Legal Secretary

The County of Yolo is recruiting to fill (1) regular, full-time position in the class of Legal Secretary at the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office assigned to the Civil Unit. 

THE POSITION

The ideal candidate is a highly organized, detail-oriented professional with expertise in legal document preparation and court procedures within a law enforcement-specific setting.  

This individual possesses the skills necessary to support the sheriff’s office Concealed Weapons Permitting Program by processing applications, reviewing records, and assisting members of the public while maintaining confidential files. This candidate is able to perform administrative duties for the Coroner’s Division to include processing reports, managing highly sensitive confidential records, and closing out completed case files.  They are capable of completing accurate and detailed financial transactions and working with members of the public with a level of excellence and professionalism. 

The salary range for each classification level is as follows:

Legal Secretary I:   $55,473.60 - $67,433.60 Annually
Legal Secretary II: $58,281.60 - $70,844.80 Annually

Definition 
To perform a variety of complex and responsible secretarial duties in direct support of legal or law enforcement professional staff; to perform other related duties as assigned.

Distinguishing Characteristics 
This is an entry and journey level classification in the Legal Secretary Series. With minimal training and orientation, incumbents are expected to produce legal documents conforming to judicial, departmental, and statutory requirements.

Interested applicants should submit an online County of Yolo Employment Application and completed supplemental questionnaire by the closing date. Verification of education may be submitted at the time of filing or when requested by Human Resources.

For important and detailed information regarding the application and selection process for this recruitment, please see the APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS section of this job announcement below.

• Prepares a variety of legal documents including, but not limited to, complaints, motions, pleadings, petitions, demands, opinions, briefs, affidavits, stipulations, orders judgments, information, warrants, indictments, declarations, contracts, resolutions and ordinances;
• Checks and reviews a variety of legal documents to identify information needed to complete more complex legal documents and to identify probable further legal proceedings and/or requirements;
• Inputs case data into computer and sets up, and maintains case files;
• Monitors time lines associated with submission, preparation and response to legal actions and calendars matters with the courts;
• Prepares, and serves a variety of legal notices;
• Prepares an composes correspondence, and memos for professional staff;
• Orders, copies and distributes documents;
• Answers questions from professional, paraprofessionals and the general public regarding legal processes;
• Identifies, copies, bills and receipts money for documents released as part of the discovery process;

Other Duties:

• Types general correspondence, and reports;
• Compiles, prepares, researches and types statistical reports;
• Takes and transcribes dictation;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Some positions may require the performance of different essential or other duties depending upon work location, assignment, or shift.

 Experience:  Two (2) years of secretarial experience in a law office; or three (3) years of clerical experience in criminal justice, law enforcement, or other agency or firm involving the preparation and/or processing of legal documents.
Typing Speed Required:  Must type 35 net words per minute. 
Substitution:  Completion of a six month curriculum in legal assisting, or paralegal work may substitute for the required secretarial experience in a law office.

License 
Some positions in this classification may require incumbents to possess and maintain a valid California driver’s license, Class C or higher, to carry out job related duties. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a physical or mental disability may request a reasonable accommodation. 

Knowledge of:  legal terminology, spelling and usage; criminal and/or civil legal processes; modern word processing and computer applications used in a legal setting; the criminal justice system; correct format for legal briefs, and references; proper use of the English language, including grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage; standard resource material used in preparing legal documents; general office practices and procedures.

Ability to:  efficiently operate office-specific word processing and computer equipment in completing, reviewing, inputting and updating legal documents; prepare complex legal documents with minimal instruction or upon review of a case file; understand and follow written and oral instructions; input information relating to, and maintain case files; prioritize work, monitor deadlines, and complete work with very tight deadlines; maintain cooperative relationships with other staff, professionals, paraprofessionals and the general public; operate general office machines such as photocopier, telephone, facsimile transmitter, and typewriter.

Application Process

It is highly recommended that you print this job bulletin for future reference.

Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the closing date.  Application information must be current, concise, and related to the requirements in this job announcement.  A resume should be included with your application; however, it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.  In addition to a completed application and resume, applicants are required to submit a completed supplemental questionnaire and verification of education for this position.   Incomplete applications will be disqualified.  

Additional documents may be submitted to the Yolo County Human Resources Office in any one or more of the following ways: 

• As an attachment to the online application 
• By e-mail to [email protected]. 

All required documents must be received by the Human Resources Office by the closing date. Postmarks will not be accepted.   Human Resources is not responsible for the untimely delivery of materials sent via U.S./specialized mail, or County interoffice mail.

Selection Procedure

The following is a tentative schedule of events that will occur as part of the selection process.  The selection process steps, and all listed dates, may change with or without notice.

