Performs technical legal work in support of professional staff attorneys involving matters such as assisting in legal research, independently drafting and checking documents and forms, and assisting in various other areas as assigned; and performs other related duties as required.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Classes in this series are distinguished by the performance of a variety of technical legal activities in support of staff attorneys, requiring some substantive knowledge of the principles, methodology and techniques pertinent to the legal field and legal/court procedures.
Grade Level Standards:
Grade I: Positions allocated to this class perform difficult technical legal work and assist in the more complex assignments; may supervise lower level clerical staff.The following are examples of duties and are not necessarily descriptive of any one position in this class. The omission of specific duties statements does not preclude management from assigning such duties if such duties are a logical assignment for the position.
Reads records and transcripts of cases scheduled for hearing; assists in research and checks cited authority and specific laws and statutes; reviews case citations; retrieves cases from the law library; selects, assembles and compiles substantive information on statutes and specific legal subjects; independently prepares numerous basic and complex legal documents and correspondence in conformance with applicable statutes, rules, minute orders, and court directives, drafting and finalizing these documents in proper legal form and content for final review by attorneys; independently drafts extradition documents and detainers for attorneys review and signature and coordinates all travel of returning defendants with law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions; prepares first drafts and/or outlines of briefs, legal opinions, contracts, conveyances, deeds, etc. for review by a deputy attorney; prepares cases and files for presentation in court by staff attorneys ensuring that required documents are included in files and by independently following up on requests for required information by contacting witnesses, law enforcement personnel, litigants, court staff, etc.; applies legal policies and procedures and reviews documents for compliance with applicable rules of court; indexes, groups and classifies legal opinions rendered by the office; may take and transcribe dictation.
 A combination of education and experience substantially equivalent to graduation from high school and four (4) years of progressively complex work experience in a legal or judicial environment involving the examination of legal documents for adherence to law, policies and procedures and the rules of court which would have included legal research, preparation, typing, processing and drafting of a variety of legal forms and documents which required substantive knowledge of legal terminology, procedures, practices, forms and documents.
License Requirement: None
Knowledge of: common legal terms and forms; basic constitutional, property, tort, family, criminal, and administrative law; the commercial code and contracts; types of court actions and the various court rules and procedures; methods and techniques of legal research and sources of legal information; legal writing; interviewing techniques.
Ability to: read, write, analyze and apply the law; understand the legal process; prepare, process and maintain legal records, forms and documents; conduct research; compile, summarize and digest materials; draft documents; prepare reports; follow oral and written instructions; keep matters confidential; operate common office equipment.
Health and Physical Condition
Persons seeking appointment to positions in this class must meet the health and physical condition standards deemed necessary and proper for performance of the duties.
Physical Effort Grouping: Light