Legal Clerk III (SR-14)

IMMEDIATE VACANCIES: 
Department of the Corporation Counsel
Department of the Prosecuting Attorney

Performs a wide variety of legal clerical work in support of staff attorneys to include preparing, checking and processing legal forms, documents and related materials, locating and abstracting information from legal files and records, and gathering and organizing relevant material for use in legal proceedings; and performs other related duties as assigned.
 
Distinguishing Characteristics:
 
These classes differ from the Legal Clerk I in that the Legal Clerk II and III independently perform a wide variety of legal clerical work in support of staff attorneys; whereas the Legal Clerk I performs routine, standardized legal clerical work in preparing, typing, maintaining and processing legal forms, documents and related materials and, in addition, assists in the more difficult tasks under closer supervision for the purpose of training.
 
Grade Level Standards:

Grade III:   This level is characterized by its responsibility for independently performing the full range and variety of legal clerical work, including the more difficult assignments, in support of legal activities of an assigned section.The following are examples of duties and are not necessarily descriptive of any one position in this class. The omission of specific duties statements does not preclude management from assigning such duties if such duties are a logical assignment for the position.

• Prepares and processes standardized legal forms and documents such as subpoenas, motions, petitions, orders, complaints, affidavits, stipulations, and other court documents independently;
• Types from rough draft such materials as letters, memoranda, reports, legal opinions, briefs, proposed legislation, complaints, contracts and other documents, and reviews same for correct form, accuracy and timeliness;
•  Initiates and composes standardized legal forms routinely as needed;
•  Establishes and maintains case files and records;
•  Operates computer equipment to verify, input, update, correct and extract data from information systems;
•  Coordinates schedules with courts, maintains court calendars and reminds attorneys of court appearances and deadlines for submitting various actions or documents;
•  Compiles and readies all relevant materials for use by attorneys in court proceedings;
•  Coordinates with court personnel making corrections to records;
•  Researches files and references to obtain information needed by attorneys;
•  Responds to inquiries over the phone and/or in person concerning the status of cases or disposition of completed cases;
•  Prepares reports of assigned cases and their status;
•  Assists in providing training to other employees;
•  May take and transcribe dictation.

Training and Experience:  A combination of education and experience substantially equivalent to graduation from high school and for:

Grade III:   two years of progressively responsible legal clerical work experience involving the preparation, typing and processing of a variety of legal forms and documents which required substantive knowledge of legal terminology, procedures, practices, forms and documents.

License Requirement: None

Knowledge of: legal terminology; form, content and use of legal documents; legal processes and procedures; the various types of court actions and associated processes; filing methods and systems; grammar, spelling and word usage; law office practices and procedures.

Ability to: type/keyboard accurately at the rate of 40 net words per minute; prepare and process standard forms needed for specific legal actions; locate and abstract data from legal files and records; establish and maintain case files and systems of legal records; operate computer equipment to input, verify, update and extract data from information systems; provide information to defendants, witnesses, attorneys, court personnel and the general public; explain legal processes, procedures and/or departmental policies; work within constant time constraints and deadlines; as applicable to specific positions, take dictation at a rate of 80 words per minute and transcribe notes accurately; deal effectively with employees, attorneys, court personnel and the public.

Health and Physical Condition:

Persons seeking appointment to positions in this class must meet health and physical condition standards deemed necessary and proper to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.

Physical Effort Grouping:  Light