LEGAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT

1-1 yrs required

Full-time

No

## Legal Research Assistant

**Organization:** State of Alabama Personnel Department

**Salary:** $35, - $61,

**Announcement Date:** February 19, 2014

**Revised Date:** September 14, 2022

**Job Information:**

Legal Research Assistant is a permanent, full-time position used by various agencies throughout the state. Positions are located primarily in Montgomery. This is specialized work conducting research into legal issues arising in connection with the operation of state departments and agencies, in the preparation of basic legal documents, and in the handling of routine administrative duties.

**Minimum Requirements:**

- Graduation from an accredited* legal assistant or paralegal program
- Possession of a legal assistant or paralegal certificate
- One year of experience in legal research work
OR
- Graduation from a recognized school of law and eligibility to be admitted to the Alabama State Bar Examination

**Additional Requirements:**

- All applicants MUST attach a copy of their legal assistant certificate, paralegal certificate, or . diploma to their application. Applications received without this information will not be processed.

**Examination:**

- Open-Competitive to all applicants
- An evaluation of Training and Experience as shown on the application will comprise 100% of the applicant’s final score for the open-competitive register.

**How to Apply:**

- Complete an Application for Examination Form available at , the above address, or any Alabama Career Center Office.
- Apply by mail or by , a willful violation of exam security is a misdemeanor. Any person who is convicted of this type of misdemeanor will be ineligible for appointment to or employment in a position in State service for a period of five years and, if the person is an officer or employee of the State, will forfeit his or her office or position.

**E-Verify Process:**

Applicants hired by the State of Alabama on or after January 1, 2012 will be subject to the E-Verify process pursuant to Act No. 2011-535.

**Accepting College Coursework, Post-Secondary and Advanced Degrees:**

1. Specific college coursework required for a job classification, as well as bachelor’s, graduate, post graduate, and doctoral degrees will be accepted from schools accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) or any of the six regional accreditation associations in the United States:
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges –Senior College and University Commission (WASC-SCUC)
2. Coursework or degrees from schools that have not been accredited by one of the above accreditation associations may be accepted if a regionally accredited school* considers the coursework or degree to be an acceptable prerequisite for admission to an advanced degree program. For example, if a regionally accredited school accepts an applicant’s bachelor’s degree for admittance into a graduate degree program, State Personnel will accept the degree. In the case of required college coursework (but no degree requirement), State Personnel will accept the college coursework if a regionally accredited school accepts the coursework towards a post-secondary degree (., a bachelor’s degree). This must be documented by a letter of acceptance from the regionally accredited school. State Personnel will review such requests on a case-by-case basis.

**Note:** This policy is subject to change. Certain state agencies may have additional requirements.

**Summary:**

The State of Alabama Personnel Department is looking for a Legal Research Assistant for a permanent, full-time position used by various agencies throughout the state. The position is primarily located in Montgomery and involves conducting research into legal issues and preparing basic legal documents.

Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements: graduation from an accredited legal assistant or paralegal program, possession of a legal assistant or paralegal certificate, and one year of experience in legal research work OR graduation from a recognized school of law and eligibility to be admitted to the Alabama State Bar Examination. All applicants must also attach a copy of their legal assistant certificate, paralegal certificate, or . diploma to their application.

The examination is open-competitive to all applicants, and an evaluation of Training and Experience as shown on the application will comprise 100% of the applicant’s final score for the open-competitive register. To apply, applicants must complete an Application for Examination Form and submit it by

Graduation from an accredited* legal assistant or paralegal program; Possession of a legal assistant or paralegal certificate; Graduation from a recognized school of law and eligibility to be admitted to the Alabama State Bar Examination

Complete an Application for Examination Form available at , the above address, or any Alabama Career Center Office. Apply by mail or by fax.

Legal