Legal Secretary (Confidential Assistant III)

About the Opportunity

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a vacancy in the Office of County Counsel, as well as establish an eligibility list to fill future full-time and part-time vacancies throughout Stanislaus County.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Office of County Counsel serves as chief legal counsel for the Board of Supervisors, all County offices, departments, and commissions. The Office is responsible for providing legal advice and written opinions on matters that impact the operation of County government jurisdictions. The Office also represents the County in litigation and preparation of agreements, contracts, resolutions, and ordinances for the Board of Supervisors.

The Office of County Counsel regularly handles personnel matters, election matters, bond issues, trial and appellate litigation concerning child welfare practice, public social services, condemnation proceedings, Public Administrator matters, public guardianship and conservatorship matters, and tax cases, as well as keeping current with all Attorney General Office opinions, case decisions and legislative changes impacting the County.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Under general direction, incumbents perform difficult and specialized legal clerical work of a varied and confidential nature often involving the exercise of independent judgment and initiative based upon skills, knowledge, and abilities.

The Confidential Assistant III is the advanced journey-level class in this series. This classification requires the ability to work independently, performing a wide variety of complex legal clerical duties associated with general legal experience. Incumbents in this class will have a thorough knowledge of office procedures and regulations, and the ability to perform duties with minimum direction or supervision. Experience in a wide variety of legal fields is desirable.

Unless otherwise provided, the Confidential Assistant III classification is part of the Unclassified service of the County, is considered "at-will," and is designated confidential for labor relations purposes. The individual selected will participate in the Stanislaus County Pay-for-Performance program, as well as receive additional benefits.

Incumbents may also be subject to overtime, standby, callback, weekend, holiday, and shift assignments.

Typical Tasks

• Handle documents and correspondence of a confidential nature;
• Make phone calls and respond to calls with County department employees, court staff and the public;
• File court documents; review court files for information;
• Create and maintain files for assigned attorneys, in electronic format;
• Perform general clerical work including filing, scheduling appointments, and maintaining calendars;
• Type letters, reports, records, etc;
• May assist in preparation of financial records or accountings;
• Compose and process correspondence, legal papers and documents;
• Transcribe a variety of correspondence and legal documents, including resolutions, ordinances, legal opinions, contracts, briefs, leases, and agreements;
• Compile and assemble various legal materials from files and other sources for County Counsel's use in preparation of other legal documents;
• Sort and file documents and reports according to predetermined classifications maintaining alphabetical, index and cross-reference files; and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education/Experience)

SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Type at a speed of at least 45 wpm (net corrected);
• Understand and apply laws, rules, procedures and policies relating to the work of the department;
• Prepare reports and correspondence independently;
• Read, interpret and apply policies, laws, rules and regulations;
• Remain abreast of new laws, amendments, and local rules as related to assigned duties/responsibilities;
• Work with and control sensitive and confidential information;
• Understand and follow complex instructions;
• Independently perform difficult, advanced clerical work;
• Operate office equipment related to the job;
• Compile data for and prepare reports of average difficulty;
• Follow oral and written communication;
• Prioritize clerical tasks, meet deadlines;
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; and
• Establish and maintain cooperative-working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

KNOWLEDGE OF

• Legal format, terminology, and procedures;
• Legal forms and documents used in legal clerical work;
• General and legal clerical procedures and operations; and
• A wide variety of legal documents.

EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION

• Three (3) years of legal secretarial experience involving work within a law firm, court setting, or county government.
  • Thirty (30) units of education in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) year of experience.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
In addition to the minimum qualifications, applicant screening may focus on the following desirable qualifications. Please list any of these qualifications you may have within the "Duties" section of the online application.

• One (1) year of legal secretarial experience in probate, conservatorship, and/or Public Guardian; or
• One (1) year of legal secretarial experience in civil litigation; or
• One (1) year of legal secretarial experience in criminal law; or
• Six (6) months of experience working with ProLaw as a case management and docketing system.

Application and Selection Procedures

APPLICATION PROCEDURES/FINAL FILING DATE

Applications cannot be submitted later than 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date. Make your online application as complete as possible so a full and realistic appraisal may be made of your qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Attaching your resume and cover letter are an optional feature for those who wish to do so in addition to completing the required application. Information on your resume and cover letter will not substitute for the education, work experience and required fields on the County application. The online County application is the primary tool used to evaluate your job qualifications.

EXAMINATION PROCESS

Most County recruitments consist of the steps detailed below and are governed by Merit Principles. The examination process ensures that all applicants are given the same opportunity to gain employment within Stanislaus County.

• Application Review and Screening. Applications are carefully screened based on information provided. Those who submit incomplete applications that lack relevant qualifications or do not submit all required documents will not be invited to move on.
• Written Examination. Applicants will be invited to participate in a written exam that tests knowledge for the position.
• Oral Examination. Applicants are invited to a panel interview in which they will be evaluated by County subject matter experts.
• Eligible Lists. Candidates who pass the examination will be placed on an eligible list for that classification. Eligible lists are effective for six months, but may be extended up to eighteen months.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Application Deadline: February 18, 2025 at 5pm
Oral Examination: Tentatively the week of February 24, 2025

GENERAL INFORMATION
Final appointment will be conditional upon successfully passing a County paid pre-employment drug screening (if applicable for position) and a job-related background investigation. Some positions may require possession or the ability to obtain, and maintenance of a valid California Driver’s license or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job related essential functions.

Stanislaus County supports the good health of its workforce. More information is available at: http://myclubwellness.org

Cell phones are typically incompatible with the online application format or browser. We recommend using a desktop or laptop computer. If you are still having technical difficulties, please call NEOGOV at 1-855-524-5627.

Benefits associated with this position can be found at Benefits Summary .

Closing Date/Time: 2/17/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

• 

• Stanislaus County

• (209) 525-6341

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