Senior Legal Secretary

Position Definition: Performs varied and responsible confidential secretarial and legal administrative work of a complex and responsible nature.  

General Duties: 

Reports to the Corporation Counsel or a staff attorney and is responsible for the following:

• Receives general oral or written directions from staff attorneys.
• Plans and organizes work according to office and standard procedures.
• Performs initial research on matters and questions referred to office.
• Coordinates compilation of documents, papers and materials for use by staff attorneys
• Works independently to prepare legal documents, including City contracts, deeds, easements, and licenses/permits for review and action by a staff attorney. 
• Types appearances, briefs, motions, agreements, stipulations, leases, affidavits, judgment files, releases, pretrial memorandums, opinions, contracts, deeds and correspondence.  
• Prepares returns of record in appeals from various land use agencies.  
• In pending municipal lawsuits: prepares pleadings and other filings, standard discovery requests and compliance with discovery requests, as well as manages calendaring for court events and deadlines. 
• Develops and maintains confidential cross-indexed files and records.  
• Operates word, data processing, file management and case management programs..  
• Maintains contact with other legal offices, court personnel, other City departments, elected officials and the public.  
• Independently composes routine correspondence.
• Independently performs special assignments, studies and reports as assigned. 

Note: The above is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task or responsibility.

• Thorough knowledge of law office practices and procedures.  
• Working knowledge of policies and procedures, including legal forms, time limits, etc…, of Connecticut State and Federal Courts.  
• Knowledge of local and state governmental agencies and their functions. 
• Ability to relate to City employees, attorneys and members of the public in a positive manner.  
• Experience operating data, word processing, file management, and data management programs.
• Litigation experience with preparation of pleadings and other filings, standard discovery requests and compliance with discovery requests, as well as management of calendaring for court events and deadlines. 

An Associate’s degree in Secretarial Science with coursework in the legal field or a paralegal certificate from an accredited college or university, and three years of experience performing both paralegal and legal secretarial work in a law office or other municipal law department or state agency legal department such as the Attorney General’s Office.  Relevant work experience may be substituted for college training on a year-for-year basis.  

License or Certificate:   Not applicable.

The City of Norwalk is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employeer