Judicial Admin Assistant

Job Overview

This position provides legal and administrative office support and judicial process coordination for the Honorable Judge Michael Menahan, District Court Judge Elect for the 1st Judicial District in Helena, Montana. The employee may also support a district court administrator or other court departments. Work follows legal reference manuals, district and Judicial Branch rules and regulations, state statutes, and verbal or written instructions.

The employee works with considerable independence after a brief orientation.

• Type, edit, and proofread a variety of legal and court documents for grammar, style, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, and format; serve as personal and confidential assistant to the judge.
• Compose letters and a variety of correspondence and proposed legal documents within assigned areas of responsibility for review, approval, and signature of a judge; review pleadings, correspondence, and telephone messages for proper action or proposed response from the court; draft specific, general, or revised orders for the judge’s review; communicate with counsel, parties involved, jurors, law enforcement, and other agencies as authorized.
• Arrange meetings and conferences by notifying participants, and by preparing and distributing agenda and materials; assist with follow‑up of decision items; make and coordinate travel arrangements.
• Organize and coordinate incoming paperwork to keep appropriate individuals informed and to ensure timely and accurate processing of information.
• Maintain hard copy and electronic calendars of case status, conferences, and other events or activities; schedule cases for the judge; remind judge and others of dates and events; pull files and obtain other information required for court, conferences, and meetings; maintain filing systems; order office supplies; maintain the judge’s law library.
• Receive, screen, and route incoming telephone calls and provide information as authorized; screen mail, schedule matters for hearing, and maintain judge’s personal calendar.
• Answer telephone in a professional, confidential, and courteous manner; screen calls, take messages, and provide information as authorized.
• May arrange for, attend, and electronically record court proceedings.

• Thorough knowledge of legal terminology and format.
• Thorough knowledge of business English, spelling, and punctuation.
• Thorough knowledge of legal office practices, procedures, equipment, and standard office assistant techniques.
• Considerable knowledge of court procedures, preferably procedures in a trial court.
• Knowledge of or ability to quickly learn Zoom and regularly coordinate, set up, and operate Zoom for hearings.
• Ability to understand and carry out moderately complex verbal and written instructions.
• Ability to recognize and maintain the need for confidentiality in work assignments.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work and meet deadlines.
• Ability to operate a computer with word processing software.
• Ability to communicate effectively and accurately, both verbally and in writing with a diverse group of people.
• Ability to accurately maintain extensive file systems.
• Ability to work well in cooperation with others, execute tasks promptly as assigned, be self‑directed and well‑organized and work well under pressure.
• Ability to deal with irate or upset people in a calm manner.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with county attorney staff, public defender, attorneys, other judges, employees of the district court, and the public.
• Skill in the operation of office equipment.

• Position requires activities such as sitting for long periods, standing, bending, stooping, reaching, climbing stairs, lifting, moving, and carrying light to medium objects, and operating office equipment.

• The work is performed primarily in an office environment and involves exposure to normal, everyday risks which require normal safety precautions typical of offices.

• Possession of a valid Montana driver’s license may be required for some positions; proof of insurance if using a…