Legal Assistant

POSITION SUMMARY:
This position provides legal administrative support to the Corporation Counsel Office, including preparing and processing legal documents and schedules; performing preparatory work for court hearings and administrative proceedings; and general word processing, transcription and telephone reception duties.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Schedules and prepares cases for court hearings, ensuring timely notice and adherence to legal requirements for: Chapter 48 Children in Need of Protection or Services and Termination of Parental Rights; Chapter 51 mental commitments and recommitments; Chapters 54/55 guardianship/protective placements and annual protective placement reviews, small claims and collection proceedings; and Zoning and other Code enforcement.
• Establishes case files, creates files for trial, and contacts individuals for court appearances, schedules hearing, trial dates and times.
• Drafts and prepares legal documents for review by the office attorneys and filing with circuit courts, appellate courts and administrative tribunals, including, but not limited to: legal briefs, stipulations, orders, summonses, complaints, petitions, affidavits, notices, and subpoenas as set forth by state statutes, administrative code or Federal Rules.
• Performs basic legal research, reviewing specified laws and cases and prepares findings and recommendations in appropriate formats.
• Performs records management duties to ensure statutory timelines are met for all cases.
• Performs clerical support duties including word processing, data entry, composing and preparing correspondence, filing, photocopying, faxing, scanning, and emailing.
• Serves as a receptionist by answering telephone and greeting visitors; provides general information or directs to appropriate staff.
• Maintains scheduling calendars and reminder system for appointments, meetings, court proceedings and deadlines for department attorneys.
• Updates legal resources with supplements and replacement pages.
• Sorts, indexes and files correspondence, legal documents, memoranda, reports, minutes, etc.
• Maintains interoffice correspondence to and from various county departments.
• Opens and distributes incoming mail and prepares and delivers outgoing mail.
• Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge, skill, and ability to understand and use legal terminology, legal format, and processes.
• Knowledge of current legal office practices, procedures, equipment and general knowledge of the operation of standard office equipment and softwares, including ability to type accurately at a reasonable rate of speed and use a multi-line telephone system
• Knowledge of Wisconsin Statutes and ongoing statutory changes, procedural changes, and form changes.
• Ability to take and maintain legible notes and accurately incorporate essential details in preparing legal documents.
• Ability and skill to prepare Court documents in a timely and accurate manner.
• Ability to perform detailed work accurately and independently in compliance with stringent time limits
  with minimal direction and supervision.
• Ability to prioritize duties to accomplish a high volume of work product while adapting to constant changes in priority.
• Ability to read and accurately interpret statutory language regarding administrative details of the legal process.
• Knowledge of County policies, procedures and practices.
• Knowledge of local government organization and its departmental operating requirements.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other local and statewide legal system agencies, law enforcement agencies, interdepartmental office personnel, media, other employees, attorneys, victims, witnesses, family members, and the general public.
• Ability to analyze and prepare organizational and functional reports from research data.
• Ability to work the allocated hours of the position.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Ability to explain relevant information effectively to various parties.
• Ability to communicate effectively with other members of the staff, supervisor, and the public.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely in both written and verbal form.
• Must be proficient in workplace English and spelling.
• Ability to read County policies and procedures, written instructions, general correspondence, SDS sheets, safety manuals, maps, etc.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• Ability to calculate mathematical calculations.

REASONING ABILITY

• Ability to understand and effectively carry out verbal and written instructions.
• Ability to develop, interpret and implement local policies and procedures, written instructions, general correspondence, and Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Ability to use good judgement, define and solve problems, and deal with a variety of situations.
• Ability to think quickly, maintain self-control, and adapt to stressful situations.
• Ability to maintain discretion regarding business-related files, reports and conversations, within the provision of open records law and other applicable State and Federal Statutes and Regulations.
• Organizational and time management skills needed to meet deadlines.
• Must have ability to work accurately with attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to analyze facts and to exercise sound judgment in arriving at conclusions.

PHYSICAL AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical and work environment characteristics described in this description are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions or as otherwise required by law. Employee needing reasonable accommodation should discuss the request with the employee’s supervisor.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, frequently requires standing, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms.
• Work has standard vision requirements.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.
• Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels.
• Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data and observing general surroundings and activities.
• Work has no exposure to environmental conditions.
• Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Work is primarily in an office setting.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Associate degree in legal assistant, paralegal, business administration, or closely related field.
• Minimum of two (2) years’ work experience in a legal setting or law office.
• Five (5) years’ previous work experience in an office with an emphasis on civil law will be considered in lieu of the required Associate degree.
• Must obtain Notary Public certification upon hire.

Full Pay Range: $23.40 - $32.61
Expected Pay Range: $23.40 - $26.48
FTE: 1.0
Department: Corporation Counsel 

St. Croix County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to an individual’s race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity, disability, marital status, veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.