Experience Inc. Jobs

Legal Secretary - Electronic and Digital Document Support

Print (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/norfolk/jobs/newprint/4636562)

Apply



Legal Secretary - Electronic and Digital Document Support

Salary

$41,231.00 - $76,023.00 Annually

Location

Norfolk, VA

Job Type

Unclassified

Job Number

12424

Department

City Attorney

Opening Date

08/29/2024

Closing Date

9/29/2024 11:59 PM Eastern

• Description

• Benefits

• Questions

Description

Norfolk, Virginia is America's most authentic and urban waterfront city. Home to the world's largest naval station and the business, arts, and cultural center of Coastal Virginia, Norfolk has been rated a top place to live, work, play, and raise a family by numerous publications. Working for the City of Norfolk is an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others. With our commitment to competitive pay and a strong retirement package, you can do good for your community and do well for yourself. Join a caring workplace that proudly celebrates uniqueness, authenticity, and a shared commitment to improving the lives of our residents.

The City Attorney’s Office for the City of Norfolk seeks a legal secretary to perform legal secretarial work which also involves administrative duties in various subject matter areas. The current position requires expertise in information technology, computer and/or audio/visual support, and electronic and digital document management. Work may include discovery, hearing, and trial support in active litigation and administrative proceedings.

The position will be filled at the Legal Secretary I or II level, depending on the qualifications of the successful applicant.

This specific legal secretary position will provide specialized administrative support to the City Attorney’s Office, focusing on document and record collection and preparation of subpoena responses, in conjunction with computer and/or audio/visual technology skills. Primary duties will include responding to subpoena requests, which entails viewing body-worn camera footage and redacting sensitive information, while also assisting with various technology-based requests, such as secure file sharing, conversion, and storage. The preferred applicant will also request and maintain body-worn camera footage in a database within the office. Additional duties include researching police databases for information, document review for public record (FOIA) responses as needed, assisting the office’s primary IT liaison, and document management. May be asked to prepare and organize documentation, exhibits, and evidence for production in discovery for use in conferences, meetings, depositions, hearings, and trials. May be asked to perform general legal secretarial duties as needed to support the City Attorney’s Office.

Essential Functions

Depending upon assignment, and under the supervision of the City Attorney, Deputies, Assistants or, occasionally, other senior staff, essential functions include but are not limited to:

• Routinely collects and reviews documents, media, and HIPAA-protected records from various city departments for the preparation of subpoena responses. Responses will often be provided electronically.

• Requests, views, redacts, and electronically sends body-worn camera videos.

• Maintains and organizes evidence such as paper documents, PDF files, image files, audio files, video files, medical records, expert reports, contract documents, financial records, and other file types.

• Provides technical assistance for the office when the primary IT Liaison is unavailable or requests assistance.

• Provides technical audiovisual services to department staff, including assisting with the setup and operation of equipment, training in various technology and audio/video software.

• Reviews public records for FOIA responses, including, but not limited to the review of content for privileges or exemptions, and for redactions.

• Provides electronic discovery litigation support, production, and document management in discovery and complex litigation.

• Performs information technology related research and special projects, including creating digital content for use in litigation, including graphics, video editing, timelines, charts, etc.

• Performs other duties as requested and as assigned.

LEGAL SECRETARY I LEVEL:

• Assists in preparing legal documents, some unique to municipal law offices, including ordinances, resolutions, agreements, contracts, police general orders, legal pleadings and discovery (criminal and civil); completes claim work in civil suits by preparing preliminary accident reports; and assists in the final execution and distribution of the documents, where required. Similarly assists in collecting delinquent personal property taxes.

• Opens, indexes, maintains, organizes and closes Departmental files.

• Assists in maintaining Code Books and other Law Department (City Attorney’s Office) and City records (e.g., updating code books, and scheduling and calendaring meetings, depositions and trials).

• Performs general legal secretarial duties (e.g., preparing and formatting legal documents; answering multi-line telephones; answering general inquiries to the Law Department (City Attorney’s Office); preparing certified mail receipts; filing and notarizing legal documents; transcribing dictation; sending facsimile and e-mail correspondence; and general typing and photocopying).

LEGAL SECRETARY II LEVEL:

• Performs the duties and functions of the Legal Secretary I position as described above.

• Organizes trial schedule for appeals of City criminal (misdemeanor) cases. Maintains claim and litigation records concerning all claims and suits filed against the City or by the City in federal and state courts (including both courts not of record and of record).

• Performs basic general paralegal-type tasks (assisting Deputies and Assistants in rendering legal services and preparing for trials), such as: reviewing files to identify necessary witnesses; preparing subpoenas; scheduling discovery and general pre-trial procedures; retaining necessary professionals (e.g., court reporters); and generally assembling litigation materials for trial attorneys.

• Assists attorneys in preparing and filing various legal instruments in all courts (e.g., motions for judgment, warrants in debt; interrogatories and show cause summonses, notices of lien, garnishments, and garnishment dispositions; notices of satisfaction of judgments; and orders to vacate judgments, etc.).

• Assists attorneys in preparing a variety of legal instruments outside the context of litigation (e.g., opinions, ordinances, resolutions, and agreements).

• Assists with legal debt collection, delinquent tax suits, real estate matters and the maintenance of installment plans on deferred payment loans. Also assists in training City collection coordinators in pre-judgment collections, bankruptcies, court procedures and post-judgment collections.

Education/Experience

Legal Secretary I Level:

High School graduate or equivalent with training in office-related work, such as: reading, writing, filing and typing (typewriter and computer).

OR any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Legal Secretary II Level:

High School graduate or equivalent; specific vocational, administrative, or technical knowledge obtainable through six months to one year of advanced study or training past the high school level (through either city in-house training or an outside educational institution), and five years of increasingly responsible and effective legal secretarial work in the areas encompassed within the duties and functions described above.

