BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Date of Study: January 8, 2013
Collective Bargaining Identification: R04
Job Analysis Conducted By: Julie Amaro, Associate Personnel Analyst, Office of Workforce Planning
Number of Incumbents: There are 2 incumbents in this classification per the State Controller’s Office Filled/Vacant Position Report dated August 27, 2013.
Names of Subject Matter Expert(s) and their background:
Karen Fitzgerald, Staff Services Manager I, Office of Legal Affairs
Ms. Fitzgerald is a Staff Services Manager I in the Office of Legal Affairs and currently supervises a Senior Legal Typist. She has been with the department for approximately 18 years.
Ariana Garcia, Staff Services Manager I, Office of Legal Affairs
Ms. Garcia is a Staff Services Manager I in the Office of Legal Affairs and currently supervises clerical staff. She has been with the department for approximately nine years.
Karilyn Ahyun, Legal Secretary, Office of Legal Affairs
Ms. Ahyun is currently a Legal Secretary in the Office of Legal Affairs and previously worked as a Senior Legal Typist. She has been with the department for approximately three years.
EDITED TASK LISTING
NOTE: Each position within this classification may perform some or all of these tasks.
Task Statements:
1. Type and format legal pleadings and less complex documents in order to respond to litigation in multiple jurisdictions including State, Federal, and Appellate Courts, Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) or State Personnel Board (SPB) utilizing computers, various software, secretarial reference handbooks, etc., as directed by attorneys and/or managerial staff.
2. Proofread all work products for spelling, grammar, punctuation, proper legal citations, and proper formatting utilizing a computer and various software on a daily basis.
3. File legal documents with various courts, OAH and SPB to meet legal timeframes and requirements for the Department utilizing a computer, fax machine, personal service or mail as directed by attorneys and/or managerial staff.
4. Serve legal documents with various courts, administrative agencies and named parties to meet legal timeframes and requirements utilizing a computer, fax, personal service, or mail as directed by attorneys and/or managerial staff.
5. Coordinate court related matters (petitions, court filings, change of venue, reschedule hearings, etc.) in compliance with the California Rules of Court or administrative proceedings utilizing fax, phone, computer software, and other legal resources as directed by attorneys and managerial staff.
6. Schedule court related matters (petitions, court filings, change of venue, reschedule hearings, etc.) in compliance with the California Rules of Court or administrative proceedings utilizing fax, phone, and computer software as directed by attorneys and managerial staff.
7. Perform general secretarial work to provide support services to attorneys utilizing various office equipment and computer software as directed by attorneys and managerial staff.
8. Coordinate availability of all parties, facilities and equipment necessary to schedule meetings for attorneys and/or managerial staff utilizing telephone, email, automated calendar system, television, etc. as directed by attorneys and managerial staff.
9. Schedule meetings for attorneys and/or managerial staff to conduct interviews, depositions, conference calls, staff meetings, audio and/or video conferences utilizing telephone, email, automated calendar system, television, etc. as directed by attorneys and managerial staff.
10. Place calls to clients, opposing counsel, plaintiffs, courts, etc to obtain necessary information utilizing the telephone as needed.
11. Screen incoming calls to determine the necessary course of action to be taken utilizing the telephone on a daily basis.
12. Direct incoming calls to the appropriate staff member to provide customer service utilizing the telephone on a daily basis.
13. Maintain attorney’s calendar to assist the attorneys and managerial staff by providing a visual record of the attorney’s hearings, vacations, private meetings, interviews, etc. utilizing an automated calendaring system as directed by attorneys and managerial staff.
14. Read incoming e-mails to ascertain the assignments and office instructions to complete daily tasks utilizing the computer on a daily basis.
15. Respond to incoming e-mails to acknowledge contents of information contained in the e-mail utilizing a computer on a daily basis.
16. Prepare the meeting facility and materials for attorneys and/or managerial staff in order to ensure a prompt and organized meeting utilizing the computer, copier, teleconference phone as directed by attorneys and managerial staff.
17. Open and date stamp incoming mail to verify the date received in office utilizing a letter opener and date stamp on a daily basis.
18. Research incoming mail to identify the proper attorney assigned to the case, manager, or other departmental staff utilizing the computer, employee roster, spreadsheets, and legal software on a daily basis.
19. Scan incoming mail into the designated electronic file to preserve the document utilizing legal software, computer, and scanner on a daily basis.
20. Distribute incoming mail to appropriate staff for review utilizing a manual process on a daily basis.
21. Log incoming mail to track distribution of documents utilizing computer spreadsheet on a daily basis.
22. Transcribe hearings, interviews and general correspondence for attorneys to produce a hard copy of material utilizing a computer, transcription software, typewriter, dictionary, secretarial handbook, forms, and templates as directed by attorneys and managerial staff.
23. Schedule maintenance of office equipment to ensure proper functioning utilizing the telephone, email, phone book, and prescribed office procedures as necessary.
24. Compose written documents to opposing counsel, clients, courts, and departmental agencies to transmit the attorney’s request and/or response on a given issue utilizing a computer, email, secretarial handbooks, dictionary as directed by the attorneys and/or managerial staff.
