Senior Legal Secretary

Performs varied and responsible confidential secretarial and legal administrative work of a complex and responsible nature.

Responsibilities

• Reports to the Corporation Counsel or a staff attorney.
• Receives general oral or written directions from staff attorneys.
• Works independently to prepare legal documents, including City contracts, deeds, easements, and licenses/permits for review and action by a staff attorney.
• Plans and organizes work according to office and standard procedures.
• Performs initial research on matters and questions referred to the office.
• Coordinates compilation of documents, papers, and materials for use by staff attorneys.
• Independently composes routine correspondence.
• Operates and maintains word, data processing, file management, and case management programs.
• Maintains contact with other legal offices, court personnel, other City departments, elected officials, and the public.
• Prepares returns of record in appeals from various land use agencies.
• Types appearances, briefs, motions, agreements, stipulations, leases, affidavits, judgment files, releases, pretrial memorandums, opinions, contracts, deeds, and correspondence.
• In pending municipal lawsuits: prepares pleadings and other filings, standard discovery requests and compliance with discovery requests, as well as managing calendaring for court events and deadlines.
• Develops and maintains confidential cross-indexed files and records.
• Independently performs special assignments, studies, and reports as assigned.

Note: The above is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task or responsibility.

Requirements

• Thorough knowledge of law office practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of local and state governmental agencies and their functions.
• Ability to relate to City employees, attorneys, and members of the public in a positive manner.
• Experience operating data, word processing, file management, and data management programs.
• Working knowledge of policies and procedures, including legal forms, time limits, etc., of Connecticut State and Federal Courts.
• Litigation experience with preparation of pleadings and other filings, standard discovery requests and compliance with discovery requests, as well as management of calendaring for court events and deadlines.

Qualifications

• An Associate’s degree in Secretarial Science with coursework in the legal field or a paralegal certificate from an accredited college or university, and three years of experience performing both paralegal and legal secretarial work in a law office or other municipal law department or state agency legal department such as the Attorney General’s Office.
• Relevant work experience may be substituted for college training on a year-for-year basis.

This position is a Grade 15.