Legal Assistant

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Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services - Division of General Counsel,

Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute (MTMHI)

Monthly Salary: $4,017.00 to $6,039.00

Under direct supervision, the Legal Assistant for the Division of General Council supports the Senior Associate Counsel and legal operations within Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute (MTMHI).

Specific duties include, but are not limited to:

• Researching information using databases, the internet, books and case files in order to prepare files for litigation.
• Requesting information from internal and external sources in writing or verbally to ensure all relevant information is obtained.
• Working with the hospital treatment team to prepare for judicial hearings.
• Reading and summarizing in writing relevant laws, court decisions and Attorney General opinions.
• Preparing recommendations for supervising attorney on the application of law.
• Reviewing documents to ensure compliance with laws, regulations or standards.
• Utilizing individual knowledge and judgment to determine if additional action is needed for case or task completion.
• Utilizing active listening with internal customers to determine appropriate course of action.
• Incorporating last minute or unscheduled tasks into current workload to ensure timely and accurate completion of work.
• Filing orders, petitions, legal publications, supplements, updates, federal registers, court reports, Attorney General opinions and other legal documents according to established system.
• Establishing a filing system that allows easy utilization of case files, legal reference sources, and other documentation.
• Compiling all supporting information and documents for trial notebooks.
• Preparing and submitting invoices and supporting documentation to fiscal for payment.
• The Legal Assistant located at MTMHI will report directly to the Senior Associate Counsel at MTMHI and is expected to work in the office.

Education equivalent to graduation from an accredited college, university, or professional school with one of the following:

• An associate's degree in paralegal or legal assistant studies.
• A bachelor's degree in paralegal or legal assistant studies.
• A Paralegal Certificate.

OR

One year (28 semester hours) of graduate level law school.

OR

Education equivalent to graduation from a standard high school and two years of full-time experience in researching legal issues and documenting findings to assist in building case files, settling legal disputes, and/or providing legal counsel to clients.

Applicants should also be a notary or be eligible to become a notary upon accepting the position.