Nueces County
Legal Secretary I - County Attorney - J01120 - 11300
Nueces County, Corpus Christi, Texas, United States, 78401
Legal Secretary
Performs legal secretarial functions which follow established procedures and require some judgment regarding which procedures to apply. Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Performs any combination of the following duties: Screens walk-ins and telephone callers and assists them directly or refers them to the appropriate office or person; responsible for answering the telephone and/or greeting visitors and taking messages. Prepares, types and processes a variety of legal documents. Coordinates and schedules appointments for interviews with paralegal or attorneys. Obtains information needed in the prosecution of a protective order or processing of a civil case including DFPS case discovery or obtains information needed to assist attorney in drafting or reviewing legal documents relating to the business of the county. Coordinates court settings and maintains calendar. Prepares files and other materials for attorneys' use. Uses the computer to process, retrieve and disseminate information and documents, including word processing functions for letters, memoranda and legal documents. E-files documents with District or County Clerk. Responds to inquiries from law enforcement agencies, defense attorneys, and the public regarding the status of certain cases; or responds to clients regarding the status of contract and opinion preparations. Maintains accurate files on assigned cases including opening new files which reflect file numbers and dates assigned. Other duties may include maintaining an adequate inventory of office supplies for the division or unit, training new employees in procedural aspects of work, aiding in locating witnesses, making travel arrangements for attorneys, maintaining office statistics, notarizing applicant's affidavits for protective orders, or other documents, performing other clerical duties as required including filing, indexing, recording information, making copies, sorting and distributing mail, providing notary services, etc. Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Any employee who drives a vehicle on official business must have a driving record which meets standards set by the County and the County's insurance carrier. Education and/or experience: High school diploma or general education degree (GED) with courses in typing and computers and two years of responsible clerical work experience; at least six months of legal secretarial experience with a governmental entity is preferred. Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities, may be considered for current Nueces County employees only. Language skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Mathematical skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio and percent. Reasoning ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Certificates, licenses, registrations: Texas Operator's Driver's License. May be required to obtain Notary Public Certification. Other skills and abilities: Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions. Ability to proofread for accuracy. Considerable knowledge of justice system procedures and functions, modern office practices, legal documents and terminology. Ability to work independently with little or no supervision. Ability to file numerically and alphabetically. Ability to type from 45-60 wpm depending on the exact position. Ability to operate or demonstrated ability to learn to operate a copier, computer, fax machine, Dictaphone, TV-VCR and camera. Excellent command of English grammar and spelling. Ability to make judgments regarding appropriate response to routine questions/situations or referring situation to appropriate supervisor. Ability to maintain effective working relationship with other county employees, attorneys, court personnel, law enforcement agencies and the general public. Bilingual ability is highly desirable. Physical demands: The physical demands described here 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 functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Work environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to risk of low radiation when operating the computer. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Employee may encounter an angry defendant or mentally unstable individual in lobby area of office.
Performs legal secretarial functions which follow established procedures and require some judgment regarding which procedures to apply. Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Performs any combination of the following duties: Screens walk-ins and telephone callers and assists them directly or refers them to the appropriate office or person; responsible for answering the telephone and/or greeting visitors and taking messages. Prepares, types and processes a variety of legal documents. Coordinates and schedules appointments for interviews with paralegal or attorneys. Obtains information needed in the prosecution of a protective order or processing of a civil case including DFPS case discovery or obtains information needed to assist attorney in drafting or reviewing legal documents relating to the business of the county. Coordinates court settings and maintains calendar. Prepares files and other materials for attorneys' use. Uses the computer to process, retrieve and disseminate information and documents, including word processing functions for letters, memoranda and legal documents. E-files documents with District or County Clerk. Responds to inquiries from law enforcement agencies, defense attorneys, and the public regarding the status of certain cases; or responds to clients regarding the status of contract and opinion preparations. Maintains accurate files on assigned cases including opening new files which reflect file numbers and dates assigned. Other duties may include maintaining an adequate inventory of office supplies for the division or unit, training new employees in procedural aspects of work, aiding in locating witnesses, making travel arrangements for attorneys, maintaining office statistics, notarizing applicant's affidavits for protective orders, or other documents, performing other clerical duties as required including filing, indexing, recording information, making copies, sorting and distributing mail, providing notary services, etc. Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Any employee who drives a vehicle on official business must have a driving record which meets standards set by the County and the County's insurance carrier. Education and/or experience: High school diploma or general education degree (GED) with courses in typing and computers and two years of responsible clerical work experience; at least six months of legal secretarial experience with a governmental entity is preferred. Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities, may be considered for current Nueces County employees only. Language skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Mathematical skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio and percent. Reasoning ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Certificates, licenses, registrations: Texas Operator's Driver's License. May be required to obtain Notary Public Certification. Other skills and abilities: Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions. Ability to proofread for accuracy. Considerable knowledge of justice system procedures and functions, modern office practices, legal documents and terminology. Ability to work independently with little or no supervision. Ability to file numerically and alphabetically. Ability to type from 45-60 wpm depending on the exact position. Ability to operate or demonstrated ability to learn to operate a copier, computer, fax machine, Dictaphone, TV-VCR and camera. Excellent command of English grammar and spelling. Ability to make judgments regarding appropriate response to routine questions/situations or referring situation to appropriate supervisor. Ability to maintain effective working relationship with other county employees, attorneys, court personnel, law enforcement agencies and the general public. Bilingual ability is highly desirable. Physical demands: The physical demands described here 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 functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Work environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to risk of low radiation when operating the computer. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Employee may encounter an angry defendant or mentally unstable individual in lobby area of office.