Legal Assistant/Law Clerk III - General Counsel (2026-27)

Ref. 907

 

TITLE:	Legal Assistant/Law Clerk III	REPORTS TO:	Deputy General Counsel and/or Designee
DEPARTMENT:	As Assigned	CLASSIFICATION:	Classified Management Confidential
FLSA:	Exempt	WORK YEAR/HOURS	261 Days/7.5 Hours, or Duty Days/Hours as assigned.
ISSUED:	Created: May 2015	SALARY GRADE:	CFCA 17

 

BASIC FUNCTION:  Under the direction of the Deputy General Counsel and/or designee, reviews, analyzes and interprets claim data using multiple data formats, prepares or assists in the preparation of legal documents for all types of litigation pertaining to the school district; performs legal research in all areas of the law; investigates, organizes, and prepares for, and represents the District in administrative hearings, small claims court, and student disciplinary hearings; and does other related work as required.

Maintain confidentiality of all personnel matters; some duties will involve access to confidential information concerning employer-employee relations.

 

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES:  (Incumbents may perform any combination of the essential functions shown below. This position description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, knowledge, or abilities associated with this classification, but are intended to accurately reflect the principal job elements).

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

• Identify and report to the Deputy General Counsel conditions and events that may lead to the claims and/or third party litigation.
• Work with the Third Party Administrator in identifying areas in which new approaches or systems will result in system improvements, cost savings and reduction of risks.
• Coordinate with various departments to reduce claim exposure, including but not limited to the Risk Management Department, Facilities Department, and Human Resources Department.   
• Draft legal documents including discovery, administrative, regulatory pre-trial and/or trial documents, pleadings, motions, correspondence and memoranda.
• Gather, organize, summarize and analyze materials obtained through the pre-trial/project oriented process.
• Provide support during the hearing, pre-trial, trial and post-trial process.
• Provide logistical support, including filing legal documents or collecting legal documents at a variety of venues.
• Research specific questions of law for precedence, related case law, and/or citations and summarize research in memoranda or reports.
• Analyze or distinguish cases that may have relevance and present conclusions to attorneys.
• Respond to inquiries from the public.
• Investigate, organize, and prepare for, and may represent the District in personnel disciplinary hearings, grievance arbitrations, PERB hearings, other administrative hearings, small claims court, and student disciplinary hearings.
• Assist in reviewing and revising administrative policies and regulations of the District.
• Assist in providing information and advice to District departments.
• Serve as liaison between the Office of the General Counsel and other District and outside offices.
• Respond to Public Records Act requests.
• Support school sites with student discipline related matters.
• Investigate and respond to EEOC/DFEH complaints.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: TRAINING, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Education:  BA/BS degree.  Completion of first year law school or certificate from Paralegal Training Program
• Graduation from law school or completion of a certificated paralegal course of study is highly desirable
• Experience: At least six years of full time experience as a legal assistant, including experience which demonstrates knowledge of the California Code of Civil Procedure, municipal, State and Federal codes, and local court rules
• Directly related experience beyond the one year minimum may be substituted for the education requirement on a year for year basis up to two years
• Experience handling complex litigation cases or preparing for and providing representation at administrative hearings is highly desirable

LICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Valid California driver’s license

Employment eligibility will include fingerprints, Tuberculosis and/or other employment clearance  

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES: KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Legal terminology, administrative law and judicial processes  
• Principles of legal research, maintenance and use of the legal library
• Effective investigatory techniques
• Complex, specialized legal office procedures, computers and other office equipment
• Complex record-keeping techniques
• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• District policies, applicable sections of the State Education Code and other laws and regulations

ABILITY TO:

• Conduct legal research and prepare legal documents, including drafting pleadings, motions, and discovery documents, using correct legal terminology, grammar, spelling and punctuation.  
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Review large quantities of data
• Organize and prepare a summary and make recommendations
• Conduct interviews and prepare witnesses
• Prepare for and provide representation at administrative hearings
• Provide legal assistant support during trial and court or administrative hearings
• Conduct discovery
• Make independent judgments within established guidelines
• Organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines and follow-up on assignments with a minimum of direction
• Monitor progress of cases and projects as appropriate
• Follow oral and written directions
• Use computers for word processing, case management, and legal research
• Use appropriate work methods, techniques and equipment
• Balance multiple priorities
• Perform work independently with a minimum of supervision
• Exercise diplomacy, tact and good judgment
• Assume responsibility
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Work in fast-paced environment with constant interruptions.
• Perform a variety of complex, specialized claim and litigation prevention duties involving specialized knowledge and independent judgment
• Supervise, evaluate and document outside investigators when necessary and as assigned
• Communicate clearly; understand and interpret District and other rules, policies and procedures and state laws
• Understand and follow oral and written directions; work independently
• Operate a computer and other investigatory and office equipment; 
• Meet deadlines and schedules and time lines
• Work with focus and under pressure in quickly evolving incidents or emergencies where significant injuries or risk of injuries to human life has occurred, 
• Work in fast-paced environment with constant interruptions.

WORKING CONDITIONS: ENVIRONMENT: 

Office environment; with constant interruptions standard; periodic driving to locations to perform duties will be necessary 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

Hearing and speaking to exchange information in person and make presentations; dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard; seeing to monitor various activities and read documents, and view computer monitors; travelling off-site; sitting or standing for extended periods of time; kneeling, bending at the waist, and reaching overhead, above the shoulders, and horizontally; lifting light objects. 

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY:

The Oakland Unified School District does not discriminate in any program, activity, or in employment on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, gender, sex, or sexual orientation.