LEGAL SECRETARY
(An Unclassified, At-Will Position)

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Under direction, provides a full range of legal secretarial and specialized clerical support to assigned staff in the City Attorney’s Office; prepares of a variety of legal documents involving legal terminology; and serves as a liaison with other City staff, outside agencies, and the general public

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Types, word processes, and proofreads correspondence, memoranda, and a wide variety of legal documents such as contracts, stipulations, discovery, briefs, judgments, depositions, agreements, opinions, affidavits, motions, appeals, declarations, subpoenas, and other legal materials; transcribes, types, and prepares documents from rough draft, verbal instruction, or transcribing machine; chooses proper format and appropriate details using word processing equipment.
• Independently drafts routine legal documents, correspondence, ordinances, and resolutions; prepares initial drafts of more complex documents for attorney review.
• Prepares resolutions and ordinances for City Council agenda package including proofreading and editing resolutions, ordinances, staff reports, and exhibits.
• Conducts research of routine questions and historical actions of the City as requested; researches current Court and local rules including those pertaining to filing pleadings, briefs, and documents and pleading and brief formats.
• Screens calls, visitors, and mail; responds to requests for information and assistance; researches information; responds to and resolves complaints within established parameters; directs callers to appropriate City departments or staff; may sort and distribute mail.
• Maintains calendar for pending litigation matters; analyzes court procedures; calendars all court deadlines.
• Maintains attorneys’ calendars and schedules as assigned; schedules appointments and appearances; calendars depositions, meetings, hearings, training sessions, due dates, and tasks.
• Coordinates depositions with outside clients and other outside parties; schedules meetings with clients and outside parties.
• Maintains contact with court personnel; makes inquiries regarding specific department rules and obtains hearing information; schedules hearings.
• Coordinates and makes travel arrangements; prepares forms relative to office travel and purchases including City forms, registration forms, requisitions, budget transfer considerations, and related forms.
• Operates a variety of office equipment including but not limited to a computer, typewriter, copier, facsimile machine, and adding machine.
• Utilizes various computer applications and software packages; develops, enters data, maintains, and generates reports from a database or network system; designs, maintains, and utilizes data to develop reports using spreadsheet software; creates, formats, and revises documents using word processing software; prepares necessary material for Attorney’s presentation to City Council or outside organizations.
• Performs a variety of general bookkeeping and clerical accounting duties and responsibilities involved in financial record keeping and reporting for assigned area; maintains a variety of accounting records, logs, and files; verifies, balances, and adjusts accounting records.
• Organizes and maintains complex filing systems, records and indexes.
• Performs related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Legal office methods, procedures, terminology, and documents.
• Court rules and procedures.
• Standard legal references and their contents.
• Modern office procedures, methods and equipment including computers.
• Computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets and statistical databases.
• Principles and procedures of record keeping.
• Principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation.
• Methods and techniques of public relations. Mathematical principles.
• Basic bookkeeping and clerical accounting principles.
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Ability to:

• Perform responsible and difficult legal secretarial and specialized clerical duties involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative.
• Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Understand, interpret and apply general and specific administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Research, compile, analyze, and interpret data.
• Locate various legal references including statues, codes, regulations, and citations.
• Participate in the preparation of a variety of reports and documents.
• Independently prepare correspondence and memoranda.
• Implement and maintain standard filing systems.
• Type at 60 words per minute.
• Take and transcribe dictation at 100 words per minute is desirable.
• Operate and use modern office equipment including a computer and various software packages.
• Work under steady pressure with frequent interruptions and a high degree of public contact by phone or in person.
• Exercise good judgment and maintain confidentiality in maintaining critical and sensitive information, records, and reports.
• Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

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

Education/Training: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by specialized training as a legal secretary.

Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible secretarial and clerical experience including at least two years of secretarial experience in a law office environment. Experience must include civil litigation and pleadings, and specifically law and motion matters.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Standard office setting. Exposure to dust from paperwork. Work schedule is 9/80 with alternating Fridays off in a biweekly period. Work environment is both formal and informal, team- and autonomy-oriented, having variable tasks, pace and pressure.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability to work in an office setting and operate office equipment. CONTINUOUS sitting, upward and downward flexion of neck; fine finger dexterity and light to moderate finger pressure to manipulate keyboard, equipment controls, and other office equipment; pinch grasp to manipulate writing utensils. FREQUENT side-to-side turning of neck, walking, standing, bending and stooping, pushing/pulling, twisting at waist, moderate wrist torque to twist equipment knobs and dials; lifting objects weighing up to 20 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 yards. OCCASIONAL squatting, kneeling, reaching above and at shoulder height, moderate grasping to manipulate reference books and manuals; lifting objects weighing 20-3 5 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 feet.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents and to operate equipment.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

Date: November 2001
Johnson & Associates