Administrative Legal Secretary

WHO WE ARE: California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA) is an anti-poverty law firm dedicated to dismantling unjust systems through community lawyering in California’s historically rural areas. For over five decades, we have partnered with communities priced out of private legal representation to uphold civil rights in housing, employment, health, and public education. Building on a radical legacy rooted in the farm worker movement and the War on Poverty, CRLA continues to fight for the rights and prosperity of rural Californians through bold advocacy, systemic change, and a vision of thriving, empowered communities.

CRLA’s community‑led legal services activate community power to achieve justice, ensuring our clients and partners have the tools to dismantle poverty, discrimination, and systemic inequities.

• Position:
  Administrative Legal Secretary
• Experience:
  
  1 + years of experience as a Legal Secretary or equivalent experience providing administrative support
• Final date to receive applications:
  Open until filled
• Location:
  
  Salinas
• Other: FLSA Non-Exempt, Union Position, Full Time (37.5 hrs per week)

The Administrative Legal Secretary (ALS) manages all communications, correspondence, typing of legal documents, filing, travel, calendar, and general organizational matters within the local office. The ALS is also responsible for managing legal expenditures, minimal litigation coordination with outside counsel, maintaining/organizing records of litigated and transaction matters, and vendor, supplier, and other office contracts.

• Maintains all duties of the Legal Secretary position
• Assist with the new applicant and client intake process
• Maintain the court and appointment calendar
• Assure that legal deadlines are met in the processing of legal documents
• Maintain/archive confidential client files, and arrange for confidential document destruction as directed
• Administer petty cash and clients' trust accounts as needed
• Serve as coordinator of the office, training and coordinating the office clerical staff
• Delegate tasks to other clerical staff, coordinate clerical and litigation support responsibilities
• Assist in the interviewing and selection of clerical staff
• Disseminate information from statewide ALS meetings
• Maintain statistical records as required, creates and produces reports using Legal Server
• Maintain office administrative and personnel files
• Order and maintain office equipment and supplies as needed
• Coordinate building maintenance, process invoices, bills, statements, and check requests as needed
• Assist off‑site IT personnel with the local provision of tech support
• Perform other office duties as assigned

• Three (3) years of experience as a Legal Secretary or equivalent experience providing administrative support
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with all staff, clients, and community organizations
• Type 55‑60 wpm, efficiently and correctly into the case management system
• Knowledgeable with Windows/Microsoft Office, Internet and willing to learn Legal Server and web‑based programs
• Knowledgeable of office equipment such as copiers, facsimile machines, and scanners
• Ability to maintain client confidentiality of personnel and administrative records
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Knowledge of law office management
• Bilingual (English & Spanish)

A highly qualified and desirable candidate would also have the following:

• Experience working with low‑income families and communities.
• Experience in a non‑profit legal services environment.
• Prior experience in legal services.

We offer a diverse, family‑friendly environment and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries; generous benefits package which includes 100% employer‑covered medical, dental, vision, life, and short & long‑term disability insurance for employees and up to 50% for dependent coverage; and 401K retirement plan with CRLA contribution effective immediately. Generous paid leave policy which includes 15 days of sick leave, 15 holidays each year, and vacation accrue 15 days for the first year of service and 20 days after one year of…