• Screen for Minimum Qualifications
• Screen for Best Qualified
• Department Selection Interviews
• Background Investigation
• Conditional Job Offer, pending 
  • Medical Exam
• Confirmed Job Offer
  
  

Verification of Education
 Acceptable forms of educational documentation are official or unofficial transcripts that list the student's name, institution name, field of study and date the degree was awarded.

For recent graduates who have not received proof of their degree yet, a letter from the registrar's office stating that all requirements for graduation have been met and listing the field of study will be sufficient proof of graduation.

Please do not send originals; copies of the required documents are acceptable. Any submitted documents will not be returned.

All foreign transcripts or diplomas must be in English. If the institution does not provide these documents in English, the applicant will need to provide a translation which has been done by a professional agency. The County of Yolo will accept education as equivalent to U.S. accreditation from Institutions that are listed as members of the International Association of Universities. You may check for your school by visiting the IAU web site (http://www.iau-aiu.net/content/institutions).
 Applicants who possess a degree or completed coursework that is not from an accredited college or university, must submit one of the following:
  
 1. A written statement from a U.S. accredited university or college that states that the applicant is qualified for entrance to a program of graduate studies for which a degree in a related field is required.
 
 2. An evaluation of the applicant's degree and coursework equivalency by a private organization that provides foreign credential evaluation services. The evaluation must include a comparison of comparable U.S. courses for content, credit and grade.
 
Note: Foreign language documents must include a precise word-for-word English translation of all foreign language documents. It is the responsibility of each applicant to prove to the satisfaction of the County that the applicant meets the specific requirements listed on the job announcement for each specific examination. The following is a list of private organizations that provide foreign credential evaluation services. Fees range from $50 to $400 per document; processing times vary from 5-20 business days. For further information, please contact the organization(s). The County of Yolo does not endorse these business entities; this list has been developed for informational purposes only.
 
 EDUCATIONAL RECORDS EVALUATION SERVICE
 601 University Ave., Suite 127
 Sacramento, CA 95825
 (916) 921-0790
www.eres.com  
 
 FOREIGN EDUCATION DOCUMENT SERVICE
 P.O. Box 151739
 San Diego, CA 92175
 (619) 265-5810
www.documentservice.org
 
 CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH, EVALUATION & EDUCATION, INC.
 P.O. Box 18358 Anaheim, CA 92817
 (714) 237-9272
www.iescaree.com
 
 GLOBAL SERVICES ASSOCIATES, INC.
 409 North Pacific Coast Highway, # 393
 Redondo Beach, CA 90277
 (310) 828-5709
www.globaleval.org
 
 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION CREDENTIALS EVALUATION SERVICE
 P.O. Box 3665
 Culver City, CA 90231-3665
 (310) 258-9451
www.ierf.org


Typing Certificate Information
There are a variety of businesses and agencies where you can obtain a typing certificate. Most applicants get a certificate at a temporary employment agency. However, a typing certificate can also be obtained from the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) free of charge. 
Location Information:
HHSA - Woodland One-Step Career Center
25 N. Cottonwood Street
Woodland, CA 95695
(530) 661-2641

HHSA - West Sacramento One-Step Career Center
500-A Jefferson Blvd., Suite 110
West Sacramento, CA 95605
Phone: (916) 375-6307

HHSA - Winters One-Stop Career Center
111 East Grant Avenue
Winters, CA 95694
Phone: (530) 406-4444

Online typing certificates are not accepted. In order for your typing certificate to be accepted, it must meet the following criteria:
•The test must be a minimum of three minutes long.
•The test must have been in the past 12 months of application. Typing certificates older than 12 months are not accepted.
•The certificate must include time limit of the test, gross words per minute, number of errors, date of test, and the signature of the person administering the test. The certificate must be on agency letterhead.

Screening for Best Qualified

The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate’s experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification.  If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely.  Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question.   If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.  Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated to determine those applicants who are best qualified.  

Contact Information

For questions about the position or about employment with the County, please contact Human Resources by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at (530) 666-8055.

Equal Employment Opportunity: It is the policy of the County of Yolo to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws or ordinance.  The County will comply with all of its obligations under State and Federal laws regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to applicants.  Reasonable testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants with disabilities or who are unable to attend a scheduled test due to religious reasons in accordance with the Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please call the County of Yolo Human Resources Office at (530) 666-8055 at least five (5) business days prior to the scheduled test date to request accommodation. Documentation from a medical doctor, rehabilitation counselor, or other qualified professional will be required.

Yolo County, a place where YOU belong!

The average person spends one third of their life at work. Why not spend that time in an environment where you are seen for who you are, celebrated for the diversity you bring, and valued for your potential to contribute to an innovative and dynamic workforce? Yolo County is committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive and equitable workplace which supports and values our diverse community.

Come join us! This is where YOU belong.