Student Legal Assistant

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Student Legal Assistant

COUNTY COUNSEL

Unclassified/Temporary - Extra Help:  $19.12/hour; Maximum 28 hours/week

Recruitment # 2017-14106-01  

The Placer County Counsel’s office, located in Auburn, has an opportunity for a motivated individual who is a current or recently graduated law school student.  The County Counsel’s Office is a department of the County of Placer.  It consists of 24 employees, including 15 attorneys, and is led by the County Counsel, who is a direct appointment of the Board of Supervisors.   

The County Counsel’s Office provides legal advice and support to:

• The Board of Supervisors
• The County Executive Office
• County elected Officials
• County appointed Officials 
• County departments, offices, boards, and commissions
• Some independent districts  

The County Counsel's Office also provides legal representation and advocacy in civil litigation, child protective services and administrative hearings involving the County and its officers and employees.   

Apply online by 5:00pm on Friday, 5/12/17 .  Assignment anticipated to start first week of July 2017 and end mid August 2017.  

(Unclassified)

To provide general assistance to legal staff; and to perform legal research and other work associated with the activities of a law office.

Receives general supervision from attorney staff.

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

• Analyze legal problems; conduct routine legal research.
• Prepare drafts of resolutions and legislative measures; prepare memoranda for judges or attorneys in writing orders and opinions.
• Ascertain the last amended form of the statutory law on a given subject; compile, annotate, and index provisions of law and information regarding court decisions.
• Assist in the work of a law library; maintain records and indexes of legal cases.
• 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: None required.

Training: Equivalent to the successful completion of one academic year in a recognized law school.

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.
 
Note: This class is designed to afford law students an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the County's legal work.  It enables County departments to utilize the services of law students for subprofessional work during the course of their legal training and facilitates more effective recruitment of applicants for legal careers in County service.  Use of the class is restricted to bonafide law students and recent law graduates pending admission to the California State Bar.  Student Legal Assistants are assigned duties and responsibilities at a level commensurate with their training and background. The class is not intended to be used to permit employees to remain permanently in the County service, and tenure is restricted to temporary employment.

Knowledge of:

• Legal principles and their applications.
• Basic methods of legal research, discovery and fact investigation.
• Principles of legal writing.
• Use of legal reference works and legal terms to a degree corresponding to the extent of the student's legal training.
• Judicial structure.

Ability to:

• On a continuous basis, sit at a desk while preparing cases; communicate through written and oral means.
• On a continuous basis, analyze a case and determine the law's application; interpret the applicable law or statute; know basic legal research methods; remember and understand case law and statutes; and explain case status to staff as required.
• Reason logically; analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.
• Perform basic legal research.
• Draft basic legal proceedings.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination, which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation, sign a constitutional oath and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation and/or be bonded.

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, discrimination and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources 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.