Interdepartmental Examination Open To All Qualified Employees of New York State

Legal Assistant Trainee 1

Due to the size of the candidate population for this test date, you may be assigned to either a Saturday or Sunday test date (February 4 or 5). Your admission notice will tell you where and when you are scheduled to appear. You cannot request a day in advance or change your scheduled day.

For Advancement in State Departments, Facilities, and Agencies

1. Within Promotion Units
2. Within Entire Departments
3. To Other Departments

This TRANSITION EXAMINATION is one of several concepts included in a Memorandum of Intent agreed to by New York State and CSEA, and is designed to provide opportunities for employees within state service.

Appointees will serve in a two-year traineeship leading to appointment as Legal Assistant 1, G-14. Upon successful completion of the 12-month training as a Legal Assistant Trainee 1, you will automatically advance to Legal Assistant Trainee 2 at a salary equated to G-13. Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month training as a Legal Assistant Trainee 2, you will be advanced to the full title of Legal Assistant 1, G-14, without further examination.

Trainees will be required to successfully complete courses in specific areas, in addition to on-the-job training activities, prior to completing the traineeship. While training requirements may vary from agency to agency, all trainees are required to successfully complete six courses in paralegal studies and related skills from an accredited college or university. In addition, one or more college or training courses in writing skills will be required.

An appointee's performance in the trainee position and in prescribed training and development programs will be observed and evaluated. The prescribed training and development program will include extensive on-the-job training and carefully designed and monitored work experience. An appointee not meeting required standards can be terminated at any time after the initial eight weeks and before completion of the traineeship. An appointee will be placed on leave from their permanent title and will revert to that title if they do not successfully complete the traineeship.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before February 4, 2012, you must be a qualified employee of New York State and have had three months of permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service in a G-5 or higher clerical, secretarial, keyboarding, or paraprofessional* title set in an office environment. Qualifying titles are available at www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/00220titles.cfm.

*Only paraprofessional titles in an office environment will be considered qualifying. Service in a direct care title is not qualifying experience.

If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before November 4, 2011, and have served continuously in this title since that date, you are eligible to file for this examination.

Qualifying Experience for Appointment from the Eligible List

After one year of the service described in the Minimum Qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

Notes

1. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online by January 3, 2012. Late applications will not be accepted.
2. If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT processed.
3. At the time of appointment and continuously thereafter, you may be required to have a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State or otherwise demonstrate your ability to meet the transportation needs of the job, which may include travel to various places including correctional facilities and courthouses.

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Subject of Examination

There will be a written test which you must pass in order to be considered for appointment. The written test is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. Evaluating conclusions in light of known facts - These questions will consist of a set of facts and a conclusion. You must decide if the conclusion is proved by the facts, disproved by the facts or if the facts are not sufficient to prove or disprove the conclusion. The questions will not be specific to a particular field.
2. Office record keeping - These questions test your ability to perform common office record keeping tasks. The test consists of two or more "sets" of questions, each set concerning a different problem. Typical record keeping problems might involve the organization or collation of data from several sources; scheduling; maintaining a record system using running balances; or completion of a table summarizing data using totals, subtotals, averages and percents. You should bring with you a hand-held battery- or solar-powered calculator for use on this test. (You will not be permitted to use the calculator function on your cellular phone.)
3. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
4. Understanding and interpreting written material - These questions test how well you comprehend written material. You will be provided with brief reading selections and will be asked questions about the selections. All the information required to answer the questions will be presented in the selections; you will not be required to have any special knowledge relating to the subject areas of the selections.

If you pass, your seniority credit(s), if any, will be included in the computation of your final score. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime veterans' credits to your final passing score.

Credit for Seniority

Seniority is credited at the rate of one credit for each five-year period (or fraction thereof), excluding the first year of service.

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Duties

As a Legal Assistant Trainee 1, you would be trained to provide assistance to legal staff in various areas of law, performing a variety of paraprofessional duties such as tracking the progress of legislation and litigation; maintaining and updating calendars and dockets; reviewing legal documents, contracts, and forms to determine compliance; and responding to inquiries orally and in writing. You might assist in the preparation of legal documents, contracts, and agency bills; interview witnesses and clients; gather material to comply with discovery demands; summarize legislation and court decisions; research laws; and research, organize, and analyze evidence. The use of computer software is integral to these positions and may be used in any of the following areas: preparing documents; tracking and researching assignments; and communicating. Upon successful completion of the traineeship, you will be expected to perform all duties of a Legal Assistant 1.

The classification standard for the journey level title is available on the Classification and Compensation webpage at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/tsplan/tsp_display2.cfm?speccode=2522210F.

NOTE: Some positions may be created that require Spanish language proficiency. The eligible list created from this examination will be used to fill those positions, and eligibles must demonstrate proficiency in the Spanish language at a level that will ensure their ability to perform properly the duties of the position. If other language parenthetics are established, the eligible list will also be used to fill those positions and appointees must demonstrate their language proficiency prior to appointment.

Test Guide

A Guide to the Written Test for the Administrative Aide/Agency Program Aide and Legal Assistant Trainee 1 Series is now available.

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How To Apply

If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT processed.

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity in employment, compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

In addition, it is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to enjoy equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their applications. Further information is available from the Special Arrangements Unit of the Department of Civil Service at 518-457-2487 [press 2, then press 2] in the Albany area, toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 2], or via TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) at 518-457-8480.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, call 518-474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1].

Multiple Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

With the exception of written tests announced by New York City, if you have applied to take a written test announced by a local jurisdiction (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must call 518-474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1], no later than two weeks before the test date, to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center.

Eligibility for Examination

To be eligible to compete in this examination, you must be employed in the specified department or agency on a permanent or contingent permanent basis in the competitive class, or in the non-competitive class or labor class if specifically noted on this announcement (or be on an appropriate preferred list), and have the specified time in the specified title or salary grade. You may not compete in a test for a title if you are permanently employed in that title (unless you are still on probation) or in a higher direct line of promotion.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

Do not bring cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices to the test site. The use of such devices at the test site in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas could result in your disqualification.

S5/TA1 JBH-sac
Issued: 11/18/11

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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