Legal Administrative Assistant

DEFINITION

Under direction, to perform a variety of highly responsible, confidential, and complex legal secretarial and administrative duties in support of the City Attorney and other office staff; to assist in planning, organizing, and coordinating support activities, operations, and functions related to the City Attorney's Office; and to provide general information and assistance to staff and the general public.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Exercises no supervision.

EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Perform responsible and difficult legal secretarial and administrative work involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative; perform varied and responsible secretarial duties to assist in the processing and completion of administrative operations for the City Attorney.

Serve as a primary resource and information source regarding Department policies, procedures, objectives, and operational functions; receive and interview office visitors and telephone callers; answer questions and provide information where judgment, knowledge and interpreta­tions are utilized, especially in the proper handling of confidential information or files; field complaints; refer caller to appropriate source as necessary.

Receive, compile, and organize information for the preparation of correspondence, documents, and reports as assigned; prepare a variety of cor­respondence, documents, and reports; compose confidential correspondence, documents, and reports; maintain confidentiality of information.

Prepare information needed in administrative decisions and in facilitating the implementation of Department policies and programs; research, collect, compile, tabulate, analyze, and summarize data and information pertaining to specified activities, operations, or functions as assigned; prepare a variety of fiscal, statistical, and administrative summaries and reports.

Maintain detailed calendar of Department activities and for assigned staff; arrange interviews, appointments, schedules, conferences, travel arrangements, and itineraries.

Establish and maintain complete records and files including financial, budget, personnel, operational, and administrative records. 

EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Coordinate, supervise, and monitor special projects, assignments and activities as assigned; maintain control files on matters in progress and expedite their completion.

Participate and assist in the administration of the City Attorney’s Office; recom­mend organization­al or procedural changes affecting support activities; recommend improvements in work flow, procedures, and use of equipment and forms.

Type a variety of legal documents including resolutions, ordinances, notices, deeds, contracts, subpoenas, affidavits, briefs, motions, orders, jury instructions, discovery documents, complaints, answers, summonses, warrants and related documents from verbal instruc­tions, rough draft, or transcribing machine recording.

Open and maintain case files; locate and copy files for defendants and their attorneys; prepare statements and prepare entries in ledger.

Ensure all documents are prepared and filed in conformance with court rules.

Operate modern office machines and equipment including word processors, typewriters, printers, copiers, calculators, and FAX machines; routinely use a full range of word processing and spreadsheet computer software applications.

Order, receive, inventory, store, and distribute supplies, forms, and related items; prepare purchase orders.

Assist in the preparation and monitoring of Department's budget including to secure purchase orders, process invoices, monitor account balances, and perform account transfers; maintain inventory of fixed assets.

Compile and maintain the Ordinances of the City of Rock Springs.

Attend and participate in staff meetings and related activities; attend workshops, conferences, and classes to increase professional knowledge; stay abreast of court rules regarding the preparation and filing of documents in Federal, State and local courts.

OTHER JOB RELATED DUTIES

Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

JOB RELATED AND ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

            Knowledge of:

            Pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations including administrative and departmental policies and procedures.

            Legal terminology and the forms and documents used in legal secretarial work.

            Legal procedures and practices involved in composing, processing and filing a variety of legal documents.

            Standard legal references and their contents.

            Principles and practices of basic fiscal, statistical, and administrative data collection and report preparation.

            Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computer equip­ment and applicable software programs.

            English usage, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation.

            Principles and practices of business letter writing.

            Principles and procedures of record keeping.

            Principles and techniques used in dealing with the public.

            Word processing methods, techniques, and programs including spreadsheet and data base applications.

            Basic mathematical principles.

            Skill to:

            Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment.

                        Type at a speed of 70 words per minute.

            Ability to:

            Interpret and apply pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations including administrative and departmental policies and procedures.

            Ability to:

            Work under limited supervision within a broad framework of standard policies and procedures

            Use independent judgment, initiative, and good human relations and problem solving skills in the application and follow through on decisions.

            Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.

            Respond to questions from the public and City personnel regarding policies and procedures for the assigned area. 

            Work cooperatively with other departments, City officials and outside agencies.

            Perform responsible and difficult administrative and legal secretarial work involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative.

            Analyze situations carefully and adopt effective courses of action.

            Maintain confidential data and information.

            Independently prepare legal documents, correspondence and memoranda.

            Perform mathematical computations quickly and accurately.

            Compile and tabulate data and information and prepare summaries and reports.

            Plan and organize work to meet schedules and timelines.

            Exercise good judgment, flexibility, creativity, and sensitivity in response to changing situations and needs.

            Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

            Establish, maintain, and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

            Experience and Training Guidelines:

            Any combination equivalent to experience and training that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities would be qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:

                        Experience:

                        Five years of increasingly responsible legal secretarial experience.

                        Training:

                        Equivalent to a high school diploma supplemented by specialized legal secretarial and office practices course work.

            License or Certificate:

            Possession of, or ability to obtain, certification as a Notary Public.

            Special Requirements:

            Essential duties require the following physical skills and work environment:

            Ability to work in a standard office environment.