Clerk

Incumbent serves as Clerk for the LaGrange County Public Defender Office, responsible for providing administrative assistance to the Chief Public Defender and the Public Defender Office generally.

DUTIES:

• Manages client communications with individuals who qualify for a court-appointed attorney. This includes in-person, telephone, email, SMS text, and other forms of communication to keep client’s informed about the status of their case and notified of upcoming events.
• Prepares, types, copies, organizes and/or files a wide variety of documents, including, but not limited to, correspondence, discovery materials, judgment orders, plea agreements, and court motions.
• Enters a variety of information in designated computer systems along with scanning and sorting documents into the appropriate system and performs administrative tasks for Chief Public Defender as directed.
• Answers telephone and greets office visitors, responding to inquiries, providing information and assistance, taking messages, scheduling appointments and depositions, and/or directing callers to appropriate individual or department. Sorts and distributes incoming mail.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

I. JOB REQUIREMENTS AND DIFFICULTY OF WORK:

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Ability to meet all Department hiring requirements, including passage of a drug test.
• Ability to learn the standard policies and practices of the LaGrange County Public Defender Office and related Court operations, as well as ability to apply appropriate procedures accordingly.
• Knowledge of legal terminology and standard legal procedures/practices, and ability to accurately discuss legal topics with clients and other parties without providing legal advice.
• Working knowledge of standard office procedures and computer software programs used by the Public Defender Office, with ability to apply such knowledge to a variety of interrelated processes, tasks, and operations.
• Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling and punctuation, and ability to prepare correspondence, court/legal documents and written reports as required.
• Ability to properly operate standard office equipment, such as computer, typewriter, calculator, transcriber/Dictaphone, copier, telephone/switchboard and fax machine.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other County departments, other government offices, attorneys, clients, law enforcement agencies, child support division, and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities and disabilities.
• Knowledge of professional responsibility rules that apply to non-attorney personnel in a law office setting, and commitment to following those rules when interacting with clients, the Prosecutor’s Office, court staff, and the public.
• Ability to comply with all employer and department policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct.
• Ability to understand, memorize, retain, and carry out oral and written instructions and present findings in oral or written form.
• Ability to compile, classify, and analyze data, make determinations, and take action based on data analysis.
• Ability to work alone with minimum supervision and with others in a team environment, often amidst frequent distractions and interruptions, and under pressure from formal schedules, deadlines, and high-volume operations.
• Ability to apply knowledge of people/locations and count/make simple arithmetic additions/subtractions.

II. RESPONSIBILITY:

• Incumbent performs duties according to a flexible, customary routine and standard Department policies and practices, with priorities primarily determined by supervisor and service needs of the public. Assignments are guided by broad policies and/or general objectives, with incumbent referring to supervisor for unusual matters, such as policy interpretations. Decisions are always determined by specific instructions or existing, well-established policies and procedures. Work errors are primarily detected or prevented through prior instructions from supervisor and legally defined procedures. Undetected errors could result in work delays in other departments and/or inconvenience to other agencies or the public.

III. PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

• Incumbent maintains frequent contact with co-workers, other County departments, other government offices, attorneys, clients, law enforcement agencies, Child Support, and the public for purposes of exchanging information, rendering service, resolving problems and mentoring.
• Incumbent reports directly to Chief Public Defender.

IV. PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIORNMENT:

• Incumbent performs duties in a standard office environment and in a courtroom, involving sitting/walking at will, standing/walking for long periods, lifting/carrying objects weighing under 25 pounds, bending, reaching, crouching/kneeling, keyboarding, close/far vision, color perception, speaking clearly, hearing sounds/communication and handling/grasping/fingering objects. Incumbent maintains considerable contact with the public and may be exposed to hostile/argumentative persons.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Up to $22.58 per hour

Expected hours: 35 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Day shift

Work Location: In person

Salary : $23