Legal Secretary (Exempt)

TYPICAL DUTIES

- Types a variety of correspondence and legal documents from draft oral dictation or tapes including resolutions ordinances legal opinions contracts briefs leases and agreements.
- Assists attorneys in the preparation of motions discoveries intakes of new cases calendaring scheduling of hearings and trials and depositions; copies and serves (by mail) pleadings and discovery documents; indexes and files legal documents.
- Assists the Office Administrator with various tasks including accounts payable information gathering for budget purposes preparation of requisitions/purchase orders for office supplies maintenance of personnel records.
- Works with various public agencies to facilitate the processing of City code violations; contacts and works with other City departments agencies courts and law offices in the performance of duties; answers and screens telephone calls and requests for information routes to proper attorney department or agency; responds if appropriate.
- Compiles information and data for statistical and financial reports; maintains a variety of records; checks and tabulates data; prepares simple statistical reports; creates maintains and organizes case files; conducts research as necessary concerning various litigation cases.
- Maintains law library and updates loose-leaf binders manuals and resource materials.
- Performs other or related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

- Standard legal references legal terminology forms and documents used in legal clerical work.
- Municipal legal procedures and procedures and practices involved in composing processing and filing a variety of legal documents.
- English usage spelling grammar and punctuation; business letter writing.
- Modern office practices procedures and equipment.
- Criminal and civil procedures.
- Municipal organization and local governmental agencies.
- Structure of the California court system.
- Various computer software such as Excel WordPerfect Microsoft Word and Abacus.
- Department procedures and precedents.

Skill in:

- Use of computers computer applications and software.

Ability to:

- Perform complex legal clerical work involving considerable initiative and judgment.
- Prepare routine legal documents without the assistance of or advice of an attorney.
- Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies.
- Follow State and local codes that are involved with individual cases in determining timelines and dates to follow to calendar various filings and responses.
- Use computers and various computer applications.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
- Comprehend and apply complex legal terms rules and procedures.
- Read interpret and apply laws rules and instructions.
- Type 60 net words per minute.
- Take dictation at a rate of 100 net words per minute (may be required).
- Set priorities in a legal environment that is dependent on strict timelines.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience:

Four years of increasingly responsible complex clerical work including some paralegal or legal clerical experience (preparation of various pleadings motions discoveries and calendarings).

Education:

Legal secretarial certificate and/or paralegal certificate highly desirable.

PROOF OF EDUCATION

Should education be used to qualify for this position then proof of education such as but not limited to university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment. Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.

An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credentials evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due at time of appointment.