Job Description

Posting number: MSS06208

Department: Merced County Human Services Agency

Job classification: Legal Office Supervisor

Posting type: Open

Categories: Social Services

Summary

Under general direction, the Legal Office Supervisor supervises the work of legal office support staff and may also supervise general office support staff; provides administrative and office support to management staff and attorneys; coordinates with Federal, State, local, and other governmental agencies, courts, and officials regarding legal and administrative matters; conducts various complex legal clerical assignments and projects; and performs related work as required.

This is the first full supervisory level classification for positions responsible for legal office support operations in an assigned department or program Incumbents exercise delegated authority over legal office support staff and may also supervise general clerical support employees where those employees support the legal office function. An incumbent may also perform the most complex legal clerical and/or secretarial duties within a department. The Legal Office Supervisor differs from the Legal Clerk series by its overall supervisory responsibilities.

Positions allocated to this classification are distinguished by primary responsibility for supervising legal office support work requiring substantial knowledge of legal terminology, legal-document processing, applicable legal or regulatory requirements, and, as assigned, court, hearing, filing, or other legally prescribed procedures. An incumbent may also perform the most complex legal clerical or secretarial duties. The Legal Office Supervisor differs from nonspecialized clerical supervisory classifications by the continuing legal-office knowledge and technical oversight required of the assignment.

Examples of duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Plans, organizes, prioritizes, assigns, and reviews the work of assigned legal and general clerical support staff
• Interviews, recommends selection, and provides for the training and development of employees
• Schedules work, approves time off, and arranges work coverage for employees on leave
• Appraises employee performance, counsel employees regarding work issues, documents deficiencies, develops improvement plans, and recommends discipline
• Provides technical guidance and assistance to staff in resolving complex legal office support and document processing issues
• Researches, analyzes, and compiles information on various subjects into reports for attorneys and management staff
• Evaluates new and existing legal, administrative, and regulatory requirements and develops policies and procedures to ensure compliance and the effective operation of assigned legal office support functions.
• Evaluates and prepares recommendations for management on a variety of technical, office, operational, and procedural issues.
• Develops, implements, and monitors systems and procedures to meet departmental and program needs; responds to and resolves operational issues.
• Reviews legal documents, records, reports, and related materials for accuracy, completeness, consistency, timeliness and compliance with applicable legal and procedural requirements.
• Conducts surveys and studies of work procedures, workflow, and organization and recommends improvements as appropriate.
• Maintains liaison with officials and staff of courts, governmental agencies, and other organizations to obtain and relay information and coordinate activities
• Maintains current knowledge of laws, regulations, policies, procedures, court requirements, and other legal or administrative requirements applicable to assigned functions.
• May gather data from departmental supervisors in order to prepare the preliminary annual budget, and oversees preparation of the final budget package
• May prepare the annual budget for office and administrative functions within area of authority; establishes contracts; monitors and evaluates ongoing expenditures and discusses changes with management
• Performs related duties as assigned

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of supervision, training, employee development, performance evaluation, counseling, motivation, and discipline.
• Modern office practices and department- or program-specific methods, procedures, policies, and regulations.
• English grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and business correspondence.
• Automated systems and technology used in a legal office environment.
• Laws, codes, and regulations, policies, and procedures applicable to legal office operations and the assigned department program or function.
• Legal terminology; legal office practices and procedures; and methods of preparing, processing, maintaining, and reviewing legal documents and records.
• Court, administrative hearing, filing, calendaring, and related legal processes and requirements, as applicable to the assignment.
• Financial record keeping and budget preparation
• Word processing, spreadsheet, case management, document management, and other automated systems used to support legal office operations.

Ability to:

• Plan, organize, prioritize, assign, and review the work of assigned staff
• Select, train, develop, evaluate, counsel, and motivate assigned staff
• Develop and implement operational goals, objectives, work rules, policies, procedures, and work standards
• Analyze office operations and technical problems, evaluate alternatives, and recommend solutions
• Research, interpret, explain, and apply laws, codes, regulations, policies, procedures, and legal or administrative requirements applicable to the assignment.
• Prepare, maintain, and review legal and administrative documents, records, and reports and related materials.
• Review work for accuracy, completeness, consistency, timeliness and compliance with applicable legal, regulatory, court and procedural requirements
• Exercise sound independent judgment within established policy guidelines
• Perform arithmetic calculations and understand financial records
• Prepare complete and concise oral and written reports
• Maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive information.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, management, attorneys, governmental agencies, courts, other organizations, and the public.

Qualifications

One (1) year of full-time advanced journey-level legal office experience;

OR

Two (2) years of full-time journey-level legal office experience;

OR

Four (4) years of full-time experience performing legal office support duties that included some supervisory or lead responsibilities.

Supplemental information

Training & Experience Examination – Weighted 100%

The Training & Experience Examination is designed to elicit a range of specific information regarding each candidate’s knowledge, skill, abilities, and potential to effectively perform the duties relative to the classification. Responses to the questionnaire will be assessed based on pre-determined rating criteria. All applicants must complete the entire examination to receive a score.

To obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination.

ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION

A departmental open eligible list will be established for the county of Merced County. The list will be utilized for 12 months after it is established unless the needs of the service and conditions of the list warrant a change in this period.

RETEST PERIOD

Once you have taken the examination, you may not retest for SIX (6) MONTHS from the established eligibility date.

SPECIAL TESTING ARRANGEMENTS

Special testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants for disability, military, or religious reasons. If you require such arrangements, please contact CalHR at mssprogram@calhr.ca.gov or 916-909-3701 upon notification that your application has been approved. Documentation from medical, military, school or church officials outlining the accommodation request must be received by our office a minimum of five business days prior to a scheduled examination.

EDUCATION DOCUMENTS

If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications, you must attach your transcripts to your application. Applicants with foreign transcripts must provide a transcript evaluation that indicates the number of units to which the foreign course work is equivalent. Transcripts and evaluations may be unofficial; official transcripts may be required upon appointment. Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

GENERAL INFORMATION

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

MSS reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the recruitment if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all competitors will be

notified.

If you meet the requirements stated on this bulletin, you may take this examination. Your performance in this examination will be rated against predetermined rating criteria. All competitors who pass will be added to the eligible list. Meeting the entry requirements does not

ensure success in the examination or placement on the eligible list.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgement, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. As part of the hiring process, a background investigation may be required.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Merit System Services program is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital

status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

ABOUT MERCED COUNTY

Merced County is located in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley in central California, an area earning worldwide acclaim for its rich agriculture, and spans from the coastal ranges to the foothills of Yosemite National Park. The City of Merced, the self-proclaimed Gateway to Yosemite, has a population of approximately 81,102, yet retains the charm of a small town with amenities routinely found in larger communities. Merced's revitalized downtown is emerging as the entertainment center of the area. The County is representative of the rural heartland and Gold Rush remnants underpinning the state's heritage. It is a peaceful, quiet, and friendly area with an abundance of beautiful bike paths and offers choices of higher education in UC Merced and Merced College.