Legal Secretary - Journey

This recruitment will be used to fill both open and promotional vacancies in various County departments as they arise, subject to specific position requirements and CEO approval.

The current vacancy is in the County Counsel’s office. This *confidential position will be required to provide clerical and legal secretarial support under the supervision of management personnel. Attention to detail and accuracy is critical to perform the duties of this job. Applying court rules, managing deadlines, and filing documents with the court plays a major role for this position.

 

*Positions held in the County Counsel's Office are eligible to receive Confidential benefits, including 3.5% confidential pay.

To perform specialized, confidential and diversified legal secretarial work; to assist in the scheduling and handling of office details; and to relieve legal staff of administrative detail.

Legal Secretary - Journey
This is the full journey level class in the Legal Secretary series and is distinguished from the entry level by the ability to perform the full range of duties assigned with only occasional instruction or assistance as unusual or unique situations arise.  Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the entry level.

Legal Secretary - Journey
Receives general supervision from management or supervisory personnel, and may receive technical and functional supervision from professional staff.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Perform general and legal secretarial duties related to assigned functional area and department.
• Type, edit and format legal documents including pleadings, briefs, opinions, orders, contracts, correspondence and other legal matters.
• Handle routine departmental correspondence independently, and maintain files of correspondence, contracts, pleadings, discovery, legal opinions and other records and documents.
• Assist other staff by performing duties related to special assignments or projects including researching and compiling information.
• Provide information in person or over the telephone relative to departmental procedures, policies records, court rules and case files.
• Collect information from a variety of sources pertinent to area of assignment; compile data as necessary and prepare routine reports as required.
• Schedule a variety of appointments as necessary.
• Maintain and monitor records and files; follow-up on due dates; perform other monitoring functions to ensure timely completion of work.
• Operate standard office equipment including word processing applications as assigned; may perform duties on computer spreadsheet programs; operate stand alone computer software program as related to assigned area.
• Enter, modify and retrieve data into local, state and national computer systems.  Conduct record searches in a centralized database.
• Provide information to law enforcement agencies, courts, attorneys and the public in accordance with legal requirements.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

It is the applicant's responsibility to identify in their application materials how they meet the Minimum Qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training
Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Two years experience performing legal secretarial duties equivalent to the Legal Secretary - Entry in Placer County.

Training: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade. 

License or Certificate:
May need to possess a valid driver’s license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

Legal Secretary - Journey

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of technical report typing.
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Office practices, methods, procedures and equipment including filing and computer systems.
• Principles of customer service.
• Organization procedures and operating details of an office.
• Mathematical calculation.
• Basic record keeping principles and procedures.
• Legal terminology, forms, documents.
• Court procedures and requirements.
• Operating procedures of a legal office.

Ability to:

• Independently perform legal clerical and secretarial duties including maintenance of records, files., verifying files and data. Research and analyze background information.
• Organize tasks and determine priorities in order to meet assigned deadlines.
• Understand and explain department policies and procedures.
• Transcribe from dictating equipment.
• Draft simple legal documents.
• Perform routine mathematical calculations.  
• Use computer word processing, spread sheet, database and customized applications.
• Analyze situations carefully and adopt effective course of action.
• Work with accuracy and thoroughness under stress.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Transcribe from dictating equipment.
• Type at a minimum of 50 words per minute.
• Prioritize and coordinate tasks to meet deadlines.
• On a continuous basis, sit at desk and/or stand at counter for long periods of time. Intermittently twist and reach office equipment; write and use keyboard to communicate through written means; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; lift light weight.
• Intermittently review documents related to department operations; observe, identify and problem solve office operations and procedures; understand, interpret and explain department policies and procedures; explain operations and problem solve office issues for the public and with staff.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula.  Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants for regular full and part-time positions must pass a medical examination which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation. Applicants for extra help positions may be subject to a drug screening. All applicants must sign a constitutional oath, submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S. and be fingerprinted. For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, be bonded or undergo a background check.

All new permanent employees, with the exception of sworn law enforcement and management, shall be required to join the employee organization or pay an 'Agency Fee' as a condition of employment.

The eligible list(s) resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification.  For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County now offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please visit our website at: http://www.jobaps.com/placer/sup/abfreenames.asp.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment and retaliation is prohibited and that all employees and applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All recruitment, hiring, transfer and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws or ordinance. Please contact the Personnel Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.

The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change.  It is advisable that applicants inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Personnel Department.

Click here to view benefits for Confidential and General bargaining unit