Supervising Legal Clerk - Substitute

Two Virtual Informational Sessions about this position will be held with DSS leadership. Click on the one of the dates below to join the virtual meeting. We strongly encourage your attendance and look forward to seeing you on the following dates:

Friday, September 18, 2026, at 9:30am

and

Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 11:00am

The Department of Social Services is seeking an experienced individual to join our team as a substitute Supervising Legal Clerk. This is a unique opportunity to lead a dedicated team while contributing to the important work of the county. The Supervising Legal Clerk County Classification is responsible for supervising the legal clerical staff of a department while also performing specialized clerical work of a legal nature. 

The Department of Social Services Supervising Legal Clerk collaborates with Child Welfare Services and Juvenile Dependency. This position works closely with County Counsel, San Luis Obispo Courts and other members of legal counsel to ensure state mandates and requirements are followed. This substitute position will supervise approximately five Legal Clerks and report to a Social Services Division Manager in Child Welfare Services. 

Typical Tasks and Representative Duties

(Not in order of importance)

• Coordinates and supervises the work of a clerical staff.
• Plans and organizes workload and assignments.
• Coordinates payroll and personnel transactions.
• Attends and may lead meetings with departmental staff and other departments and agencies.
• Maintains a working knowledge of the various systems and procedures in the department.
• May assist in the preparation of the departmental budget.
• Keeps abreast of legislation affecting legal procedures and county and special districts' organization.
• Implements and develops new office procedures as necessary.
• Trains and evaluates the performance of employees and makes recommendations to appointing authority regarding selection and discipline.
• Provides assistance to the administrative staff of the department.
• Gathers information and compiles reports, maintaining confidentiality regarding attorney-client communications.
• Checks legal references for correct citations.
• Prepares recommendations for solving various problems or improving processes.
• Maintains familiarity with the office equipment in the department.
• May be required to operate, or may supervise operation of, various office equipment.
• Estimates supply and equipment requirements and maintains inventory of all supplies.
• May perform highly complex and difficult legal clerical work requiring considerable independent judgment as needed.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Click here for detailed job description.

This recruitment may be used to fill future permanent, substitute, limited term, and temporary positions, both full-time and part-time throughout the County.

Education and Experience

A combination of education, training, and experience resulting in the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. An example of qualifying education and experience includes:

Four years of clerical experience in a legal office or court or one year of experience equivalent to a Legal Clerk III.

Most County recruitments require you to respond to supplemental questions as part of the application process. We recommend that you review these questions prior to beginning your application.

 An initial application review will be conducted. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and are best qualified will be invited to participate in selection activities which may include online assessments, performance exams, written exams, and interviews. 

 Final candidates will be required to have an in-depth background review performed before proceeding in the process. Please note that references will not be contacted until the end of the process.

 If you have questions or would like to discuss the opportunity further, please contact Human Resources at hr@co.slo.ca.us. Confidential inquiries are welcomed.

 For further information regarding the County of San Luis Obispo, visit our website at www.slocounty.ca.gov.

Reasonable Accommodation Notice
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. Please call 805-781-5959 for assistance or e-mail hr@co.slo.ca.us for more information.

Veteran's Preference Points 
If you are applying for employment with the County of San Luis Obispo and you served in the United States Armed Forces, you may be eligible for veteran's preference points as part of the recruitment process. Some dependents and survivors of eligible veterans may also be eligible for preference points.  Click here for more information and to learn how to apply for this benefit.  Please note that Veteran’s credits must be on file with the County of San Luis Obispo Veterans Services Office prior to the recruitment closing date indicated on the job announcement.

Equal Employment Opportunity 
The County is an equal opportunity employer. Objectives are directed toward assuring equal opportunity in selection / promotion, pay, and job assignments. Recruitment and selection procedures have been established to ensure non-discrimination on the basis of political or religious opinions or affiliations, age, sex, race, color, national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or other non-merit factors. In addition, the County complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act in hiring and retaining employees. For more information contact the Human Resources Department at (805)781-5959.