Legal Assistant at City Of Charleston

General Description

The purpose of this job within the organization is to provide administrative support to the City Attorney and Assistant City Attorneys by collecting and creating all files and documents needed for prosecution of the City's ordinances in municipal court, assisting with preparation for tax appeal hearings and other administrative hearings, providing paralegal assistance for civil cases, and overseeing the organization of office files, including retention and storage.

The successful candidate will work under both close and general supervision according to set procedures, but will also independently determine how or when to complete required tasks.

Duties and Responsibilities

The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this job. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the job as necessary.

Essential Functions:

Answers the City Attorney's Office main phone line; answers questions about general legal procedures; takes messages for the attorneys; greets the public that enters the office and provides appropriate guidance; processes incoming and outgoing office mail; and orders office supplies as needed.

Maintains filing system for the office, including managing file retention and storage, as well as updating a method for finding older files as needed. Assists with e-filing documents in civil litigation and supporting attorneys with any civil litigation tasks.

Prints municipal court dockets for weekly court sessions (currently two days per week), and prepares files for upcoming hearings, including, but not limited to the following:

• Creates all court files for each individual court case, which involves reviewing the court dockets ahead of time to ascertain the cases, creating and printing labels, and case summaries.
• Requests and gathers police incident reports and any corresponding attachments thereto from the police department, makes necessary redactions, and compiles documentation necessary to answer discovery requests from opposing counsel.
• Requests driving records from the State Division of Motor Vehicles necessary for the prosecution of traffic offenses and ensures the appropriate record is placed in the appropriate court file.
• Prepares subpoenas for victims and witnesses required to appear in municipal court; reviews the police incident report and obtains the relevant contact information, as well as contacts these individuals in the event of a change in court date.

Assists in creating files for administrative hearings, including tax appeals, and maintains the files in a manner to be ready for the hearings. Attends court and administrative hearings with the Assistant City Attorneys as needed; speaks with victims and witnesses that appear, including police officers.

Strives to be efficient and effective at balancing and meeting the common needs and reasonable expectations of core constituents.

Contributes towards the department's mission by continuously striving to meet expectations, strategic goals and objectives.

Maintains a high level of confidentiality of information and demonstrates an ability to prioritize and organize efficiently.

Performs related work as assigned.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

Requires an Associate's Degree or specialized courses/training equivalent to satisfactory completion of two or more years of college in legal assisting or related field. Individuals with a Bachelor's Degree are also encouraged to apply.

Requires two years in the legal field or closely related experience.

Special Certifications and Licenses:

None

Core Competencies:

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

1. Accountability - takes responsibility for own actions.
2. Adaptability - responds positively to change.
3. Communications - listens, speaks and/or writes in a clear, concise and respectful manner.
4. Customer Service - provides courteous, accessible and quality assistance to internal and external customers.
5. Initiative - takes proactive action to complete work or resolve issues
6. Judgment & Decision Making - evaluates issues and makes sound factual decisions.
7. Professional Development - seeks opportunities to enhance technical skills and job knowledge.
8. Teamwork & Cooperation - collaborates with others to fulfill the City's vision and achieve departmental goals and strategic objectives.

Additional Qualifications:

1. Must have the ability to provide documentation verifying legal work status.
2. Ability to read and speak the English language proficiently in order to communicate and interact with others; to understand and interpret safety instructions; and to respond to internal and external inquiries.
3. Ability to understand and comply with City and departmental guidelines, policies, procedures and expectations.

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work that may be performed by an employee. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory or list of all of the duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Supervisors/Managers and/or Department Heads may also assign additional or other lawful duties as may be necessary and/or required. The City reserves the right to modify or change this job description at any time, for any lawful reason, with or without notice. This job description is not, and should not be construed or implied to be a contract, promise or guarantee of continued employment.

Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance

The City of Charleston, WV is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.