LEGAL SECRETARY I (#BH2 )

$28.85-$33.71 hourly / $5,001.00-$5,843.00 monthly / $60,008.00-$70,116.80 yearly

LEGAL SECRETARY II (#BH3 )

$31.63-$37.03 hourly / $5,482.00-$6,418.00 monthly / $65,790.40-$77,022.40 yearly

Under direction, to perform a variety of specialized secretarial and administrative support services for one or more attorneys; to compose, prepare and process a wide variety of legal documents in proper format from brief instructions, rough copy or recorded drafts; and to do other work as required.

Legal Secretary I is the entry and trainee level class. Incumbents initially work under close supervision to learn departmental policies and procedures, proper format for a variety of legal documents, and procedures for processing a variety of legal documents. Incumbents are normally expected to gain the knowledge and abilities to promote to the class of Legal Secretary II within one year.

Legal Secretary II is the journey level class in the Legal Secretary series. This class differs from the class of Legal Secretary I by increased responsibility for performing a wide variety of legal secretarial work.

Both classes have frequent contact with attorneys, other departments, agencies and the public, which requires knowledge of the courts and other legal departments. Incumbents are required to exercise independent judgment and discretion, safeguard the confidentiality of information and demonstrate tact and diplomacy. Accurate word processing and knowledge of legal terminology and legal processes are essential to the satisfactory performance of work of positions in these classes.

Prepares a wide variety of legal documents including briefs, orders, motions, warrants, citations, jury instructions, complaints, points and authorities, subpoenas, interrogatories, petitions, pleadings, resolutions, ordinances, opinions, tables of authority, reports and correspondence from handwritten, typed or recorded drafts; determines format, distribution and priority; processes legal documents, records and reports within the department, through the courts or with other agencies; obtains a variety of records and reports required for cases, i.e. drug and alcohol analyses, DMV reports, criminal history; prepares files for attorneys, pulls files for cases scheduled for court and ensures required documents are included; records court events and disposition on the case file and in computerized case tracking system; schedules appointments and meetings for attorneys;

Makes travel arrangements; answers routine requests for information; screens telephone calls and mail, provides information requested, takes messages, refers inquiry or request to appropriate staff or other agency, and resolves matters which do not require legal advice; researches State Codes, other legal reference books, brief banks, and opinion files to assist attorneys; maintains automated and manual files and record-keeping systems; compiles statistical and narrated reports; orders and maintains supplies; designs or revises forms to conform to legislative changes; may process personnel and payroll transactions; may calculate attorney fees and back-up data for grants and other programs; may conduct new employee orientation and provide training for new employees; may compute and prepare probate conservatorship accountings; may process conservatorship cases; may update brief banks and opinion files; operates word processing equipment and computer terminals to input, access and print data.

• Thorough knowledge of office procedures and practices, including preparation of correspondence and reports and filing;
• Thorough knowledge of vocabulary, spelling, grammar and punctuation;
• Thorough knowledge of standard typewriter set-ups and formats for business correspondence and reports;
• Some knowledge of legal terminology forms documents and procedures.

• Working knowledge of legal terminology forms, documents and procedures;
• Working knowledge of the forms and formatting for legal documents.
• Some knowledge of the organization, services, programs and functions of the legal system.

• Perform a wide variety of legal clerical work requiring independent judgment, accuracy and speed;
• Prepare final legal documents in accepted formats from brief instructions, handwritten, typed or recorded drafts;
• Understand, interpret, explain and apply laws, regulations, policies and procedures;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships;
• Understand and follow oral and written directives;
• Make arithmetic computations;
• Maintain records and prepare reports;
• Adjust to workload changes and meet deadlines under pressure of legal deadlines;
• Screen and prioritize correspondence and phone calls;
• Exercise independent judgment and discretion, safeguard the confidentiality of information, and demonstrate tact and diplomacy,
• Operate word processing equipment and computer terminals to input and access data;
• Operate standard office equipment.

• Work independently;
• Orient and train new employees;
• Learn to perform routine legal research;
• Process a wide variety of legal documents;
• Compose letters, written responses to inquiries and routine portions of reports.

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

Legal Secretary I Two years of clerical experience including some experience processing legal documents that demonstrates application or possession of the required knowledge and abilities.
 
Legal Secretary II One year of experience comparable to a Legal Secretary I in Santa Cruz County or other experience which demonstrates possession of the knowledge and abilities listed above.

Formal secretarial, legal secretarial or general office clerical training may be substituted for up to one year of the required experience on an hour for hour basis.

Performance: Pass a performance test, which demonstrates keyboard proficiency.