Exam Bulletin - Senior Legal Analyst

State of California

Exam Code: EX-1831

Examination Plans Included:

  • SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: $5,967.00 - $7,474.00 (A) per Month

View the SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST classification specification.

Application Instructions

This is not a timed exam. If you request a Reasonable Accommodation your account will be locked and you will not be able to proceed with the exam until the request is processed.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

    1831

For SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-01831

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00105333 - SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST

Either 1
Experience: Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of Legal Analyst.

Or 2
Four years of progressively responsible paralegal experience performing duties in one or a combination of the following specialty areas: Litigation and trial preparation, administrative law and procedures, criminal law and procedures, corporate and business law, medical malpractice, estate and tax law, environmental and land use law, antitrust, labor and consumer law. (Experience in California state service applied toward this requirement must include one year performing the duties of Legal Analyst.)

(Candidates who are within six months of satisfying the experience requirement for this class will be admitted to the examination, but they must fully meet the experience requirement before being eligible for appointment.)

Position Description

00105333 - SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST

Under direction of an attorney who shall accept full responsibility for the tasks performed, the Senior Legal Analyst reviews and analyzes client agency requests for legal services, develops strategies and proposals to rectify problem areas; analyzes statutory and regulatory authority, prepares analyses of legislation and regulations, drafts legislation and regulation proposals for client agencies, monitors progress of legislation and regulations; designs and conducts investigations, identifies issues of concern for investigations, interviews witnesses, gathers documentation, drafts declarations, makes recommendations for search warrants; researches and analyzes statutory and case law authority relating to specific issues and makes recommendations concerning handling of the issues; drafts various pleadings on the most complex issues; summarizes and categorizes deposition transcripts, creates manual and computerized systems for managing discovery documents, analyzes and summarizes trial evidence, assists attorney in trial; identifies, contracts and screens expert witnesses, assists attorney in preparing expert witnesses for depositions and trial testimony, analyzes and summarizes expert witness statements; attends settlement negotiations and drafts settlement agreements; creates systems for gathering and tracking litigation information; develops paralegal training material and trains other paralegals; serves as consultant to attorneys and others; may serve in a lead capacity over other paralegals.

Additional Desirable Qualifications
Evidence of continuing education, such as additional paralegal or legal coursework.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for optimal performance when accessing the examination.

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1CalHR Online ExamN/A100%

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:
  1. Basic legal concepts, terminology, principles and procedures
  2. Use of legal reference materials
  3. Role of a paralegal staff in a legal office

Ability to:
  1. Reason logically 
  2. Analyze situations accurately and recommend an effective course of action
  3. Write effectively
  4. Prepare reports and summary sheets which set forth a statement of the facts, applications of relevant law and conclusions 
  5. Read and understand statutes, court decisions, legal documents and similar material 
  6. Prepare drafts of pleadings 
  7. Draft litigation discovery documents, such as interrogatories and motions 
  8. Work cooperatively with attorneys, clerical staff, technical staff and the general public 
  9. Demonstrated ability to act independently, to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, and to assume increased responsibility

Eligible List Information

A Servicewide Open eligible list for the SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST Classification will be established for:

  • State of California

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Senior Legal Analyst Training and Experience Exam Preview

Instructions:
Rate your experience performing specific job-related tasks.

Respond to each of the following task statements by indicating how the statement applies to you. You are required to respond to every question and provide relevant examples. Also, indicate the references who can verify the information provided.

In responding to each statement, you may refer to your WORK EXPERIENCE, whether paid or volunteer, your EDUCATION, and/or FORMAL TRAINING COURSES you have completed.

PLEASE NOTE: This examination is designed to gain an overall assessment of your education, training, and experience as it directly relates to the duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position. All components of this examination have been carefully validated by tying them directly to job requirements and documenting their relevance to the position.

  1. Writing legal briefs as part of complex or high stakes legal proceedings.
  2. Writing legal pleadings as part of complex or high stakes legal proceedings.
  3. Writing legal motions as part of complex or high stakes legal proceedings.
  4. Writing discovery documents (interrogatories, etc.) for use as part of complex or high stakes legal proceedings.
  5. Write memos, letters, or other standard forms of communication (excluding email messages) for the purpose of communicating with clients, attorneys, government officials, or members of the general public.
  6. Use “Shepherd’s” to update or verify the reliability or accuracy of cited legal authority/precedent.
  7. Apply standard legal formatting to documents in accordance with the California Style Manual and the Harvard Blue Book.
  8. Edit legal documents to correct spelling, grammar, and formatting.
  9. Gathering and analyzing disparate facts and other information in order to provide that information to legal staff, management, or other individuals.
  10. Reviewing arguments presented in written documents for logical consistency, clarity, completeness, and accuracy.
  11. Use the Identification, Rule, Application, Conclusion (IRAC) process to analyze data, client files, and cases.
  12. Using online research tools (e.g., LexisNexis, Westlaw, proprietary legal search engines).
  13. Using a designated law library.
  14. Interpreting findings presented in research reports or other documents while conducting legal research.
  15. Search databases containing legal information or relevant facts.
  16. Use case management software to retrieve/edit information.
  17. Use computer peripherals including jump (flash memory) drives and digital scanners or digital senders.
  18. Create chronologies and timelines.
  19. Research and apply local rules of court (all levels), CA Rules of Court, C.C.P., and Federal Civil Procedure.
  20. Prepare exhibit and witness binders for trial.

Testing Departments

  • State of California

Contact Information

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

State of California
CalCareer Service Center
1810 16th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone: (866) 844-8671
CalCareer@calhr.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

State of California reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)