Legal Office Specialist #00054460-24400, Full-Time, Perm, in Albuquerque, NM

About the role

The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court is recruiting for a full-time, classified Legal Office Specialist position for the Self-Help Division in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The role involves providing routine legal support according to court rules and guidelines, composing correspondence and legal documents, performing administrative support functions, managing case flow, and assisting with public records requests and ADA coordination.

Responsibilities

• Provide routine legal support according to court rules and guidelines
• Compose correspondence, notices, and legal documents
• Perform administrative support functions
• Keep court associates apprised of operational and procedural changes
• Manage and coordinate the timely processing of documents, case files, and statistics
• Research legal material and records
• Analyze and process cases, maintain and manage case flow for rule compliance, and stamp and docket pleadings and legal records
• Identify cases for judgments and court orders pursuant to directives by the judge or commissioner
• Maintain calendar of deadlines and appointments, coordinate timely processing of documents, and manage office files and records
• Create agendas, schedule appointments, prepare materials for meetings, and manage administrative minutes
• Communicate and apply complex rules for case administration, filing, court procedures, and legal processes under New Mexico State Law
• Utilize and update legal reference materials
• Review court rules and make recommendations to address non-routine legal issues that may fall outside court rules and guidelines
• Provide guidance to, consult with, and assist new law clerks and other legal office specialists in technical and procedural aspects of the job
• Assist the judge or hearing officer in the courtroom
• Assist the Court’s Records Custodian with Inspection of Public Records requests and serve as backup to the ADA Coordinator
• Provide customer service and information to the general public, attorneys, and judicial partners
• Prepare transport lists, collect data, and compile and prepare statistical reports
• Prepare legal pleadings, proofread documents, and follow up on overdue arbitrations
• Serve as a liaison with state agencies and the public
• Prepare draft memoranda in areas of law and maintain resource/law library
• May serve as a court monitor
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Knowledge & Competencies

• Legal terminology, procedures, court rules, policies, and operations
• Case management systems and applicable software
• Authorized and unauthorized practices of law
• Supreme Court Rules and Regulations
• New Mexico One Source of Law and other electronic legal databases
• New Mexico Statutes Annotated (NMSA)
• New Mexico Judicial Branch Personnel Rules
• Arbitration, Settlement Facilitation, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), civil and criminal processes, Pro Se, On-Record Appeals
• Rules and statutes of Notary Public
• Office management and customer service practices
• Research methodology
• Filings in magistrate court, journal docket, sources for fact gathering, and data collection

Education

• Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university in any field
• Substitution: Two (2) years of experience as a legal assistant, legal office specialist, judicial specialist, or directly related field

Experience

• Three (3) years of experience as a legal assistant, legal office specialist, judicial specialist, or directly related field
• Substitution: Additional relevant education may substitute for up to one (1) year of experience (30 semester hours = 1 year of experience)

Work Environment & Physical Demands

Work is performed in an office or court setting. A valid driver's license and travel may be required. The assigned work schedule may include nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime. The employee must regularly interact positively with co-workers, clients, the public, judges, and justices. This job description is illustrative only and not a comprehensive listing of all functions performed.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Rx coverage
• Short and Long Term Disability Insurance Programs
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• State-paid life insurance, supplemental and dependent life insurance
• Optional flexible spending accounts for medical, day-care, and travel expenses
• Paid vacation and sick leave up to eight (8) weeks
• Eleven (11) paid holidays
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Deferred Compensation 457(b) plan
• Lifetime Defined Benefits Retirement Plan (PERA)
• Flexible work schedules and alternative work locations (varies by classification/need)
• Free health care, Rx, and lab work at the Stay Well Health Center in Santa Fe, NM
• Bilingual compensation (varies by classification/need)
• Training and career development opportunities
• Higher education opportunities, educational leave, and tuition reimbursement
• May qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• May receive overtime, holiday, or shift differential pay (varies by classification/need)
• May receive physical fitness leave (varies by classification/need)

Pay

Target pay range: $22.169 – $27.711 per hour OR $46,112 – $57,639 annually.

Schedule

Full-time, permanent position. Assigned work schedule may include nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime. Flexible work schedules and alternative work locations may be available (varies by classification/need).