LEGAL ASSISTANT II

About the role

The Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is seeking a highly motivated and qualified individual for the position of Legal Assistant II in the Criminal Division. This role will provide a variety of technical clerical support services to assigned attorneys, including specialized, technical or program-specific information.

Responsibilities

• Prepares, files, and/or serves correspondence, legal briefs, pleadings, charging information, complaints, orders, court orders, affidavits, notices of appearance, motions, notices of infraction, summonses, warrants, subpoenas, jury instructions, and other legal documents from verbal or standing instructions.
• Develops procedures for handling and locating files from the intake process through the appellate process. Prepares, organizes, and maintains case files; reviews case files and court rules to assure timely action or review by attorney, and initiates preparation of appropriate documents and pleadings at each stage of case progress.
• Organizes, assembles, and maintains other attorneys' files and records, including correspondence, opinion, information and research files. Maintains statistical records, updates case status and information, and enters caseload information into a computer for the compilation of monthly and/or annual statistics for internal use, budget preparation, public inquiry, and management reports.
• Certifies disposition of all criminal cases and forwards disposition notices to appropriate authorities.
• Reviews court files for complete information and consistency of court dates, and performs basic legal research to verify citations of statutes and cases or other related information.
• Researches and investigates records of potential plaintiffs and/or defendants/respondents and recommends legal action to be taken.
• Gathers information and performs investigation work to locate addresses for defendants to be served with necessary court documents. May determine restitution/reimbursement amounts on each case; sets up and maintains appropriate files and cards for follow-up and monitoring of payments.
• Presents documents for judge's signature or may attend court to assist the attorney.
• Provides assistance and serves as a liaison to witnesses, victims and experts as each respective case is processed through the judicial system. Maintains frequent contact with victims, witnesses, law enforcement or administrative agencies, judges/court personnel, other public officials and employees, attorneys and defendants, as appropriate.
• Receives and reviews incoming mail; composes responses to routine inquiries from attorneys, agencies and the public; composes answers to procedural correspondence for approval; routes other correspondence to attorneys, calling attention to items needing immediate consideration.
• Reviews cases to determine what information is discoverable and ensures that this information is served in compliance with statutes and court rules. May be assigned to respond to public record requests.
• Utilizes appropriate techniques to effectively interview witnesses, victims, and members of the public to obtain factual information. Analyzes collected information and assesses needs of individuals, provides guidance through court procedures and processes, answers questions, coordinates testimony for hearings/trials.
• Communicates with neighboring county, city, state, and federal jurisdictions. Makes reservations and travel arrangements for attorneys, law enforcement personnel, victims and witnesses as needed. Coordinates arrangements for depositions/interviews, hearings and meetings.
• Has knowledge of applicable Washington State law. Provides direction, assistance and guidance to other staff and assists in training new Legal/Office Assistants. May provide coverage for Legal/Office Assistant positions during periods of absence.
• Performs a variety of coordinating activities for supervisor. Has working knowledge of the different positions within the office to provide coverage when needed.

Requirements

• Must have a high school diploma or GED.
• Associate degree in legal assistant or paralegal studies, or legal-related studies, and/or Paralegal certificate from an accredited program. Or, four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in a legal-related field, which include two years in a Legal Assistant I level position; or any combination of education and relevant experience which demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the position.
• Must be able to type 60 words per minute.

Qualifications

• Strong technical skill set; able to work effectively with various case management systems, Microsoft Office applications, i.e. Outlook, PowerPoint, and media players.
• Superior communication skills (written, oral, and listening) with the ability to work with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently and be self-motivated, handling multiple competing priorities, sensitive situations and crisis situations and functioning well under time pressure.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to interact with difficult individuals.
• Familiar with correct and effective use of legal terminology and legal case management techniques.

Skills

• Strong technical skill set; able to work effectively with various case management systems, Microsoft Office applications, i.e. Outlook, PowerPoint, and media players.
• Superior communication skills (written, oral, and listening) with the ability to work with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently and be self-motivated, handling multiple competing priorities, sensitive situations and crisis situations and functioning well under time pressure.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to interact with difficult individuals.
• Familiar with correct and effective use of legal terminology and legal case management techniques.

Benefits

To view the full job classification, click here: Legal Assistant II

Pay

The salary for this position is: $4,446.00 - $5,914.00 monthly.

Schedule

Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Workload demands may occasionally require work outside the assigned work hours.

Customer Interactions

Substantial contact with the public, departmental staff, and other County departments. May come into contact with individuals who are irate, argumentative and in highly emotional situations.

Message to potential applicants

We understand that some potential applicants are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the functions or skills listed in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we understand that may be someone who will learn some of these skills on the job. If you are interested in this position, and meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to go ahead and apply! Feel free to think about how you will bring your own set of skills to the role and tell us about the potential that you hold.

Other Related Recruitment Information

Questions about this recruitment? Please contact: Michelle Wall, Legal Support Manager: (360) 786-5540 x6268

Items Requested For Consideration

• Application
• Resume
• Letter of Interest
• Supplemental Questions