Paralegal

CORE VALUES

The core values of Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Inc. (CHC/SEK) are dignity and stewardship. Each staff member is expected to perform their job duties in a way that preserves dignity for our patients and maintains good stewardship of CHC/SEK’s resources. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Paralegal position provides professional clerical and paralegal support to CHC/SEK’s Legal Department under the direct supervision of the licensed attorneys. This position assists the legal department with contract administration, legal research, document management, and other activities related to legal and compliance tasks. The Paralegal will be responsible for gathering, preparing and summarizing relevant materials, indexing and tracking documentation sent externally and internally. This position monitors and meets deadlines, accurately and efficiently organizes documentation, as well as prioritizing tasks. This position handles confidential and sensitive information and requires a high level of organization, accuracy, professionalism, and independent judgment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Provide paralegal and administrative support to the Legal Department, including, but not limited to, preparing correspondence and documents, maintaining schedules/calendars and deadlines, screening phone calls, filing, etc.
• Organize and maintain legal, compliance, insurance, and other business documents using an electronic and/or paper filing system, including CHC/SEK’s internal Contract Log.
• Support contract administration by collecting documentation, assisting with review and preparation of contracts, agreements, MOUs, amendments, and all other required/supporting documentation, and maintains the contract tracking system. 
• Monitors and timely communicates deadlines, expiration and renewal dates, and requirements associated with contracts, legal matters, license/registrations, notice requirements, and filings.
• Assist with vendor and procurement activities (e.g., maintenance of vendor portal(s)); including drafting requests for proposal(s), bid packages, and associated contractual documents.
• Provide litigation, administrative claim, investigation, survey, audit, regulatory, licensing, trademark and patent support. Support includes coordinating internally and externally, drafting and filing documents, monitoring requirements, maintaining files, preparing summaries and timelines, assisting with pleadings/documents, gathering and organizing records.
• Create and maintain databases to track pertinent operational and legal information with the goal of automating notifications of essential deadlines, expirations, and renewals.
• Support corporate entity management and governance activities, including coordinating registered agent services and drafting annual minutes and resolutions.
• As directed, performs legal research including gathering statutes, decision, legal articles, codes, documents, and other relevant data. 
• Ensure documents necessary for business transactions, such as land purchases, loan agreements, etc. are prepared timely and accurately.
• Assist with oversight of law students and special projects as directed by CHC/SEK’s General Counsel/Chief Compliance Officer and Deputy General Counsel.

The essential functions listed are not an exhaustive list of every task the employee is required to complete. Employees are expected to perform all other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Five (5) or more years of senior-level paralegal experience, including corporate governance, in-house legal department experience, litigation support, and/or real estate transaction experience.  
• Associate’s Degree in business or related field, preferred.
• Current Certified Paralegal certification or obtain within six (6) months of hire.
• Must be fluent in English, written and verbal. Bilingual is a plus.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license, as travel is required. Must maintain driving standards- no more than 2 minor or 1 major driving violations within a 3-year lookback period.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates respect for individuals from diverse cultural, social, ethnic, and economic backgrounds while fostering an inclusive workplace and supporting equitable, patient and employee base.
• Knowledge of legal terminology, legal documents, contracts, corporate records, legal office and filing procedures.
• Knowledge of contract administration and ability to independently organize and monitor requirements, deadlines, renewals, and supporting documentation. 
• Strong research, analytical, written communication, organizational, prioritizing, and time management skills. 
• Must maintain a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and appropriately handle confidential, privileged, sensitive, and proprietary information.
• Ability to work independently within scope while timely recognizing items that require review, direction, or escalation to legal counsel.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with ability to effectively collaborate with employees, outside legal counsel, vendors, agencies, and partners. 
• Must be computer literate and proficient with Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat/PDF software, electronic document management systems, and other legal and office technology. 
• Demonstrates integrity, accountability, dependability, critical thinking, and professionalism in all interactions. Maintains composure and sound judgment.
• Ability to remain flexible, organized, calm, and effective in a rapidly changing, high-demand/volume environment by adjusting priorities, managing competing demands, and/or responding to emergencies.
• Be courteous and respectful during all interactions, providing excellent customer service to internal and external customers and collaborators. 
• Communicates through appropriate channels. 
• Work involves regular access to confidential, privileged, proprietary, employee, patient, and business information and requires strict adherence to privacy, confidentiality, HIPAA, and other applicable laws, polices, or regulation requirements.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Work is primarily performed in a professional office and healthcare administrative environment with temperature control, ventilation, and lighting. 
• Maintain sufficient visual ability necessary to for clerical duties. Read and interpret printed materials, review of detailed documents, computer screens, and other business/patient related information. Prolonged exposure to computer use, up to entire shift, is required. 
• Maintain manual dexterity to sufficiently use hands and fingers for keyboarding, writing, filing, and operating office equipment. As well as reaching, grasping, handling, manipulating office equipment. Repetitive hand, wrist and finger movements related to clerical duties. These tasks are performed on a frequent, daily basis.
• Multiple times per day, alternating between sitting, standing, and walking throughout the office. Sitting may occur for prolonged periods, up to entire shift, while completing clerical related work. Occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, twist, or reach while examining patients or accessing equipment and supplies.
• Must be able to regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  
• Communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and through virtual communication programs. Must be able to clearly speak, hear, and distinguish speech and office sounds. 
• May require travel between CHC/SEK locations, government offices, courts, meetings, or other business locations. 
• May occasionally require flexibility in work hours to meet filing deadlines, transaction deadlines, or other time-sensitive legal matters. 
• Must be able to work independently, with little to no direction, as well as collaborate with a team.