Legal Assistant

Important Recruitment Information for this vacancy

• Job Posting closes: Open until Filled
• Required documents uploaded by: All required documents listed below must be attached to your application within 2 days of applying for your application to be considered complete.

Agency Information:

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services

Protecting Kansans, Promoting Recovery and Supporting Self Sufficiency

https://www.kdads.ks.gov/

About the Position

Who can apply: Anyone

Classified/Unclassified Service: Unclassified

Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Work Schedule: M-F

Eligible to Receive Benefits: Yes

Veterans' Preference Eligible: Yes

Disability Preference Eligible: Yes

Search Keywords: Legal Assistant

Compensation: Up to a maximum salary of $53,925.00 annually.

• Salary can vary depending upon education, experience, or qualifications.

Employment Benefits

Comprehensive medical, mental, dental, vision, and additional coverage

Sick & Vacation leave

Work-Life Balance programs: parental leave, military leave, jury leave, funeral leave

Paid State Holidays (designated by the Governor annually)

Fitness Centers in select locations

Employee discounts with the STAR Program

Retirement and deferred compensation programs

Visit the Employee Benefits page for more information…

Position Summary & Responsibilities

Position Summary:

This position is responsible for management of the legal workflow for the State Security Program (SSP) at Larned State Hospital (LSH); coordinating admissions and discharges for SSP; monitoring due dates for court ordered evaluations and hearing dates; and, serving as a liaison between court services and hospital staff.

Job Responsibilities may include but are not limited to the following:

Coordinates SSP Forensic Admissions:

• Coordinates and directs admissions and discharges for the LSH State Security Program with hospital staff, law enforcement and county/district attorneys to facilitate efficiencies for the hospital and transporting agencies.
• Maintains and continually updates bed availability documents.
• Maintains awareness of the scope for forensic evaluations and treatment at LSH/SSP, and when indicated, gives information concerning individual patient needs to referring agencies.
• Obtains and reviews legal documents from courts, ensures that all required legal documents are received and correct, requests additional documents or corrections if needed. Communicates daily with court and jail officials (judges, county and district attorneys, sheriffs, jailers, defense attorneys, court services officers) as well as Community Mental Health Centers.
• Contacts any and all outside agencies to resolve any issues that might arise regarding legal documents.
• Contacts appropriate court officials to obtain necessary legal documents and court hearings dates
• Ensures that all admissions with Guardians and/or DPOAs have the appropriate legal documents on file at LSH.
• Updates the patient’s legal status in their electronic record to accurately reflect the patient’s current status and notifies unit CIM staff to print new Patient Information Forms.

Office Management/Communications:

• Focuses on effective customer service in all aspects of job performance.
• Completes correspondence in a timely manner.
• Assists in providing office support/clerical services to Legal Services as indicated.
• Maintains and updates office files on a timely basis.
• Identifies documents or provisions in documents requiring legal counsel review and ensures that assigned legal counsel receives such documents timely
• Assists other staff with receiving and responding to or appropriately referring to legal counsel questions, issues of concern and requests for advice received from treatment and management staff, law enforcement, district and county attorneys, corrections staff, community mental health centers.
• Composes and prepares routine letters and memos; prepares non-routine letters and memos from rough drafts under the direction of the Senior Counsel
• Performs other job-related duties, including performance improvement activities, as requested.

Prepares and Monitors Reports:

• Monitors all forensic evaluation reports for timely completion and screens for appropriateness as well as content.
• Drafts appropriate transmittal letters for completed forensic evaluation reports or requests for continuation of treatment, submits to appropriate staff for signature, electronically files signed transmittal letters with completed forensic evaluation reports within the required time frame.
• Completes special projects upon request and when appropriate to the need of the department or area.
• Receives all reports from the court, notes the recommendations by the court and alerts the treatment team of pertinent information.
• Scans orders from court into the patient’s electronic record and notifies the appropriate treatment team for their information and review.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Two years of experience in general office, clerical and administrative support work. Education may be substituted for experience as determined relevant by the agency.
• Unrestricted Driver’s License
• Travel

Preferred:

• Knowledge of the LSH Legal and/or Admission Process
• Two years of legal experience as an administrative assistant for attorneys. Relevant training or experience may be substituted for legal work experience.
• Demonstrated ability to efficient and accurate work for multiple attorneys in a fast paced environment.
• Extremely strong organization and time management skills.

