Paralegal

Department Overview

OHSU is seeking a paralegal interested in becoming an integral part of the legal team. Applicants must have an associate degree, paralegal certificate, or equivalent combination of education and related experience in managing responses to subpoenas and requests for public records. This full-time position offers an opportunity for a combination of remote and in-person work to applicants living within Oregon and Washington. Issues are varied, requiring the ability to set priorities and address a high volume of legal matters.

The Paralegal for Public Records and Litigation Support provides professional paralegal and records-management support to the OHSU Legal Department, with primary responsibility for coordinating, reviewing, and managing responses to requests for public records. Working under the direction of OHSU attorneys, this position manages public records matters from intake through completion, including identifying appropriate custodians, issuing fee estimates to requesters when necessary, coordinating records searches and collection, reviewing responsive materials, tracking deadlines, identifying potentially exempt or sensitive information, preparing records for production, and maintaining complete and accurate matter files.

The Paralegal serves as a central point of coordination among the Legal Department, OHSU departments and business units, records custodians, Information Technology, Human Resources, and other stakeholders to facilitate timely, accurate, and legally compliant responses.

Secondary responsibilities include assisting attorneys and other OHSU departments with subpoenas, personnel and employment records requests, discovery and litigation-related document collection, legal holds, and other records or information requests arising from claims, investigations, administrative proceedings, and litigation.

Function/Duties of Position

Public Records Matter Management

• Receive, review, log, and track public records requests received by OHSU.

• Manage assigned public records matters from initial intake through final response and closure.

• Review requests to identify scope, relevant subject matter, potentially responsive departments, records custodians, and applicable deadlines.

• Communicate with requesters, as appropriate and under attorney direction, regarding acknowledgment, clarification, scope, timing, fees, and production, or withholding, of responsive records.

• Maintain accurate and current records of requests, communications, deadlines, searches, productions, and final disposition.    

Records Collection and Coordination

• Identify and communicate with OHSU departments, employees, and other records custodians who may possess responsive records.

• Coordinate searches for responsive electronic and physical records across OHSU departments and systems.

• Provide custodians with clear instructions concerning the scope of searches, preservation obligations, response deadlines, and methods for transmitting records to the Legal Department.

• Follow up with custodians and departments to ensure timely and complete responses.

• Coordinate with Information Technology and other technical resources when specialized electronic searches, data retrieval, or preservation efforts are required.

• Organize and maintain records collected in response to requests using appropriate matter-management and document-management practices.   

Records Review and Production

• Conduct initial review of collected records for responsiveness, completeness, duplication, confidentiality, and potential legal issues.

• Identify records or information that may be subject to exemption, privilege, confidentiality requirements, privacy protections, or other restrictions and elevate those issues to an attorney as appropriate.   

• Assist attorneys in applying applicable requirements of Oregon public records law and other federal and state laws governing disclosure and confidentiality.

• Review records for information requiring redaction and perform or coordinate redactions under attorney supervision.

• Conduct quality-control review of proposed productions to confirm that appropriate records are included, required redactions have been applied, and privileged, confidential, or nonresponsive materials are not inadvertently produced.

• Prepare records and correspondence for production to requesters.

• Maintain documentation regarding records withheld or redacted and the basis for withholding, as directed by counsel.

• Assist with preparation of cost estimates and documentation of staff time or other costs associated with responding to requests.        

Process Administration and Improvement

• Monitor public records deadlines and proactively identify matters requiring prioritization, escalation or additional resources.

• Develop and maintain standardized processes, templates, checklists, tracking tools, and other resources for managing public records requests.

• Assist with development of guidance and training for OHSU departments and employees concerning public records responsibilities, records searches, preservation, and response procedures.

• Identify opportunities to improve the efficiency, consistency, and defensibility of OHSU’s public records response processes.

• Generate reports and metrics concerning public records volume, status, response times, workload, and trends as requested.   

Subpoenas and Other Legal Records Requests

• Receive, log, review, and coordinate responses to subpoenas, administrative demands, court orders, and other compulsory requests for records.

• Work with OHSU attorneys to determine appropriate response requirements, deadlines, custodians, and scope.

• Coordinate collection of responsive records from Human Resources, clinical and administrative departments, Information Technology, and other OHSU units.

• Assist with reviewing records for responsiveness, privilege, confidentiality, privacy, and applicable legal protections.   

• Prepare records for attorney review and authorized production.

• Maintain accurate documentation concerning subpoenas, responses, productions, and related communications.

• Coordinate with outside counsel or requesting parties when directed by an OHSU attorney.        

Provide general support for Legal Department

• Assist with greeting visitors, and accept delivery of subpoenas, summons, etc.

• Assist with telephone coverage in the Legal Department.

• Maintain files in paper and electronic format, including document management system.

• Assist other staff members and/or provide coverage for support staff in their absence.

• Other tasks that may be requested by the General Counsel.    

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree, paralegal certificate, or equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
• Relevant experience as a paralegal, legal assistant, public records professional, records specialist, litigation support professional, or in a comparable legal or regulatory environment.

• Experience reviewing, organizing, and managing large volumes of documents or records.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple matters, deadlines, and competing priorities with a high degree of accuracy.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated attention to detail.

• Ability to exercise sound judgment regarding sensitive and confidential information.

• Proficiency with standard office productivity applications and the ability to learn document-management, matter-management, electronic discovery, records-management, and redaction technologies.

• Ability to work collaboratively and professionally with attorneys, executives, faculty, clinicians, administrative personnel, Human Resources professionals, Information Technology staff, and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to perform the job duties with or without accommodation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or graduation from an ABA-approved paralegal program

• Three or more years of progressively responsible paralegal, public records, litigation support, records-management, or comparable experience.

• Experience responding to public records or freedom-of-information requests in a government, public university, healthcare, or other public-sector environment.

• Knowledge of or experience applying Oregon public records requirements.

• Experience reviewing records for statutory exemptions, attorney-client privilege,attorney work product, confidentiality, and privacy concerns.

• Experience with subpoenas, discovery, litigation holds, electronic discovery, or document productions.

• Experience handling employment, personnel, healthcare, education, research, or other highly confidential records.

• Experience working in a healthcare, academic, governmental, or complex regulated organization.

• Familiarity with laws and regulations governing privacy and confidentiality in healthcare, employment, education, research, or related environments.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact [email protected]