Senior Legal Secretary

Under general supervision, to plan, organize, and carry out legal support functions for an assigned unit in a large County department or a small County legal department; to perform a variety of legal secretarial and support duties; to perform office and administrative support work; to answer public and staff contacts and concerns; and to do related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the second level in the Legal Secretary class series.  Incumbents have responsibility for planning, organizing, and carrying out a variety of legal, office, and administrative support work.  Work assignments require substantive knowledge of legal terminology, legal documents, and legal procedures.  This class is distinguished from Legal Secretary in that Senior Legal Secretary has responsibility for coordinating legal support work and functions for a legal unit or work area in a large Department or a small County legal department.     

REPORTS TO

A variety of County supervisory or management positions, depending upon the department or program area where assigned.

CLASSIFICATIONS SUPERVISED

Incumbents may provide work coordination, training, and lead direction for other staff. 

Plans, organizes, and carries out legal support functions for an assigned area; serves as legal secretary, performing a variety of legal support work; may provide direct support for staff attorneys; interviews office visitors and telephone callers, answering inquiries, responding to concerns, and referring them to other staff as appropriate; may personally prepare or assist with the preparation of a wide variety of legal documents, such as motions, briefs, court orders, notices, and subpoenas; receives documents and referrals from courts and other agencies, passing them on to attorneys or other staff when needed; prepares affidavits, petitions, complaints, warrants, and abstracts of judgments; checks and reviews information and documents for completeness and conformance with required standards and procedures; composes routine legal documents, as directed; calendars court appearances and maintains case logs for proceedings; prepares files and information for court proceedings; assists with special projects; may do basic research in assisting with development of citations for cases; compiles information for records and reports; composes correspondence; types and/or  uses word processing software to prepare reports, documents, letters, forms, and other  items; prepares materials for meetings and conferences; completes a variety of forms and documents; maintains inventories of office supplies and program material; may develop and maintain detailed records of activities and functions; may learn and use on-line, automated software systems for developing program information, records, and legal documents; compiles  data and completes reports required by other government agencies; retrieves historical information from files, records, and computerized information systems; performs administrative support duties, such as payroll preparation, assisting with budget preparation and tracking, providing purchasing support, processing accounts payable, and making travel arrangements; operates a computer and  uses software packages to maintain complex information and operating records; assists with the development of information requirements for assigned programs and services.

Knowledge of: 

• Legal terminology, documents, and procedures.
• Good public relations techniques.
• Requirements for completing and filing legal documents.
• Computerized information systems.
• Modern office methods, including filing and information retrieval systems.   
• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Computers and software applications related to legal, office, and administrative support work.
• Principles of work coordination, training, and lead direction.

Desired Skills: 

• Plan, organize, and maintain day-to-day responsibility for the legal support functions of an assigned work area, unit, or small department.
• Perform a variety of legal office support, secretarial, and administrative detail work.
• Identify, prepare, and use a variety of legal documents and forms.
• Interpret and apply policies, rules, and regulations with good judgment in a variety of situations.
• Gather and organize data and information.
• Prepare clear, concise, and accurate reports.
• Type and/or use word processing software at an acceptable rate to meet work production requirements.
• Take dictation and/or notes at an appropriate rate for the job assignment and transcribe them accurately.
• Learn and use specialized software applicable to an assigned Department's programs and functions.
• Deal tactfully and courteously with the public and other staff when explaining the functions and policies of the work area where assigned.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships. 

Any combination of training or experience that would provide the knowledge and skills to successfully perform the listed duties is qualifying.  A typical way, but not required, to obtain the required knowledge and skills would be:

Training and Experience:
At least four years of responsible office and administrative support work, including experience in a position requiring knowledge of legal terminology and procedures and substantial public contact.
 
Special Requirements:
None. TYPICAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Sit for extended periods; frequently stand and walk;  normal manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination; lift and move objects weighing up to 25 lbs.; corrected hearing and vision to normal range; verbal communication; use of office equipment, including computer, telephone, calculator, copiers, and FAX.
 
TYPICAL WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is performed in an office environment;  continuous contact with other staff and the public.

Salary : $42,037 - $53,685