Services, NYS Department of Community and Correctional Services, NYS Office of Mental Health, and the NYS Office of People with Developmental Disabilities to develop statewide protocols to further the goals of Article 10 in ensuring public safety.

Under the Direction of an attorney, attorneys, or a Legal Assistant 2, the incumbent of this Legal Assistant 1/Trainee position performs the following duties:

• Drafts, compiles, and files and/or e-files pleadings and other legal papers with court clerks of record.

• Consistently utilizes EDDS (NYS Unified Court System) to request and obtain certificates of conviction and sentence and commitment documents, which are required evidentiary exhibits at a probable cause hearing.

• Drafts formal requests to state and local agencies for official records.

• Utilizes electronic discovery to review official legal documents and redact said records in accordance with statutory mandates and in preparation for hearings and trials, often under limited time constraints.

• Utilizes e-filing (NYCEF) to file and upload Article 10 petitions, exhibits, and subsequent evidentiary and discoverable records.

• Prepares correspondence and all relevant case materials for the record; drafts various legal documents and assists in preparation for litigation by completing a variety of activities, including organizing exhibits, working with attorneys to restructure papers as needed, preparing Floyd Y. materials/exhibits for Floyd Y. hearings, and drafting Orders to Produce; drafts Affidavits of Service.

• Coordinates service of legal papers with NYS DOCCS on filings, and coordinates with investigators on service of papers and delivery of legal records.

• Drafts answers, petitions, and affidavits, and arranges for service; regularly drafts discovery requests to various agencies; drafts subpoenas and affidavits and sets up service on the respondent through DOCCS.

• Pulls caselaw from legal search engines utilized by the office; conducts legal research as needed and, upon request, is accessible to other support staff and AAGs throughout SOMB.

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications NY HELPS:

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

NON-COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS

Legal Assistant 1 (CSEA, SG-14, current starting salary $56,506, job rate $68,630)*:

Candidates must have:

A minimum of two years of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant (see “definition” below).

OR

An associate degree (or higher) in Paralegal/Legal Assistant/Legal Studies or a certificate in a Paralegal/Legal Assistant program where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).

OR


An associate degree in any field where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) AND one year of full-time experience as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant (see “Definition” below).

Substitution: Graduation from an accredited (ABA approved) law school with a degree required for NYS Bar will be accepted as meeting the educational and experience requirements for this title.

Definition: A Paralegal/Legal Assistant is someone who applies knowledge of the law and legal procedures in rendering direct assistance to lawyers, clients, and courts; prepares and interprets legal documents and forms; researches, compiles, and uses information from legal materials to provide both written and verbal comments on their findings; and analyzes and handles routine procedural problems independently with minimal attorney oversight. Non-qualifying experience includes receptionist, records clerk, bookkeeper, and office manager.

OTHER WAYS TO QUALIFY:

Reachable on the Department of Civil Service eligible list for Legal Assistant 1 or Legal Assistant Trainee.

Employees appointed via the NY HELPS program are restricted for promotional appointment until their position is covered into the competitive class by the New York State Civil Service Commission (CSC), or they otherwise obtain permanent competitive status. The CSC has recently covered-in employees who were appointed via NY HELPS on a permanent or contingent permanent basis between June 26, 2024, and June 11, 2025. Notification to employees regarding a change in their status is forthcoming. You may wish to apply if you received a permanent NY HELPS appointment to a qualifying title within these timeframes and are interested in this opportunity. Your eligibility for promotion will be reviewed by Human Resources. Employees with a permanent NY HELPS appointment occurring effective 6/12/25 or later will be addressed with a subsequent cover-in.

OR

Eligible for a lateral transfer or eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law by having one year of permanent competitive service in an appropriate title. To determine if your current Civil Service title is eligible for transfer to this title, visit the Career Mobility GOT-IT website.

TRAINEESHIP NOTE: Trainees must successfully complete a set training and development program to be advanced to the full performance level of this title. If you are appointed as a Trainee 1 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG-11, current starting salary $47,695; job rate $58,447), upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training as a Trainee 1, you will automatically advance to Trainee 2 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG-13, current starting salary $53,413, job rate $65,061). Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training as a Trainee 2, you will advance to the full level of this title (CSEA, SG-14, current starting salary $56,506, job rate $68,630) without further examination.*

Additional Comments *The base salary will include an additional $4,000 per year in downstate adjustment location pay.

Careers with the State offer multiple benefits including paid vacation leave (13+ days per year), sick leave, paid State holidays off, health insurance including vision & dental, entry into the NYS retirement (pension) system, education and training, eligibility for public student loan forgiveness, and job stability with promotional opportunities. Workplace flexibilities include multiple options for employees including telecommuting (up to two days per week) and alternative work schedules.

The agency's hours of operation are Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 pm (37.5 hours/week).

Scheduling determinations are dependent upon the needs of the Bureau/Unit and will be communicated during interviews.

For new State employees appointed to graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, Payroll rules and regulations, and negotiated union contracts.

The Office of the NYS Attorney General (OAG) cannot provide sponsorship for work authorization. Candidates need to be authorized to work in the United States to be employed by this agency. It is incumbent upon employees to maintain work authorization for the duration of their employment with the OAG.

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

How to Apply

Name HR Recruitment

Telephone 518-776-2500

Fax

Email Address HR.Recruitment@ag.ny.gov

Address

Street NYS Office of the Attorney General

The Capitol

City Albany

State NY

Zip Code 12224

 

Notes on ApplyingIn your submission, you must provide sufficient information to determine from your resume and/or cover letter that you meet the minimum qualifications stated above. If a certificate or degree is required to demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualifications, you must provide proof that you hold the required certificate or degree. To apply, please send your resume, cover letter, and a copy of your degree/transcript (if applicable) to HR.Recruitment@ag.ny.gov. Be sure to include the Vacancy # and Title of the position in the subject heading of your email.

Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
The OAG is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to workplace diversity.

For more information about the Attorney General's Office, visit: www.ag.ny.gov.