Introduction The Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Maryland. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has the general charge, supervision, and direction of the State’s legal business, acting as legal advisors and representatives of the major agencies, various boards, commissions, officials, and institutions of State Government. The OAG also protects the public by civil enforcement of antitrust, civil rights, consumer protection, and securities laws and regulations and by the prosecution of organized crime, Medicaid fraud, environmental crimes, insurance fraud, state tax evasion, and other statutorily assigned matters. As Maryland’s 47th Attorney General, Anthony G. Brown leads the Office with a critical focus on equity, justice, and fairness.
GRADE ASTD10
This position offers a salary range of $45,595 - $63,538, with potential for advancement up to $70,152 based on qualifications, equity, and hiring guidelines. Initial salary offers are determined by qualifications, experience, and available budget, and typically do not exceed $63,538.
LOCATION OF POSITION
Office of the Attorney General Department of Human Services
Prince George’s County Child Support Administration
4235 28th Avenue, Suite. 135
Temple Hills, Maryland 20748
Main Purpose of Job The OAG is seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Legal Secretary to support the Administration’s Legal Unit of the Prince George’s County Child Support Administration which is responsible for handling the highest volume of active child support cases of any jurisdiction in Maryland. The Legal Unit is responsible for representing the Administration in judicial proceedings to establish, modify, or enforce child support orders in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County. The Administration is represented by eight Assistant Attorneys General – including one Supervising Attorney and one Lead Supervising Attorney. Although this position is the only OAG administrative position assigned to the Legal Unit, the Legal Secretary will work closely with child support personnel, including agency administrative employees. The Legal Unit, in concert with child support staff, works diligently to serve Maryland families and ensure that children receive the financial support they need to thrive.
POSITION DUTIES
- Reviewing, organizing, and maintaining legal documents;
- Drafting correspondence to agency personnel, litigants, attorneys, and members of the public;
- Creating and maintaining databases and tracking systems to manage deadlines and workflow effectively, ensure efficient case management, and facilitate information retrieval;
- Electronically filing and accessing electronically filed documents in the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) system; Assisting in all aspects of litigation preparation, research, and support;
- Redacting confidential information from documents prior to disclosure;
- Monitoring court dockets for specially set cases and providing scheduling updates to attorneys;
- Attending meetings and court proceedings as a representative of the Legal Unit, taking notes, and providing assistance as needed; and
- Assisting with the secretarial administration of the Legal Unit.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
Experience: One year of experience as a legal secretary to include keyboarding legal briefs, pleadings, affidavits, subpoenas and other legal documents; maintaining case files, schedules and logs and verifying legal citations and references.
Notes:
1. Candidates may substitute additional secretarial or other clerical experience on a year-for-year basis for the required education.
2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Legalman classifications or Paralegal specialty codes in the administrative support field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.
DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Preference will be given to applicants who possess the following preferred qualifications. Include clear and specific information on your application regarding your qualifications.
- Experience preparing legal documents on behalf of an attorney;
- At least three years of experience in administrative staff or professional work;·
- Knowledge of family law or civil litigation proceedings;
- Knowledge of the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) system.
LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS NOT APPLICABLE.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Employees in this classification must demonstrate ability to keyboard at a minimum speed of forty words per minute.
SELECTION PROCESS Applicants who meet the minimum and selective qualifications will be included in further evaluation. The evaluation may be a rating of your application based on your education, training and experience as they relate to the requirements of the position. Therefore, it is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application and answer all supplemental questions. Please report all related education, experience, dates and hours of work. Clearly indicate your college degree and major on your application, if applicable. For education obtained outside the U.S., any job offer will be contingent on the candidate providing an evaluation for equivalency by a foreign credential evaluation service prior to starting employment (and may be requested prior to interview).
Complete applications must be submitted by the closing date. Information submitted after this date will not be added. Incorrect/incomplete application forms will not be accepted. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.
Successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list for at least one year. Candidates may remain on the certified eligible list for a period of at least one year. The resulting certified eligible list for this recruitment may be used for similar positions in this or other State agencies.
BENEFITS The successful candidate will be eligible for subsidized health benefits (medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage) and life insurance; leave, including annual (vacation), personal, sick, and paid parental leave; and will be eligible for participation in a contributory defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after ten years. State employees are eligible to participate in two supplemental retirement plans: the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan and the 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan. The State also offers a free mass transit benefit for local bus and express bus services.
FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS Online applications are STRONGLY preferred. Please upload a resume in addition to the on-line application. If the online application process is not available, please send your paper application and supplemental questionnaire to careers@oag.state.md.us. TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay. If you have specific questions about recruitment, email careers@oag.state.md.us.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: The OAG is an equal opportunity employer that encourages all interested persons to apply regardless of race, color, religion or belief, ancestry, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, pregnancy, family or parental status, veteran status, genetic information, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING: The Office of the Attorney General views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving professional excellence and fostering and maintaining a culture where every employee can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the best pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values. We honor, respect, and celebrate all differences, both visible and invisible, and are committed to recruiting, retaining, and promoting individuals who have historically been underrepresented in the practice of law and professional careers.