OR any equivalent combination of education and experience.

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Experience with Axon’s body-worn camera cloud-based software program.

• Experience with electronic document management processes, digital legal office platforms and solutions, and document retention and production.

• Experience in advanced computer and/or audio/visual technology functions and information technology services related to the legal field.

• Demonstrated ability to review, edit, and produce written work.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office products and legal/general office software.

• Excellent organizational skills.

• Excellent communication orally and in writing.

Additional Information & Requirements

Work Schedule:

• Monday-Friday

• 8:30–5:00

• 40 hours per week

Signing Bonus:

• This position is eligible for a $5,000 signing bonus.

• Regular full-time and permanent part-time employees may receive paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, employer paid pension plan, basic life insurance, voluntary participation in medical and dental, Section 457 deferred compensation, long-term disability, optional life insurance for self, spouse and children, medical and dependent care reimbursement plans, access to membership in credit union and employer provided parking.

• Special project/grant employees are generally eligible for the same benefits of regular full-time employees; however, retirement, life insurance and participation in health plans vary depending upon funding and authorization.

• Temporary/seasonal and part-time employees are generally only eligible for employer provided parking and access to membership in credit union.

• Retirement

  If you are hired October 5, 2010, or after to a position with City of Norfolk Retirement System benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

  If you are hired January 1, 2022, or after to a position with Virginia Retirement System (VRS) benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

• The Tuition Assistance Program is established to encourage employees toward continued self-development and education. Permanent full-time and permanent part-time classified, unclassified permanent, full-time special projects, and constitutional employees who have completed six months continuous service will be eligible to apply. The applicant’s school of enrollment must be an accredited institution.

  NOTE:

The benefits described above are broad generalizations. The specific benefits that an employee may be eligible for are governed by City regulations, as applicable to job type.

Non-City

Positions listed with a job type designation of "Non-City" are not subject to the benefits descriptions above. Refer to the content of the job posting for information regarding these positions.

01

The following Supplemental Questions are specific to the position for which you have applied to assist the hiring manager in screening applications for specific experience being sought. Please be specific in answering these questions as they will be used to evaluate which applications will be given further consideration in the process. Do not answer "see resume" or "see application" as these are not valid answers. Please note that if you are invited to be interviewed by the department, your responses to the following questions may be subject to verification.

• I understand and will answer the following supplemental questions completely and thoroughly.

  02

  If you were referred for this position by a current City of Norfolk employee, please provide the employee's full name, department, and job title. If not, please indicate by typing "N/A."

  03

  Please acknowledge receipt of the following information: This position is Unclassified and serves at the will of the City Attorney.

• I acknowledge receipt of the information above.

  04

  Please select the highest level of education you have completed.

• High School Diploma or Equivalent

• Some College, Technical School, or Associate's Degree

• Bachelor's Degree

• Master's Degree or higher

  05

  Please indicate your years of experience performing increasingly responsible legal secretarial work.

• Less than one year of experience

• 1 to 3 years of experience

• 3 - 5 years of experience

• 5 or more years of experience

  06

  Describe all legal secretarial/assistant/paralegal experience/functions/duties performed in relation to your work experience identified in question No. 5 as well as the employers for whom this work was performed.

  07

  Describe all experience performing legal secretarial/assistant/paralegal functions specifically related to information technology, document retention and management and computer and/or audio visual support as well as the employers for whom this work was performed.

  08

  Describe all experience with Axon's body-worn camera cloud-based software program, including redactions and extractions as well as the employers for whom this work was performed.

  09

  Please provide an explanation of any periods of unemployment that are 30 days or longer. Indicate N/A if you have not experienced any periods of unemployment.

  10

  Do you possess an associate's degree or higher related to paralegal studies, legal studies, information technology or other legal related field?

• Yes

• No

• I do not possess a degree

  11

  Describe experience communicating (by email, telephone, fax, etc.) with outside attorneys/staff, City staff, and members of the public in a law office setting.

  12

  Provide minimum of two professional references who can attest to the applicant's ability to perform the Essential Functions listed above.

  13

  Please indicate which Microsoft Office products you use proficiently. Select all that apply.

• Word

• Excel

• PowerPoint

• None of the above

  14

  Please describe your experience with electronic filing with courts and/or administrative agencies.

  15

  Please indicate the legal instruments that you have experience with preparing. (Select all that apply.)

• Notices of Lien

• Garnishment Dispositions

• Satisfaction of Judgments

• Warrants in Debt

• Ordinances

• Resolutions

• Agreements

• Contracts

• Summons

• Interrogatories

• Garnishments

• Complaints

• Bills of Particular

• Requests for Production of Documents

• Requests for Admissions

• Subpoenas

• Grounds of defense

• Motions

• Pleas

• Pleadings

  16

  Have you received any post-educational training related to paralegal/legal assistant/legal secretary job functions?

• Yes

• No

  17

  Have you received any post-educational training related to information technology, document retention and management, and computer and/or audio/visual support?

• Yes

• No

  18

  How many words per minute can you type? Are you willing to take a typing test?

  19

  Do you currently reside in the City of Norfolk?

• Yes

• No

  20

  Do you have the legal right to work in the United States and, upon employment, can you provide documentation to verify this?

• Yes

• No

  21

  Are you a current or previous City of Norfolk employee?

• Yes - I am a current City of Norfolk Employee

• Yes - I am a previous City of Norfolk Employee

• No - I am not a previous or current City of Norfolk employee

  22

  Please indicate your veteran status. (A copy of your long form DD-214 may be required)

• I am not a Veteran

• I am a Veteran

• I am a Disabled Veteran

  Required Question

Agency

City of Norfolk

Apply

Please verify your email address Verify Email