GUARDIAN AD LITEM OFFICE, 1ST CIRCUIT- PARALEGAL SPECIALIST - 21015594

Requisition No: 843400 

Agency: Justice Administrative Commission

Working Title: GUARDIAN AD LITEM OFFICE, 1ST CIRCUIT- PARALEGAL SPECIALIST - 21015594

 Pay Plan: Justice Admin Comm.

Position Number: 21015594 

Salary:  $40,170.00 

Posting Closing Date: 03/01/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office

Paralegal Specialist

IMPORTANT! – Please navigate to the following website:  www.guardianadlitem.org to apply for this position:

• Click on the “Career Opportunities” icon.
• Scroll down to the link, “Submit Your Guardian ad Litem Employment Application Here.”
• Complete the “mini” job application and attach your current resume.
• Select ESCAMBIA COUNTY for the job location

OR

• Email your mini application and resume directly to C1Apps@gal.fl.gov

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

The Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office is Florida’s award-winning, state-funded child advocacy organization. With more than 10,000 staff and volunteers, which includes more than 180 attorneys, its primary focus is the powerful and effective representation of Florida’s abused, neglected, and abandoned children. Most of these children are abruptly removed from their homes, and sadly, many end up in foster care.  The Office’s mission is to provide the most vulnerable children in Florida with an adult from their community who will be a consistent, positive presence in the child's life as part of a multi-disciplinary team that always includes an attorney, child welfare professional and hopefully a community volunteer if one is available, providing the highest quality community advocacy and independent legal representation to protect each child's legal interests.

A critical function is to provide dependency judges with thorough and accurate information regarding the children under the court’s jurisdiction. The Office’s core values strongly reinforce and enhance its mission. Those values are:

• Commitment to Children
• Communication Built on Trust
• Collective Empowerment
• Collaboration
• Courtesy

An excellent overview of the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office can be found at www.guardianadlitem.org.

As an employee with the State of Florida, your benefits are a significant part of your compensation with 19 percent of your total compensation coming from the benefits that the State offers. As a full-time employee, your insurance rate will be significantly low due to the contribution of the State of Florida. In fact, single coverage is as low as $50 per month, with family coverage costing only $180 per month.

While the rates are higher for halftime employees, health insurance options are still available if you are in a salaried position.

BENEFITS OF WORKING FOR THE GUARDIAN AD LITEM OFFICE:  

State of Florida Retirement package – Pension or investment plan (3% employee contribution required)

• State group insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options
• Flexible spending account
• Nine paid state holidays each calendar year

• One paid personal holiday each fiscal year
• 13 paid sick leave days accrued within the calendar year
• 13 paid annual leave days accrued within the calendar year with an increase after five years
• Life insurance of $25,000 is provided by the state at no cost to you for all FTE positions.  Employees may purchase additional coverage
• Public Loan Forgiveness Program
• State tuition waivers

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

This is responsible work performing a variety of paralegal and administrative duties for Guardian ad Litem Office Attorneys. 

ABOUT THE WORK

The Paralegal may:

• Cite check, proofread, and finalize legal briefs, subject to supervision.
• Maintain case files, court calendars, and litigation timetables.
• Prepare case summaries, pleadings, orders, and summons under the supervision of an attorney.
• Draft and file pleadings and motions for attorneys.
• Establish working relationships with State Courts Systems personnel, private attorneys and law firms, outside organizations, and the public.
• Gather and analyze research data.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

• Completion of a training program to become a legal assistant, a paralegal, a legal  paraprofessional or a lawyer's or attorney's assistant; or
• A degree or certificate in legal technology, legal administration, legal studies or allied legal services; or
• Graduation from a school of law; or

(The Executive Director or designee may waiver the required training and experience)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of legal citation and Bluebook.
• Knowledge of legal terminology.
• Knowledge of law and legal procedure.
• Knowledge of grammar, spelling, and writing mechanics.
• Ability to perform legal writing.
• Ability to research legal documents and legal references.
• Ability to comprehend and interpret information.
• Ability to maintain files.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS at 1-844-377-1888 on how your current benefits may be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida.  Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended, or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.