Recruiter Contact Information

KDADS – Human Resources Recruiter

503 S. Kansas Ave

Topeka, KS 66603

Phone: 785-296-0463

Fax: 785-368-6688

Email: KDADS.APPLY@ks.gov

Job Application Process

First Sign in or register as a New User.

Complete or update your contact information on the Careers> My Contact Information page. *This information is included on all your job applications.

Upload required documents listed below for the Careers> My Job Applications page. *This information is included on all your job applications.

Start your draft job application, upload other required documents, and Submit when it is complete.

Manage your draft and submitted applications on the Careers> My Job Applications page.

Check your email and My Job Notifications for written communications from the Recruiter.

Email – sent to the Preferred email on the My Contact Information page

Notifications – view the Careers> My Job Notifications page

Helpful Resources at jobs.ks.gov: “How to Apply for a Job – Instructions” and “How to Search for a Job – Instructions"

Required Documents for this Application to be Complete

Upload these on the Careers - My Job Applications page

• DD214 (if you are claiming Veteran’s Preference)

Upload these on the Attachments step in your Job Application

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Helpful Resources at jobs.ks.gov: “How, What, & Where do I Upload Documents”

Kansas Tax Clearance Certificate: A valid Kansas Tax Clearance Certificate is a condition of employment for all employees of the State of Kansas. Applicants (including non-residents) who receive a formal job offer for a State job, are required to obtain a valid Tax Clearance within ten (10) days of the job offer. A Tax Clearance can be obtained through the Kansas Department of Revenue who reviews individual accounts for compliance with Kansas Tax Law.

If you have a missing tax return(s) or you owe taxes to the State of Kansas, please know that the Kansas Department of Revenue will work with you. The Kansas Department of Revenue can set you up on a payment plan to receive a Tax Clearance so you can get a job working for the State of Kansas. The Kansas Department of Revenue can be contacted at 785-296-3199. Kansas Department of Revenue - Tax Clearance Frequently Asked Questions

How to Claim Veterans Preference

Veterans' Preference Eligible (VPE): Former military personnel or their spouse that have been verified as a "veteran"; under K.S.A. 73-201 will receive an interview if they meet the minimum competency factors of the position. The veterans' preference laws do not guarantee the veteran a job. Positions are filled with the best qualified candidate as determine by the hiring manager.

Learn more about claiming Veteran’s Preference

How to Claim Disability Hiring Preference

Applicants that have physical, cognitive and/or mental disabilities may claim an employment preference when applying for positions. If they are qualified to meet the performance standards of the position, with or without a reasonable accommodation, they will receive an interview for the position. The preference does not guarantee an applicant the job, as positions are filled with the best qualified candidate as determined by the hiring manager.

Learn more about claiming Disability Hiring Preference

PLEASE NOTE: The documentation verifying a person's eligibility for use of this preference should not be sent along with other application materials to the hiring agency but should be sent directly to OPS. These documents should be scanned and emailed to Gustavo.Victoriano@ks.gov, or can be mailed/delivered in person to:

ATTN: Disability Hiring Preference Coordinator
Office of Personnel Services
Docking State Office Building
915 SW Harrison Ave, Suite 260
Topeka, KS 66612

Equal Employment Opportunity

The State of Kansas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, political affiliation, disability or any other factor unrelated to the essential functions of the job.

If you wish to identify yourself as a qualified person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and would like to request an accommodation, please address the request to the agency recruiter.