What are the responsibilities and job description for the Paralegal position at City Of Sterling & Office Of Clerk?
Position descriptions/specifications are only intended to present a descriptive summary of the range of duties, tasks, and responsibilities associated with a specified position. Therefore, descriptions/specifications may not include all duties performed by the individual. In addition, descriptions/specifications are intended to outline the minimum qualifications necessary for entry into the position/class and do not necessarily convey the qualifications of incumbents within the position/class.
PRIMARY PURPOSE OF POSITION: Assists the City Attorney in all aspects required of the office of the City Attorney, including, but not limited to, file management, legal research, drafting documents and correspondence for review and use by the City Attorney, collection of information, review of documents, including contracts and leases, review of law enforcement reports and citations and preparation of Court files and Court pleadings, maintaining contact with individuals, and all other requirements of a paralegal.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Under direct supervision of the City Attorney, this position operates within the City of Sterlings policies/procedures and quality standards while performing the following essential functions and responsibilities: (Essential functions are those functions that the individual who holds the position must be able to perform unaided or with the assistance of reasonable accommodation.)
1. Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service;
2. Keeps City Attorney informed of details affecting office management decisions;
3. Prepares a variety of legal documents including correspondence, memoranda, legal pleadings and briefs, updates forms and reports from rough draft; prepares subpoena and data entry on computer system;
4. Maintains master files, case files, and library maintenance in accordance with established systems, updates and purges files according to procedures, and categorizes information for filing;
5. Reviews and verifies completeness and accuracy of documents, forms, and other information and identifies and corrects errors according to established procedures;
6. Effectively and efficiently operates a computer utilizing such software programs as word processing, statistical spreadsheets and databases;
7. Deal with the public in a cordial, tactful and professional manner which serves to maintain and develop effective working relationships with clientele. Maintain customer service expectations of the department when dealing with City elected officials, customers, or fellow employees either in person or on phone;
8. Exercises discretion in handling concerns related to the department/division in the absence of the supervisor;
9. Follow all applicable safety rules and regulations.
10. Maintains confidentiality of data and information;
11. Performs other related functions as otherwise assigned, delegated or required by the City Attorney.
SUPERVISION OF OTHERS: Has no responsibility for supervision.
Physical Requirements:
1. Physical requirements include ability to extend hands(s) and arm(s) in any direction; pick, pinch, work with fingers and palm as well as whole hand; performs sedentary physical work which requires the ability to lift twenty (20) pounds and carry objects weighing up to ten (10) pounds; some pushing, pulling, and climbing; move about on foot to accomplish tasks; push/pull, lift, move, draw/drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion for extended periods of time.
2. Physical mobility sufficient to negotiate work areas to perform the primary purpose of the position.
3. Manual dexterity sufficient to operate keyboard devices requiring repetitive arm/hand movements.
4. Cognitive ability sufficient to perform and understand and apply simple to complex mathematical concepts.
5. Visual acuity sufficient to perform work which deals largely with preparing/reviewing reports and records and for visual inspection which may involve small parts/defects in equipment.
6. Hearing acuity sufficient to receive, comprehend and understand detailed information through oral communications, telephone conversations, radio traffic, etc., and to make fine discriminations in sounds in order to perform duties safely.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Work performed in surroundings in which temperature, contaminants, and noise are not normally encountered; hazards are minor and controllable.
MARGINAL FUNCTIONS:
1. May attend evening meetings and work extra hours;
2. May serve on special City task forces;
3. May serve as back-up for other reception/clerical staff as time allows;
4. May assist in special projects as needed or otherwise delegated.
QUALIFICATIONS: The degree of knowledge, ability and physical requirements as outlined under this section is that which is necessary to satisfactory perform the essential functions of this position. Employees should be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential physical functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities and possess the necessary physical requirements, with or without the aid of mechanical devices, to perform safely the essential functions of the job.
Knowledge of:
Policies, procedures, and rules relative to the clerical field and legal procedures;
Legal terminology, business English, spelling and arithmetic;
Proper grammar and punctuation:
Policies and procedures of the City;
Standard of customer service delivery practices and procedures sufficient to be able to process various types of in person/phone contacts associated with customer service duties
Phone systems, computers, and electronic data processing;
General office procedures sufficient to be able to ensure proper operation;
Ability to:
1. Analyze situations objectively and critically and determine a proper course of action, the outcomes of which are within desirable and budget parameters;
2. Organize daily work schedules to optimize daily productivity to meet established department goals;
3. Express or exchange ideas effectively to a diverse audience by means of the spoken word and/or written documents;
4. Handle sensitive situations with angry or difficult customers with tact and diplomacy;
5. Work under deadlines and with frequent interruptions;
6. Communicate in an effective, cordial, tactful, and professional manner suitable for the situation, while performing activities in which employee must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to co-workers, members of the general public and vendors;
7. File documents alphabetically, numerically or chronologically.
8. Comprehend and follow complex written and/or oral instructions, to compile information, to complete and file accurate reports, with minimal supervision;
9. Demonstrate the safe operation, and performance of minor maintenance of equipment associated with or used in course of accomplishing the primary purpose(s) of the position
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
Education: High School or G.E.D.
