Legal Secretary (Senior Office Specialist)

Yamhill County has one regular, full-time position for a Legal Secretary.  This position performs advanced secretarial duties to direct and participate in administrative support of workflow within the District Attorney’s office. This may include preparation of Legal documents. Performs a full range of general and advanced secretarial tasks Must be able to exercise considerable independent judgment in carrying out general and or specialized duties. Performs tasks of a more complex nature than other Office Specialists I and II.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
Works under the direct supervision of the Office Manager and Chief Deputy District Attorney.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
Supervision is not a responsibility of this class.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF POSITIONS ASSIGNED TO THIS CLASSIFICATION. DEPENDING ON ASSIGNMENT, THE EMPLOYEE MAY PERFORM A COMBINATION OF SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING DUTIES:

•Greets the general public in person and on the telephone

The Benefits

Yamhill County offers generous employee benefits:

• 15 paid holidays per year.
• 19.5 days of Flexible Earned Time (FET) accrual in the first year (based on an 8-hr day).
• PERS (Public Employee Retirement System) - 100% employer funded contributions.
• Full health benefit offerings with employee premiums starting as low as $58.82/month for 2024 to2025 plan year. *

*Subject to the AFCSME Collective Bargaining Agreement (7/1/2023 – 6/30/2026). 

Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of this classification with or without accommodation.  

Our Community

Yamhill County has approximately 109,000 residents and is a very desirable place to live in the heart of the Willamette Valley wine country.  Yamhill County is home to Linfield University and Chemeketa Community College in McMinnville and George Fox University and Portland Community College in Newberg.   Yamhill County is centrally located in the Willamette Valley, within proximity to the Oregon Coast, the Portland and Salem metropolitan areas, and the Oregon Cascade Mountains.  Wide varieties of indoor and outdoor recreation opportunities are available.  We have the benefits, appeal and superior quality of life found in a small-town community, while enjoying active social and cultural lifestyles found in larger metropolitan areas.

Required Information

Under the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, any person hired or rehired is required to provide evidence of identity and eligibility for employment. Yamhill County does not offer VISA sponsorships. The County verifies the valid work authorization of each employee using Form I-9 and the E-Verify Program.

Yamhill County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and values diversity.  

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply. Applicants are considered for employment based on their qualifications without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, medical condition or disability, or any other factor prohibited by law or regulation. Veterans are encouraged to apply. Do not include information or photos that would identify those personal traits. Documents included with this identifying information will be removed from the application packet.

Some positions require a criminal history check and a review of driving record. All County positions require regular, prompt, and consistent attendance.

Accommodation Under the Americans With Disabilities Act

Reasonable accommodation is available to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing this application or participating in the selection process for this recruitment. To obtain confidential assistance, please contact Human Resources at 503-474-4901 or via email at Human_Resources@yamhillcounty.gov.

Veterans’ Preference

Under Oregon law ORS 408.225-408.238, veterans who meet the minimum qualifications for a position may be eligible for hiring preference. If you think you may qualify, a Veteran’s Hiring Preference Form must be completed and submitted with application. For the form and information for this process please click here. (Download PDF reader)

If you need assistance with completing an application for employment or with obtaining a Veteran’s Hiring Preference Form, please contact Human Resources at 503-474-4901 or via email at Human_Resources@yamhillcounty.gov.

KNOWLEDGE OF:
• Office procedures and alphabetical filing.
• Confidentiality rules, especially those specific to program area.
• Appropriate Agency partners and community resources.

SKILL IN:
• Organizing materials and documents.
• Developing and maintaining professional relationships.
• Communicating orally and in writing.

ABILITY TO:
• Respond to general & specific questions regarding the District Attorney’s Office inclusive of the ability to accurately provide information in reference to case status and refer to appropriate program partners.
• Interact effectively with persons in difficult and stressful situations.
• Maintain cooperative professional relationships with customers, peers, supervisors, managers, and the community in general.
• Write concisely and perform administrative tasks, including documenting via electronic systems.
• Operate in the Microsoft Windows environment inclusive of using Excel, database management and record keeping programs.
• Attend work as scheduled and/or required.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
High school diploma/GED and one year related clerical experience. Experience in a Legal Office is preferred.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to secure and maintain a driver’s license valid in the state of Oregon, or an acceptable alternative means of transportation. May be required to drive a County vehicle. Employees authorized to operate a private vehicle on County business are required to carry a valid driver’s license and liability insurance minimums as outlined in ORS 806.070.

May be subject to successful completion of a background check.

The incumbent typically works in an office environment and uses a computer, telephone and other office equipment as needed to perform duties. The noise level in the work environment is typical of that of an office. Incumbent may encounter frequent interruptions throughout the workday. 

The employee is regularly required to sit, talk, or hear; frequently required to use repetitive hand motion, handle or feel, and to stand, walk, reach, bend or lift up to 20 pounds.

Contact with the public in office environments may risk exposure to irrational/hostile behavior, contagious diseases, or contact with domestic animals.

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by an employee occupying this position.  Employees may be required to perform other related duties as assigned, to ensure workload coverage.  Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor. This job description does NOT constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the organizational needs and requirements of the job change.

The job specification requirements stated are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform this job successfully. Any satisfactory equivalent combination of experience and training which ensures the ability to perform the work may substitute for the above so that the employee will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.