Under minimal supervision, performs a variety of complex legal secretarial duties, prepares legal documents, abstracts information, and performs a variety of responsible duties in support of County Attorneys.

The County of Santa Clara Office of the County Counsel is one of the premier public sector law offices in the country and offers an interesting, varied, and dynamic practice with a learning culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Office is recruiting to fill several Legal Secretary positions and we encourage candidates who are interested in driving change and supporting public servants in a collaborative and challenging environment to apply. For more information, please explore our website to view answers to Frequently Asked Questions about our Office and testimonials from existing staff at https://counsel.sccgov.org/employment-opportunities/paralegal-and-legal-secretary-positions.

Our Office is the general counsel for the County of Santa Clara, including the Board of Supervisors and all County departments and agencies. Our attorneys and legal professionals work in a wide array of civil practice areas, including: adult and elder protection; child and family protection; civil rights, torts, and employment litigation; community protection; education; environment and land use; finance, government operations, and technology; health and hospitals; human services; jail reform and custody operations; labor and employment; public safety and justice; social justice and impact litigation; and workers compensation.

Legal Secretaries work as partners with attorneys and other legal professionals on various types of civil and quasi-civil matters that are interesting, challenging, and rewarding. Legal Secretaries may work in one or more of the Office’s legal practice areas and exact secretarial assignments will vary by practice area. As examples, Legal Secretaries assist attorneys in preparing for hearings in Federal and State court, as well as other Federal and State administrative agencies; prepare legal correspondence, memoranda, and pleadings; file, research, and track legal papers with Federal, State, and appellate courts; abstract information from files; manage attorneys' calendars and files; keep attorneys aware of scheduled events and approaching deadlines; and communicate by phone and email with clients, maintaining a high degree of confidentiality and professionalism at all times.

The Legal Secretary II position is the highest non-supervisory level in the County's Legal Secretary series. The position requires a solid background of clerical experience, some of which should be in a legal office. 

We seek public service minded candidates who are interested in supporting quality and equitable service for community members and are proficient with the Microsoft Office Suite and in formatting documents; have excellent written and oral communication abilities; strong grammar, punctuation, and proofreading skills; as well as proficiency with interpersonal, customer service, and organizational skills. The capability to work collaboratively with colleagues to support several attorneys and to interact professionally are valued. An eagerness to take on interesting challenges with a commitment to public service in a fast-paced, professional environment are all qualities for success in this job. All County Counsel team members must maintain strict adherence to the confidentiality of the attorney-client privilege and attorney work product.

Applicants may also be considered for Legal Secretary II positions that are designated as Confidential and receive five-percent (5%) premium pay. Positions which are designated Confidential support the County Counsel's Labor and Employment Team, whose attorneys are involved in contract negotiations with various employee bargaining units, personnel and union grievances, employee discipline, arbitrations, and other personnel matters involving union members. Confidential Employees are not represented by SEIU Local 521, but are afforded the same benefits as SEIU members.

COVID-19 Risk Level: Low

• Performs difficult and complex legal secretarial duties in direct support of County Attorneys;
• May orient and train other Legal Secretaries in specific functions or assignments;
• Prepares legal correspondence, opinions, resolutions, ordinances, leases, contracts, orders, motions, complaints, warrants, subpoenas, commitments, indictment decisions, summons, demurrers, judgments, affidavits, trial briefs, appeals, writs, jury instructions, dismissals, reports and other legal documents in a timely fashion, with minimal direction;
• Using specific areas of expertise, develops new procedures;
• Composes routine correspondence from general direction or notes;
• Abstracts information from files and puts general information into proper legal form;
• Files, researches and tracks legal papers with proper court;
• Maintains files of correspondence and legal correspondence;
• Performs calendaring functions;
• Reads reports describing legislation affecting legal procedures in the County;
• Compares references with law library and other sources to check accuracy of citations;
• Maintains law books;
• Screens office and telephone callers, referring those who may be better served elsewhere; personally assists callers when possible;
• Exercises considerable judgment and discretion in dealing with confidential matters;
• Performs general office and legal clerical functions;
• May be assigned to assist attorneys to become familiar with office procedures, various court rules and legal forms;
• May perform payroll activities such as maintaining records of time worked, overtime, leaves and absences;
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker, as required;
• Performs other related duties as required.

Demonstrated education, training, and a period of legal clerical experience to acquire the following knowledge and abilities:
Training and Experience Note: The knowledge and abilities required for this function are acquired through two (2) years of experience equivalent to the Legal Secretary I classification in the County of Santa Clara and demonstrated proficiency in all aspects of legal secretary work.
Knowledge of:

• Legal office work, procedures and terminology;
• General office practices, procedures, and machines;
• Court filing and calendar procedures;
• Various court rules and procedures;
• Standard legal forms, documents and formats;
• Law library arrangement;
• Computer applications specific to work;
• Customer service principles.

Ability to:

• Prepare legal documents and reports from general instructions using appropriate computer applications;
• Work under pressure and meet strict deadlines;
• Transcribe lengthy legal opinions accurately;
• Abstract pertinent information from files to prepare legal documents;
• Correct spelling, punctuation, and English grammar;
• Work independently in the absence of specific instructions;
• Interpret and apply specific laws and ordinances;
• Obtain information through interviewing;
• Deal tactfully with members of the public and other government entities under stressful conditions;
• Adapt to technical advances in the legal secretarial field. 

**Departments may selectively recruit for typing speed up to 50 Net WPM, depending on departmental need.