Los Angeles Community College District

Legal Secretary (#2462)

$33.87-$41.96 hourly / $5,871.08-$7,273.24 monthly / $70,452.96-$87,278.88 annual


Definition

Performs a variety of specialized, complex, and confidential legal clerical work in the General Counsel's office which requires the knowledge of legal terminology and legal procedures.

Typical Duties

Prepares legal correspondence, routine memoranda, legal opinions, and legal documents from rough drafts utilizing a variety of office software applications.

Compiles and assembles various legal materials from files and other legal sources for staff use.

Indexes, files, locates, and researches correspondence, legal opinions, and court decisions as requested or assists the Executive Legal Assistant in those activities.

Effectively utilizes computer equipment, specialized software applications, and a variety of standard office machines used for processing the work of a legal office.

Answers inquiries from employees of the District, the general public, students, officers, and representatives of other governmental agencies regarding the functions and procedures of the office.

Answers office telephone, screens calls, schedules appointments, and maintains court calendars for staff.

Assists in the preparation of agendas, minutes, bulletins, reports, and other materials.

Assists in reviewing and processing vendor invoices including, but not limited to, fees and costs of outside counsel.

Orders, receives, and distributes office supplies, materials, and equipment and maintains a supply inventory.

Receives, opens, and reads office mail and processes and routes mail requiring the attention of legal staff.

Files litigation documents in court, arranges hearing dates, and prepares requests for warrants for filing fees.

Assists in maintaining the office library of legal publications, legal subject files, and confidential files.

Assists in preparing necessary travel and reimbursement documents for staff.

May post, enter, and reconcile documents related to fiscal accountability and provide clerical assistance related to budget preparation of the office.

May provide work direction and training to clerical office staff.

Performs related duties as assigned.

Distinguishing Characteristics

A Legal Secretary performs a variety of specialized, complex, and confidential legal clerical work which require the knowledge of specialized practices, procedures, and terminology related to the operation of a law office.

An Executive Legal Assistant manages the clerical operations of the office and provides confidential and complex administrative support to the General Counsel requiring knowledge of specialized practices, procedures, and terminology related to a law office. Considerable latitude for independent action in carrying out administrative detail is an essential characteristic of this class. Contact with high-level representatives of the District and the public is routine.

A Senior Administrative Assistant performs a variety of responsible administrative support duties for a senior administrator in executing their administrative responsibilities over the business areas of the assigned organizational unit. An incumbent serves in a primary administrative support position and work assignments require them to be able to work independently and use a considerable degree of discretion and sound judgment. The Senior Administrative Assistant (Confidential) is distinguished from the class of Senior Administrative Assistant because of the requirements of the employee to have access to, or possess information relating to, employee and labor relations matters. The class of Senior Administrative Assistant (Stenographic/Confidential) is distinguished from the class of Senior Administrative Assistant because of the requirements for the employee to (a) have access to, or possess information relating to, employee and labor relations matters, and (b) take dictation and transcribe notes.

Supervision

General supervision is received from the General Counsel or an Associate or Assistant General Counsel. Functional supervision is received from the Executive Legal Assistant. May provide work direction to assigned clerical staff and student employees.

Class Qualifications

Knowledge of:

Legal vocabulary, terminology, and formats

Law office methods, practices, and procedures

Letter, memorandum, report, and other correspondence formats

Customer service techniques for public contact in person, on the telephone, and in written communication

Capabilities of computer systems, software, and hardware common to a law office environment

English grammar, punctuation, and spelling

English usage and business composition and style

Essentials of record storage, control, retrieval and management

Skill in:

Using computer equipment and software to rapidly produce documents

Ability to:

Understand, interpret, and apply rules, regulations, policies, and procedures pertinent to a legal office

Compose, edit, and format business correspondence and reports

Use legal terminology, prepare legal documents, and follow legal procedures

Develop efficient methods for obtaining and compiling information

Maintain and use legal opinion, subject files, and a library of legal publications

Keep office matters strictly confidential

Critically review source data and detect and correct errors

Gather and compile data in written, tabular, and graphic forms

Work effectively and cooperatively with a diverse pool of employees of the District, members of the general public, students, and representatives of other governmental jurisdictions

Learn the rules and regulations, policies, procedures, organization, and functions of the Los Angeles Community College District

Learn specialized computer applications

Entrance Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Graduation from high school or its equivalent

AND

A. Possession of a Legal Administrative Assistant Certificate or its equivalent.

OR

B. Completion of a legal procedures course leading to a Legal Administrative Assistant Certificate or its equivalent AND two years of full-time, paid clerical office experience preferably including experience in preparing a variety of legal forms and documents.

OR

C. Two years of full-time, paid clerical experience in a law office including six months of experience in preparing a variety of legal forms and documents.

Special:

A valid Class ā€œCā€ Driver's License may be required for some positions.

Travel to locations throughout the District may be required for some positions.

Reasonable Accommodations

Our class specification generally describes the duties, responsibilities, and requirements characteristic of the position(s) within this job class. The duties, responsibilities, and requirements of a particular position within this class may vary from the duties of other positions within the class.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Los Angeles Community College District provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with covered disabilities on a case-by-case basis throughout the application, examination, and hiring processes and throughout employment. If an individual is in doubt about their ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of a position or possession of any other requirement noted in a class specification or job announcement, they should always apply for a position and request reasonable accommodation at the appropriate time.


CLASS: 2462; REV: 12/20/2023;