Position Information

NY HELPYes

AgencyAttorney General, Office of the

TitleLegal Assistant 1 or Trainee (NY HELPS) - Charities (Trusts & Estates) - Albany

Occupational CategoryLegal

Salary GradeNS

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 9 AM

To 5 PM

Flextime allowed? No

Mandatory overtime? No

Compressed workweek allowed? No

Telecommuting allowed? No

Location

County Albany

Street Address The Capitol

City Albany

StateNY

Zip Code12224

Job Specifics

Duties Description In close association with an attorney or attorneys, Legal Assistants perform a variety of paralegal activities that require formal education and experience. Incumbents compile and organize files and documentation; prepare and assist in the preparation of legal documents and forms; catalog information; update databases or spreadsheets; and prepare correspondence.

This Legal Assistant 1 position is in the Trusts and Estates Section of the Charities Bureau (Albany), and the incumbents perform the following duties:

• Sorting and distributing mail received by the Section.
• Processing estate and trust registrations, including preparing coding sheets and correspondence and ensuring proper filing fees are received.
• Processing charitable trusts and estates’ final reports, informal accountings, and trust terminations.
• Working with the Charities Bureau Registration Section on estate and trust registration matters.
• Maintaining data in NYMatters and FileNet (OAG’s case and intake management programs).
• Opening and closing files.
• Responding to telephone inquiries.
• Monitoring the Section’s email account and responding to inquiries.
• Preparing and serving notices of appearance, notices of no objection, and other legal documents and correspondence as requested.
• Filing documents in Surrogate’s and Supreme Courts, as necessary.
• Assisting attorneys in all aspects of litigation including investigations, discovery, motion practice, trial preparation, and trials.
• Other work 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; Hiring Rate: $56,506*, Job Rate: $58,630*):

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.

Legal Assistant Trainee 1 (CSEA, NS ~ equated to SG 11, Hiring Rate: $47,695*, Job Rate: $58,447*):

Candidates must have:

High school or high school equivalency diploma AND one year of clerical, administrative, or paraprofessional experience.

OR

An associate degree (or higher) in any field, where the degree was granted from a regionally accredited college or university, or one approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).

OTHER WAYS TO QUALIFY

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

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.

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.

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 Standard work hours are Monday through Friday, between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm (37.5 hours/week). Alternate work schedule options may be available. Alternate work schedules are dependent upon the needs of the Bureau and are subject to supervisor and bureau chief approvals.

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.

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 (OSC) in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC 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. This agency does not participate in E-Verify for work authorization purposes.

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.