Education and Experience:
- High school diploma or GED.
- Two (2) years training in a legal related field or paralegal certificate (60 hours minimum) and five (5) years legal secretary experience; or seven (7) years legal secretary experience if no legal related training or paralegal certificate.
- Ability to type 65 wpm.
- Working knowledge of computers; ability to use computers to access databases for research purposes; ability to use listed tools and equipment.
- Ability to perform basic arithmetic computations accurately; ability to establish successful working relationships; ability to work under pressure and/or with demanding conditions; ability to work with difficult clients.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- May be required to adjust hours to address problems as necessary.
Specialized and highly responsible paralegal and clerical work involving complex work methods of a legal nature.
Supervision Received
This position requires significant independence by the Legal Assistant. Supervision is provided as required. This position also requires constant and consistent coordination with the City Attorney.
Supervision Exercised
May supervise interns, temporaries or other clerical personnel as needed.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
1. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with attorneys, directors, employee litigants, other employees, and the general public; receives and screens telephone calls from litigants, attorneys, court personnel, and other persons seeking information regarding the operation of the legal office; provides general information and directs visitors and callers to proper City departments.
2. Schedules meetings, appointments and conferences for attorney and maintains attorney’s calendar; makes all arrangements for travel.
3. Assists in drafting, typing and compiling routine and difficult non-routine letters, correspondence and pleadings; proofreads and sends out correspondence and pleadings prepared by City Attorney. Answers routine email; replies, scans and attaches files to incoming messages. Retrieves, opens, sorts and calendars incoming mail twice daily.
4. Composes and types routine legal documents such as extensions of time and motions to continue, public works contracts and change orders for filing with the clerk of court of various courts; responds to garnishments; assists in preparation of leases, contracts, and donations.
5. Establishes case files; files correspondence, pleadings, documents and resolutions as directed; organizes and maintains filing system.
6. Completes all city forms in accordance with City Procedure; reconciles monthly bills, annual inventory, completes payroll and orders supplies and equipment.
7. Maintains law library.
8. Prepares routine easements, servitude agreements; settlement documents of lawsuits, Act of Sales, ordinance and resolutions for approval, signatures and filing.
9. Conducts abstract and title search to determine ownership of property for condemnation, demolition, and code enforcement procedures, and participates in a bi-weekly meeting for review.
10. Prepares sale documents for cemetery plots for Greenwood Cemetery; arranges closing dates; collects fees and records deed.
11. Assists in the collection of past due water accounts of flat fee customers.
12. Prepares letters to delinquent liquor license applicants and to previous year’s delinquent occupational licenses; determine if licensee is still in business; discuss course of action with City Attorney.
13. Review new lawsuit with City Attorney for course of action; draft and prepare routine correspondence and pleadings; calendar deadlines, record documents with Clerk of Court.
14. Assist City Attorney with trial preparation to include organization of exhibits, deposition abstraction, and witness notification; reviews case records and assembles necessary information for legal proceedings; prepares trial book.
15. Assist City Attorney with civil service hearing preparation to include organization of exhibits and assemble necessary information for Civil Service Board; assist City Attorney with presentation of case at Civil Service Board hearing.
16. Receives and reviews public records requests; forwards to necessary City departments for response; assimilates information, prepare invoice and forward to requester.
17. Reviews notices from bankruptcy court; prepares memo to Finance for outstanding fees; monitors proceedings for filing of claim.
18. Reviews fee statements of outside counsel; prepares for approval by all parties and forwards to third party administrator for payment.
19. Prepares Oaths of Office for various Boards and arranges meetings with City Attorney for notarizing signatures.
20. Receives and reviews questionable rap sheets of liquor license and taxicab applicants from Slidell Police Department; if arrest has no disposition, call jurisdiction to ascertain disposition in preparation for discussion with City Attorney.
21. Reviews all liquor license packets for accuracy and completion and completes local background check for review by City Attorney.
22. Works with local high school interns and occasional temporary help.
23. Performs other duties as assigned.