PARALEGAL SERIES (Labor & Employment Division) (PARALEGAL I & II)

Introduction

The Maryland Office of the Public Defender (MOPD) is a client-centered, mission-driven agency dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality, and zealous legal representation to indigent individuals across Maryland.

MOPD strives to protect fundamental constitutional rights, ensure systemic fairness, and promote workplace equity and dignity for all agency personnel. MOPD is currently seeking a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and discreet Paralegal I/II to support the Chief of Labor & Employment Division.

GRADE

ASTD10 Paralegal I:Â Grade 10 ($46,279 - $72,989 per year)

ASTD12 Paralegal II: Grade 12 ($52,354 - $82,572 per year)

LOCATION OF POSITION

6 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Main Purpose of Job

The main purpose of this position is to provide advanced legal research, factual investigation, document administration, and high-level legal support to the Chief of Labor & Employment on matters involving agency workforce policy, labor union relations, internal misconduct/workplace investigations, state and federal administrative complaints (e.g., EEOC, MCCR), and employee grievance proceedings.

This position leverages modern workplace tools and technologies, including agency-approved AI resources, to streamline research, document analysis, and administrative processes. Due to the nature of labor relations, collective bargaining, internal employment disputes, and confidential executive counseling, this position operates with a strictly high level of confidentiality, professional ethics, data security, and sensitivity.

POSITION DUTIES

Duties of this position include, but are not limited to:

â Labor & Employment Case & Investigation Support

â Gather, organize, redact, and review documentary evidence, personnel records, electronic communications, and witness statements for sensitive internal workplace investigations and employee grievance matters.

â Assist the Chief of Labor & Employment in drafting investigative reports, legal memoranda, settlement agreements, responses to EEOC/MCCR charges, and formal disciplinary notices.

â Schedule, coordinate, and attend investigative interviews, grievance steps, and depositions; record detailed, objective interview summaries.

â Maintain and update tracking systems for labor grievances, arbitration cases, and internal workplace complaints.

â Legal Research, Policy Analysis & Compliance

â Perform legal research utilizing Westlaw, Lexis, the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), federal statutory labor frameworks (FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII), and relevant labor and employment case law.

â Utilize and adapt to approved agency technology and secure AI tools to assist in legal research summarization, document organization, and workflow efficiency in compliance with agency ethical standards and confidentiality rules.

â Assist the Chief in drafting, revising and auditing agency policies, employee handbooks, and operational guidelines to ensure full compliance with evolving state and federal standards.

â Compile comparative salary, benefits, and labor metric data to support collective bargaining negotiations and consultations with union representatives.

â Confidential Files, File Management & MPIA Processing

â Establish and maintain secure, locked, and encrypted physical/digital filing systems for sensitive employee files, litigation holds, and legal advice files.

â Assist in processing Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) requests or administrative subpoenas related to employment/personnel records, ensuring statutory redaction of confidential identifiers.

â Administrative & Hearing Support Logistics

â Manage calendar, hearing dates, and statutory deadline tracking (statute of limitations, appeal windows, union response timelines) for the Chief.

â Prepare hearing exhibit binders/digital files, issue witness subpoenas, and coordinate logistics for administrative hearings before the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) or State Hearing Officers.

â Other Duties & Projects

â Assist with the preparation of training presentations on anti-harassment, ethics, and workplace policy compliance.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

 Experience: Paralegal I (Two) Paralegal II (Three) years of experience as a legal assistant or legal secretary performing legal research or preparing legal documents on behalf of an attorney.

 Notes: 1. Thirty credit hours or a certificate in paralegal studies from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the required experience.

 2. Thirty credit hours from an accredited law school may be substituted for the required experience.

 3. Additional years of experience as stated above may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in paralegal specialist classifications or paralegal specialist specialty codes in the legal and kindred field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

SELECTIVE QUALIFICATIONS

DESIRED / SELECTIVE QUALIFICATIONS

(Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate the following):

â Prior paralegal or legal support experience specializing in Labor & Employment Law, state administrative law, or public-sector labor relations.

â Direct experience handling confidential workplace investigations, employee grievances, or administrative agency filings (EEOC/MCCR).

â Advanced proficiency in using Westlaw/LexisNexis, Adobe Acrobat Pro (redactions), and Microsoft Office 365 (Excel, Word, Teams).

â Demonstrated proficiency with, or a strong willingness to learn and adopt, agency-approved Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to enhance legal research efficiency, data management, and document workflow.

â Demonstrated commitment to maintaining strict ethical boundaries, data privacy, and confidentiality when employing legal software or AI resources.

â Strong commitment to public defense values, civil rights, workplace fairness, and mission-driven public service.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSAs)

â Knowledge: Understanding of state and federal employment statutes (FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII), COMAR regulations, paralegal research methods, and strict legal confidentiality rules.

â Skills: Strong legal research, factual synthesis, drafting, digital tool adoption, and document management skills.

â Abilities: Ability to maintain absolute confidentiality on sensitive personnel issues; exercise sound judgment in evaluating and using modern legal tech/AI resources ethically; maintain calm under tight statutory deadlines; and communicate empathetically and professionally with diverse internal and external stakeholders.

LIMITATIONS ON SELECTION

• Confidentiality Agreement: The selected candidate will be required to execute a strict confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement upon hire due to the highly sensitive nature of labor relations files.
• Driver''s License: Employees in this classification may be required to travel occasionally to regional MOPD offices throughout the State of Maryland. A valid driver''s license may be required.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operatorâs license valid in the State of Maryland.

EXAMINATION PROCESS

The assessment may consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience related to the requirements of this position. It is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application. All qualified candidates will be evaluated and placed on an eligible list rated as:

â Best Qualified

â Better Qualified

â Qualified

Note: Please do NOT write "See Resume" in the job duties section of your application; doing so will result in the disqualification of your application.

BENEFITS

STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Online applications are strongly encouraged through the State of Marylandâs job board: www.jobapscloud.com/MD/.

If you do not have internet access, you may submit a paper application and supplemental materials to:

Maryland Office of the Public Defender

Human Resources Division

6 St. Paul Street, 14th Floor

Baltimore, MD 21202

MOPD is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity and inclusion.