In-House Paralegal

In‑House Paralegal

Reports to: Risk Director

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM

FLSA Status: Non‑Exempt

The position of In‑House Paralegal will assist the In‑House Counsel with all legal aspects of the Archdiocese to assure that it accomplishes its ministry to the people of the Catholic Church effectively and lawfully.

• Conduct comprehensive legal research and prepare memoranda on assigned legal issues.
• Coordinate communication with clients, witnesses, and opposing counsel. Act as liaison between attorney and outside counsel in the exchange of information. Draft correspondence to victims, clients, attorneys, governmental agencies, law enforcement agencies and the courts on a variety of legal matters.
• Assist with scheduling and calendar management, ensuring deadlines are met efficiently.
• Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date case files and databases.
• Maintain corporate files, schedule corporate meetings, take meeting minutes as requested.
• Conduct research and maintain a state‑specific masterfile pertaining to state‑specific rules and requirements, e.g., civil procedures, appeal processes, use of collateral sources, requirements to formulate damages in present value, rules regarding payment of experts, damages caps, business environment, etc. Conduct legal research in Westlaw and/or other legal platforms for legal and administrative purposes.
• Assist in responding to all subpoenas.
• Complete complex legal projects on a variety of legal questions, issues, or matters.

• Draft and edit various legal documents, such as pleadings, motions, briefs, and discovery requests.
• Assist attorneys in answering requests for disclosures, interrogatories, and production; interview clients and formulate answers in writing; review answers with attorneys and prepare answers in final form; obtain and organize documents responsive to production requests from clients.
• Obtain, review and summarize medical records at the direction of trial attorneys and have them reviewed by experts as necessary; arrange for medical examinations.
• Coordinate discovery to plaintiffs and co‑defendants, including drafting and calendaring of interrogatories, initial disclosures, requests for production, requests for admissions and other requests in accordance with local, state, federal and administrative and agency rules and procedures.

• Schedule depositions of witnesses: plaintiff, co‑defendant, independent witnesses, police officers, experts, etc.; schedule stenographer and videographer for noticed depositions; obtain copies of transcripts and videos of testimony.
• Assist attorney in preparing for depositions including summarizing written discovery, preparing and organizing exhibits, preparing deposition outlines and check‑lists, medical records summaries, and chronologies.
• Summarize depositions and identify areas of testimony that conflict with itself, written discovery, testimony of other witnesses, police reports, medical records, or other known facts.
• Provide defense experts with copies of medical, deposition transcripts and summaries, and plaintiff expert reports to prepare for deposition.

• Assist in preparation of Daubert, Frye, Rule 702, and other challenges to plaintiff expert testimony and responses to challenges to defense expert testimony. Standardize and implement the process of challenges, and assertions used to manage preemptive challenges; maintain files on standard challenges and strikes for all experts.
• Draft and file motions to designate defense experts. Ensure designation deadlines are met.
• Assist attorneys in preparing pre‑trial motions, researching legal issues, interviewing witnesses preparatory to and during trials as necessary. Coordinate witness appearance in all Court proceedings.
• Assist attorneys in preparing documents and evidence for trial including preparing trial binders with tabs and indexes; prepare print exhibits and electronic exhibits, video deposition excerpts, etc.; review, screen, and analyze case‑related materials for assigned cases and provide summary of facts to assigned attorneys;…