LEGAL ASSISTANT

Description:LAURENS COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINAJOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: LEGAL ASSISTANT
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB
Serves as legal assistant of legal counsel for the County. Performs various secretarial, clerical, and administrative duties relative to the county legal department under the supervision of an attorney. The legal assistant position is in person and requires working from the county legal office located at 100 Hillcrest Square, and will be reporting to the County Attorney.Requirements:

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

This class specification lists the major duties and requirements of the job and is not all-inclusive. Incumbent(s) may be expected to perform job-related duties other than those contained in this document and may require specific job-related knowledge and skills.

Provides administrative and paraprofessional support for the county attorney.

Organizes litigation files and deadlines in pending lawsuits.

Receives and processes verbal and written correspondence to effectuate orderly and efficient operation of the county legal department.

Drafts letters, forms, correspondence, ordinances, resolutions, and legal documents where appropriate.

Proofreads the legal department’s work product for accuracy.

Responds to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and if appropriate, purge files in response to fulfilling the party’s requests. Prepares and monitors invoicing for FOIA requests.

Monitors and records activities conducted within the county’s legal department. Maintains log demonstrating all categories of activities reviewed and completed by the legal department.

Archives files in accordance with the county’s current record retention schedules.

Performs other related duties as required. Neatly, thoroughly, and accurately complete assigned tasks according to established standards and quality.

Attends County Council meetings as required.

Assists with the development, revision, and rescission of forms, policies, and regulations.

Researches and compiles documentation as requested by legal counsel and staff.

Assists with the interpretation and application of policies and regulations as it relates to system initiatives and processes.

Calls court clerks and other offices or organizations for logistical information regarding filings or pending matters.

Maintains attorney-client privileged notes regarding potential resolution and/or strategies for settling any complaints filed against MCPS.

Produces reports, charts, and other materials using numerous data management techniques to enter, edit, print and file information; develops and maintains and updates electronic databases.

Performs related duties consistent with the scope and intent of the position.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. [Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, may include the following tasks, knowledge skills and other characteristics.] An employee may not be assigned all duties listed and may be assigned duties which are not listed below. This list of tasks is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by incumbents of this class.

Education and Experience

Legal Assistant Certification, Paralegal certificate, or degree in paralegal studies is preferred or any equiva­lent combination of training and experience which provides the required skills, knowledge, and abilities. Must possess a valid state driver's license.

Required Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge of principles, policies, and practices of office management, including secretarial, administrative, organization, and records management skills.

Ability to effectively plan and organize work activities and prioritize task completion according to schedules and goals.

Ability to exhibit good judgement and sound reasoning in communications and in interpreting and applying policies and procedures.

Ability to effectively communicate orally and through writing with the public, legal counsel, county officials, county employees, and outside referral agencies.

Ability to serve in a confidential work relationship and manage confidential legal materials with tact and discretion.

Must have familiarity with legal terminology and the form of legal documents.

Thorough knowledge of litigation support and/or procedures/legal requirements of any one or more of the principal legal functions of the County Attorney.

Knowledge of Laurens County organization and structure, policies and procedures, and related laws and regulations.

Skills in:

· Excellent communication skills and persuasive interaction in writing and speaking capabilities.

· Superlative writing skills.

· Concentrating for long periods of time while working with highly technical data and the ability to dissect such data.

· Working successfully with a variety of individuals from various socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.

· Managing stressful or emergent situations and finding solutions.

· Contributing effectively to the accomplishment of team or work unit goals.

· Ability to analyze and interpret federal, state, and local laws.

· Familiarity with using standard online legal research sites such as WestLaw or LexisNexis and court sites such as PACER.

· Knowledge of Windows operating systems and Microsoft Office Suite.

· Ability to work effectively with others.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS:

Must be able to display professional courtesy when working with the public. Patience is required, along with the ability to handle a level of stress that can range from moderate to very high. Occasionally may require long hours due to attendance at County Council and other responsibilities that may be required. Flexibility to work evening and weekend hours, and occasional overnight travel to conferences and training sessions may be required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of the job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working conditions include a great deal of sitting and use of either a computer screen or reading documents in paper form. Long periods of concentration are necessary on a regular basis.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Strength and mobility to work in a typical office setting; stamina to perform sustained physical labor, including standing, sitting, or walking; strength to lift a minimum of ten pounds unassisted; vision to read printed materials; and hearing and speech to communicate in person or over a radio or telephone.