Legal Assistant - Civil Legal Aid

LEGAL ASSISTANT FT/REGULAR NE - LEVEL 7 SALARY: $18.30 GENERAL DEFINITION:

The purpose of the position is to perform a variety of services to support legal counsel and clerical functions related to the department.

Responsibilities include:

legal document preparation, records management, research and case preparation, and other tasks to assist legal counsel.

Work is performed under the direct supervision of the Legal Aid Director.

No Supervisory Duties.

Assist with coordination of legal services by preparing relevant legal documentation and correspondence and assisting with trial preparation.

• Communicate with tact and discretion while maintaining a high level of confidentiality.
  • Protect all department and client information.
• Assist counsel by preparing relevant legal documentation.
  • Coordinate routing of all discovery materials between appropriate parties to legal counsel.
  • Assist in creating standard office templates for pleadings and discovery.
• Ensure court forms are accurate and completed in a timely manner.
  • Create and maintain spreadsheets to track case actions.
• Prepare various types of legal documentation as assigned by legal counsel.
  • Assist in trial preparation by creating exhibits and/or evidence binders.
  • Assist with research and data collection.
• Assist with preparation and scheduling for various legal proceedings, interviews, and hearings.
  • Monitor, schedule appointments and deadlines.
  • Maintain calendar and update requirements, court dates and meetings.
• Assist with the development and modification of intake forms to assess services sought by prospective Legal Aid Department clientele.

• Efficiently handle inquiries from the general public as well as opposing counsel and pro se litigants.
• Prepare, file, and serve court documents and discovery packets.
  • Organize and maintain file management system.
  • Monitor and manage case files.

• Greets and screens telephone callers; routes and/or takes messages; assists individuals by inquiring courteously of the purpose of their visit, handles or directs unfamiliar matters to appropriate staff.
• Receives, logs-in and distributes incoming mail and prepares out-going mail on a daily basis and responds to routine requests.
• Prepares routine correspondence, reports, case files, and tribal forms.
• Proofread all documents for grammatical, typographical or spelling errors, and completeness prior to distribution or filing.
• Maintains a records management system.
• Coordinates scheduling of meetings, conferences, and other events.
• Prepares timekeeping clerical duties to maintain attendance records for personnel. Compile and post employee timekeeping data and manage hours clocked. Maintain and management of timekeeping records of employees. Analyze and evaluate timekeeping issues. Reconcile leave records for accuracy.

Knowledge of basic legal concepts and principles. Knowledge of legal terminology and legal documentation formats sufficient to be able to read, interpret, and prepare legal documents. Knowledge of legal reference materials, procedures, and legal filing systems. Knowledge of office practices and procedures sufficient to be able to organize and maintain files, records, and schedules and to obtain and/or relay information and process documents in a timely manner.

Knowledge of Document Management Systems. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat. Knowledge of office equipment/machines and applicable computer software. Skill in critical thinking, analysis, and research. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and pay careful attention to detail. Skill in prioritizing, coordinating, and scheduling work to allow for efficient and effective completion of the work assignment. Skill in writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, specific to complex legal documentation.

Ability to understand ethics and the ability to handle sensitive or private information with tact and discretion. Ability to perform and coordinate multiple legal related projects simultaneously. Ability and willingness to provide basic legal assistance. Ability to operate office equipment/machines and applicable software.

Associates Degree with three (3) years of legal clerical experience preparing legal documents.

Must possess a New Mexico driver’s license with no DWI/DUI convictions within the past three (3) years. Driving is not an essential part of the duties.

• Must meet the qualifications to become a Notary Public in New Mexico.

The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to…