25. Gather and arrange documents for the attorneys to review and determine what is needed for litigation, utilizing a photocopier, a computer, file folders, binders, reproduction services, Bates stamp, etc., as directed by attorney and/or managerial staff.
26. Prepare travel arrangements for attorneys and managerial staff to produce itineraries for trips utilizing a computer, email, automated calendaring system, fax machine, automated travel portals, and telephones as directed by attorneys and/or managerial staff.
27. Prepare travel expense claims for attorneys and managerial staff to obtain reimbursement for out of pocket expenses utilizing a computer as directed.
28. Travel to various locations to pick up/deliver documents, tapes, compact disks, and equipment utilizing personal vehicle, public transportation, airlines, train, and rental car as directed by attorneys and/or managerial staff.
29. Attend various meetings to discuss office procedures, information and training utilizing personal vehicle, public transportation, airlines, train, and rental car as mandated.
30. Maintain office supplies to ensure availability for staff utilizing a computer, email, and fax machine as directed by attorneys and/or managerial staff.
31. Perform mathematical computations in order to calculate dates and court mandated timelines, compute travel advances, and travel claims utilizing a computer and calculator as necessary.
32. Create electronic and physical files to document and track all events relative to a specific case utilizing a computer, legal software, and office supplies in accordance with office procedure.
33. Close electronic and physical files to preserve documents related to a specific case utilizing a computer and legal software in accordance with office procedures.
34. Maintain physical files in accordance with State Administrative Manual (SAM) and Departmental Operations Manual (DOM) to preserve case documentation utilizing physical labor as directed.
35. Purge physical files to create shelving space for future files utilizing physical labor in accordance with SAM and DOM.
36. Archive physical files by scanning documents in order to produce a permanent record utilizing a computer, legal software, and office supplies as directed by attorneys and/or managerial staff.
Tasks highlighted in bold text are not currently on the SPB classification specification
EDITED KSAPC LISTING
NOTE: Each position within this classification may perform some or all of these KSAPCs.
Knowledge of:
K1. Basic knowledge of technical legal terms, various legal forms, and documents in order to complete statewide court mandated guidelines.
K2. Comprehensive knowledge of modern office procedures, computer software and office equipment in order to complete work assignments.
K3. Comprehensive knowledge of business English and correspondence in order to proofread and effectively communicate with staff and others.
K4. Basic knowledge of the judicial process, department and legal procedures and practices and multiple/specialized areas of law to ensure that the proper documents are timely filed with the courts and/or administrative agencies and that court mandates are met.
K5. Comprehensive knowledge of proper format of State and Federal citations to ensure documents meet court mandated guidelines.
K6. Basic knowledge of legal resources from traditional library references and software applications to complete work assignments.
K7. Basic knowledge of filing and serving legal pleadings in multiple jurisdictions, including State, Federal and Appellate courts, or Office of Administrative Hearings to meet court mandates and legal deadlines.
KSAPCs highlighted in bold text are not currently on the SPB classification specification
Ability to:
A1. Ability to type at a minimum speed of 45 words per minute in order to effectively complete work assignments, type correspondence, transcribe minutes, disseminate information to staff and others.
A2. Ability to perform less complex legal clerical work and format a large variety of legal documents to complete work assignments.
A3. Ability to accurately transcribe difficult dictation involving a variety of legal terms in order to provide attorneys with accurate written documents.
A4. Ability to analyze situations accurately and take independent action in order to effectively resolve a wide range of issues.
A5. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff in order to preserve a professional work environment and gain the cooperation of others.
A6. Ability to work independently to meet deadlines.
A7. Ability to communicate effectively (written and orally) in order to provide assistance/direction to staff and others, exchange information, write reports/memorandum/letters, etc.
A8. Ability to follow directions (written and verbal), from attorneys and/or managerial staff with minimal instruction to complete work assignments.
A9. Ability to correct grammar, spelling and punctuation errors in work product to ensure professional appearance of documents.
A10. Ability to independently prepare correspondence to assist attorneys in preparing the less complex correspondence.
A11. Ability to interact tactfully with courts, administrative agencies, governmental entities, co-counsels, opposing counsels, or witnesses, to ensure a professional representation of the Department.
A12. Ability to work under pressure and time constraints while handling changing priorities/deadlines to complete assigned tasks and assist the attorneys and /or managerial staff.
A13. Ability to assume leadership role over a given assignment to ensure timeliness of completion.
A14. Ability to multi-task in order to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
A15. Ability to exercise good judgment to maintain a professional, effective work environment.
KSAPCs highlighted in bold text are not currently on the SPB classification specification
Skill to:
S1. Skill to coordinate and schedule basic legal services in order to assist the attorneys with legal proceedings.
S2. Skill to screen mail, visitors, and telephone calls to effectively determine the importance and respond appropriately.
S3. Skills to organize and prioritize workload to ensure all deadlines are met.
S4. Skill to accurately proofread all work assignments to check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
KSAPCs highlighted in bold text are not currently on the SPB classification specification
Personal Characteristics:
PC1. A demonstrated interest in assuming increasing responsibility.
KSAPCs highlighted in bold text are not currently on the SPB classification specification