Experience: Three (3) years of experience in a law office; minimum of 60 w.p.m. keyboarding
Training/Certifications: Paralegal Certification
Special Requirements:
Possess and maintain the appropriate CO operators license for the type of City owned vehicle which the employee may operate in the scope of employment.
PRIMARY PURPOSE OF POSITION: Assists the City Attorney in all aspects required of the office of the City Attorney, including, but not limited to, file management, legal research, drafting documents and correspondence for review and use by the City Attorney, collection of information, review of documents, including contracts and leases, review of law enforcement reports and citations and preparation of Court files and Court pleadings, maintaining contact with individuals, and all other requirements of a paralegal.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Under direct supervision of the City Attorney, this position operates within the City of Sterlings policies/procedures and quality standards while performing the following essential functions and responsibilities: (Essential functions are those functions that the individual who holds the position must be able to perform unaided or with the assistance of reasonable accommodation.)
1. Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service;
2. Keeps City Attorney informed of details affecting office management decisions;
3. Prepares a variety of legal documents including correspondence, memoranda, legal pleadings and briefs, updates forms and reports from rough draft; prepares subpoena and data entry on computer system;
4. Maintains master files, case files, and library maintenance in accordance with established systems, updates and purges files according to procedures, and categorizes information for filing;
5. Reviews and verifies completeness and accuracy of documents, forms, and other information and identifies and corrects errors according to established procedures;
6. Effectively and efficiently operates a computer utilizing such software programs as word processing, statistical spreadsheets and databases;
7. Deal with the public in a cordial, tactful and professional manner which serves to maintain and develop effective working relationships with clientele. Maintain customer service expectations of the department when dealing with City elected officials, customers, or fellow employees either in person or on phone;
8. Exercises discretion in handling concerns related to the department/division in the absence of the supervisor;
9. Follow all applicable safety rules and regulations.
10. Maintains confidentiality of data and information;
11. Performs other related functions as otherwise assigned, delegated or required by the City Attorney.
SUPERVISION OF OTHERS: Has no responsibility for supervision.
Physical Requirements:
1. Physical requirements include ability to extend hands(s) and arm(s) in any direction; pick, pinch, work with fingers and palm as well as whole hand; performs sedentary physical work which requires the ability to lift twenty (20) pounds and carry objects weighing up to ten (10) pounds; some pushing, pulling, and climbing; move about on foot to accomplish tasks; push/pull, lift, move, draw/drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion for extended periods of time.
2. Physical mobility sufficient to negotiate work areas to perform the primary purpose of the position.
3. Manual dexterity sufficient to operate keyboard devices requiring repetitive arm/hand movements.
4. Cognitive ability sufficient to perform and understand and apply simple to complex mathematical concepts.
5. Visual acuity sufficient to perform work which deals largely with preparing/reviewing reports and records and for visual inspection which may involve small parts/defects in equipment.
6. Hearing acuity sufficient to receive, comprehend and understand detailed information through oral communications, telephone conversations, radio traffic, etc., and to make fine discriminations in sounds in order to perform duties safely.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Work performed in surroundings in which temperature, contaminants, and noise are not normally encountered; hazards are minor and controllable.
MARGINAL FUNCTIONS:
1. May attend evening meetings and work extra hours;
2. May serve on special City task forces;
3. May serve as back-up for other reception/clerical staff as time allows;
4. May assist in special projects as needed or otherwise delegated.
QUALIFICATIONS: The degree of knowledge, ability and physical requirements as outlined under this section is that which is necessary to satisfactory perform the essential functions of this position. Employees should be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential physical functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities and possess the necessary physical requirements, with or without the aid of mechanical devices, to perform safely the essential functions of the job.
Knowledge of:
Policies, procedures, and rules relative to the clerical field and legal procedures;
Legal terminology, business English, spelling and arithmetic;
Proper grammar and punctuation:
Policies and procedures of the City;
Standard of customer service delivery practices and procedures sufficient to be able to process various types of in person/phone contacts associated with customer service duties
Phone systems, computers, and electronic data processing;
General office procedures sufficient to be able to ensure proper operation;
Ability to:
1. Analyze situations objectively and critically and determine a proper course of action, the outcomes of which are within desirable and budget parameters;
2. Organize daily work schedules to optimize daily productivity to meet established department goals;
3. Express or exchange ideas effectively to a diverse audience by means of the spoken word and/or written documents;
4. Handle sensitive situations with angry or difficult customers with tact and diplomacy;
5. Work under deadlines and with frequent interruptions;
6. Communicate in an effective, cordial, tactful, and professional manner suitable for the situation, while performing activities in which employee must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to co-workers, members of the general public and vendors;
7. File documents alphabetically, numerically or chronologically.
8. Comprehend and follow complex written and/or oral instructions, to compile information, to complete and file accurate reports, with minimal supervision;
9. Demonstrate the safe operation, and performance of minor maintenance of equipment associated with or used in course of accomplishing the primary purpose(s) of the position
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
Education: High School or G.E.D.
Experience: Three (3) years of experience in a law office; minimum of 60 w.p.m. keyboarding
Training/Certifications: Paralegal Certification
Special Requirements:
Possess and maintain the appropriate CO operators license for the type of City owned vehicle which the employee may operate in the scope of employment.
