Project Coordinator - Legal

Salary range is $24.04/hour to $52.88/hour, with a midpoint of $36.06/hour. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including:

• Health Benefits: We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401a - 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457b - up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: Employees accrue 25 days of paid time off annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Employees at the director level and up accrue additional days. We also observe 12 paid holidays and provide up to 2 paid floating holidays and up to 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks of parental leave for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card: All full-time employees will receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Sound Transit will pay up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services.
• Compensation Practices: We offer competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity. In addition to compensation and benefits, you'll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues.

GENERAL PURPOSE:

Under general direction, the Project Coordinator - Legal provides support to attorneys by obtaining, reviewing, and managing documents for public disclosure and pre-trial disclosure, researching special projects and performing other specialized research.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The following duties are a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Provides support to the General Counsel and other attorneys as directed; prepares and presents a variety of reports and other necessary correspondence; incorporates new developments as appropriate; ensures processes, policies, and practices are interpreted and applied consistently and effectively; ensures accountability with all current and applicable state and federal laws, Agency policies and procedures, rules and regulations.
• Provides support to attorneys assisting with legal cases that may go to trial, including file management, pre-trial disclosure, trial documents management, outside counsel and expert interaction, document preparation and organization; ensures that deadlines are met and appropriate Agency staff are informed of litigation status.
• In coordination with the designated public records officer for the Agency, is a point of contact for members of the public; responds to requests for public records, ensuring that all state-mandated deadlines are met; keeps current on public disclosure case law and statutes; serves as backup public records officer as needed.
• Provides administrative support for the General Counsel, including calendar management, filing, email maintenance, typing, proofreading documents, and composing routine correspondence.
• Researches policy and legal issues under the direction of the General Counsel.
• Prepares legal and factual analysis of research projects and prepares summaries and research papers.
• Prepares trial and appellate notebooks and exhibits, executive summaries, and research papers.
• Reviews Board materials, and summarizes briefing materials prepared for the General Counsel.
• Serves as liaison to Sound Transit staff and outside counsel on routine legal and business issues.
• Assists the attorneys and other staff with the proofreading and editing of legal documents.
• Assists with court filings.
• Champions and models Sound Transit's core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.
• Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit's Equity & Inclusion Policy.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to follow the Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties and responsibilities, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience: Associates Degree in a related field. Three years of experience working in government records, public disclosure, law office, or legal department that includes office management responsibilities, and providing records management or litigation assistance to legal counsel; Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Principles and practices of public record keeping and records management.
• Principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation.
• Principles and applications of critical thinking and analysis. Operate office equipment including computers and know computer applications such as SharePoint, MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Techniques to work effectively under pressure, meet deadlines, and adjust to changing priorities.
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Operations, services, and activities of a legal services office.
• Basic principles of law and accompanying terminology in order to conduct research and draft appropriate documents/files in support of the Legal Department.
• Legal terminology, legal citation, business English, grammar, and spelling sufficient to identify and correct errors in legal documents.
• The format of legal documents, legal citations, signature blocks, table of contents, and table of authorities sufficient to create legal documents according to document type and requirements, and to recognize the meaning and significance of legal documents and terminology.
• Law library, legal reference books, and online Internet resources sufficient to locate research material and verify legal citations and quotations.
• State and federal court rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Principles of business letter writing, basic report preparation, English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Work organization and office management principles and practices.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including copiers, scanners, computers, and computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and statistical databases.
• Principles of customer service.
• Utilizing personal computer software programs affecting assigned work, composing business correspondence, and in compiling and preparing spreadsheets and reports.
• Interpreting and administering policies and procedures sufficient to administer, discuss, resolve, and explain them to staff and other constituencies.
• Applying the law to the facts presented when handling requests for records, especially with regard to records that may be exempt from disclosure.
• Knowing how to distinguish between what is mandated by state, local, and federal laws and regulations, and what is considered policy or is advisory in nature.
• Interpreting and applying applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations.
• Conducting research and analysis and providing appropriate recommendations to legal counsel in a clear, concise manner based on findings.
• Responding to inquiries and in effective oral and written communication.
• Maintaining good customer relations with positive customer service orientation.
• Applying project management techniques and principles.
• Working cooperatively with other departments, Agency officials, and outside agencies.
• Utilizing software programs and features for the production of legal and non-legal documents such as Amicus (legal), presentations, charts, databases, and/or spreadsheets sufficient to make edits or changes that improve the final work product and to complete error-free documents in a timely manner.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other department staff, management, vendors, outside counsel, outside agencies, community groups, and the general public.
• Researching general and legal issues, collecting and analyzing information, and providing to legal counsel in a clear, concise manner.
• Reading and understanding complex written and oral instructions with minimal supervision sufficient to complete work assignments.
• Organizing records, scheduling meetings, and other legal proceedings.
• Composing or drafting a variety of legal documents.
• Responding to inquiries and effectively communicating verbal and written instructions.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a standard hybrid office environment.
• Position is required to work in office due to availability to meet with the public and to identify and gather responsive physical records.
• Position is responsible for agency records boxes that are delivered in office to identify and gather physical responsive records to public disclosure requests and litigation. May be subject to carrying and lifting up to 50 pounds.
• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or other protected class.