Legal Office Specialist

Legal Office Specialist

The County of San Mateo is seeking qualified candidates for this position.

This job classification is the senior, most experienced level in the legal office support classification series. It is not an entry-level position. Legal Office Specialists provide complex, technical and confidential clerical services in the District Attorney, Probation and Sheriff's Offices. They are considered experts in all aspects of the legal office support functions. Legal Office Specialists perform difficult legal clerical tasks;

answer questions of all degrees of complexity from lower level office support staff, visitors and telephone callers and, when necessary, direct them to other appropriate individuals; create legal correspondence, reports and other documents using a computer; proofread legal material for accuracy, completeness and correct English usage; enter, edit and retrieve legal data in automated information systems; prepare reports and records that require arithmetic calculations;

research and gather information from a variety of sources for the completion of legal forms and preparation of legal reports; perform routine to difficult clerical duties; and serve as back-up for clerical co-workers who are absent from the office.

Legal Office Specialists in the Sheriff's Office may be filled in the Corrections Division, Civil Bureau, Professional Standards, Training Unit, or Records Bureau. Duties may include receptionist duties; receive, screen and direct telephone calls and visitors in the jail; have frequent contact with inmates; maintain records of inmate bookings, releases, transfers and court appearances; take custody of money and personal property that belong to the inmates;

register Sex Offenders at the front lobby; office supply ordering and management; mail processing; report/memorandum processing; processing court-ordered items such as evictions, restraining orders, and judgments; supporting jail programs and case management services; and other miscellaneous document and fiscal processing.

The ideal candidates must be able to perform several tasks simultaneously in a fast paced and demanding job assignments; produce considerable amounts of legal correspondence for long periods of time; be detailed, accurate, complete and timely in their work; adapt to frequent interruptions, rapidly changing priorities and different assignments quickly and efficiently; use computers regularly and proficiently; use appropriate initiative, sound judgment and tact to handle sensitive and confidential discussions and interactions with others;

relate effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds; handle tension filled and crisis situations effectively; and work well under stress.

Spanish speaking Legal Office Specialists also provide English and Spanish translation orally and in writing. Positions designated as bilingual receive additional pay in the amount of $55 or $70 bi-weekly.

NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.

• Perform difficult, complex, technical and/or specialized confidential legal office support work, which may require the exercise of independent judgment, the application of technical skills, or a knowledge of detailed or specialized activities related to the department to which assigned.
• Processing commitments for various governmental institutions.
• Assembling, maintaining and updating master and trial calendars; setting and resetting trials, conferences and other legal matters.
• Compiling information from various sources to complete required forms for application for state, medical and social benefits; working directly with probation officers to ensure timely and complete applications on behalf of probationers.
• Providing specialized office support in a correctional facility.
• Research and assemble information from a variety of sources for the completion of forms or the preparation of reports; make arithmetic and statistical calculations.
• Provide information to the public or to County staff that requires the use of judgment and the application of policies,…