Legal Secretary (Temporary)

RESIDENCE: Residence is a requirement for all positions. In the absence of clear and convincing evidence to the contrary, an applicant shall be deemed a non-resident if he/she cannot show ninety (90) days of continuous and uninterrupted residence in the City of Buffalo prior to filing application.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BUFFALO MANDATE CONTINUOUS RESIDENCY IN THE CITY DURING YOUR EMPLOYMENT, EXCEPT FOR POSITIONS SPECIFICALLY EXEMPT UNDER STATE LAW. 

FEE: WHERE INDICATED, A NON-REFUNDABLE APPLICATION PROCESSING FEE MUST ACCOMPANY YOUR APPLICATION VIA CHECK, CASH OR MONEY ORDER   (If using check for payment, your check must clear to complete processing.) 

Check with Civil Service office for fee waiver info.

Incumbents to a position in this class perform high-level secretarial work in effectuating the performance of many and varied types of legal services rendered by the department?s staff attorneys. Work requires the frequent use of legal terminology in the preparation of briefs and other legal instruments, special hearings and investigations. Duties will involve the operation of equipment requiring the manipulation of a standard alphanumeric keyboard including typewriters, electronic word processing equipment, CRT terminals, Personal Computers, Data Terminals and Printers. The Legal Secretary will be required to transcribe dictation from various sources; however, shorthand is not a requirement for this position. Instructions to the Legal Secretary are outlined in a general manner by the staff attorney, however, the incumbent is responsible for clerical accuracy as to form and content.

Transcribes dictation from various sources incident to and types legal pleadings, documents and papers concerning personal injury lawsuits, labor matters, real estate matters, deeds, collections and other legal actions and proceedings as required;
Transcribes dictation from various sources incident to and types local laws, ordinances, resolutions, opinions, reports, contracts, briefs and other legal documents, correspondence and papers;
Proofreads such documents including the checking of citations in original reference for accuracy and completeness;
Transcribes proceedings from tape recorder of hearings, meetings and conferences within the department;
Prepares papers for judicial and administrative proceedings;
Performs a variety of general clerical and legal secretarial duties of corresponding degree of difficulty;
May be required to assist in telephone and receptionist duties as needed;
Performs related work as required.

Promotional
Continuous and permanent status in the Law Department as a Typist or Account Clerk-Typist for two years.
Open Competitive,
(A) Associate's Degree from an accredited college, university or business or technical institute in Legal Secretarial, Lawyers Secretarial Assistant, Court and Hearing Reporter;
OR,
(B) Associate's Degree from an accredited college or university or business or technical institute in Secretarial Science with legal secretarial concentration;
OR,
(C) Graduation from High School, GED or Equivalency Diploma and two years of full time experience as a Legal Secretary in a law office, court system or in a law related setting;
OR
(D) an equivalent combination as defined within the limits of A through C.
NOTE: Certificate of Court Reporting from an accredited school may be substituted for one year of experience in a law office, court system or in a law related setting as described under C
Special Requirement for both Open Competitive and Promotional
All applicants must submit a school transcript verifying a successful typing or keyboarding course. Online computer training courses will not be accepted.

Good knowledge of English grammar and usage, punctuation and spelling;
Good knowledge of keyboarding practices in such areas as capitalization, hyphenation, spacing, word division, tabulation and proofreading;
Basic knowledge of legal terminology, documents and forms;
Ability to manipulate an alphanumeric keyboard to produce a variety of documents with a high degree of accuracy within required time frame;
Ability to be trained in word processing and dictation equipment?
Ability to understand and interpret written material,
Ability to use good judgment in the provisions of office support services;
Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.