Title: Paralegal / Legal Secretary
Location: East Palo Alto, CA 94303
Duration: 2 Months
Shift: Hours: 8a-5p, M-F, 1hr unpaid lunch
Job Description:
- Under general supervision, performs a wide variety of complex and confidential, technical, and administrative legal tasks in support of attorneys within the City Attorney's Office (CAO). Incumbents perform complex and responsible legal and administrative duties requiring a thorough knowledge of basic legal concepts and an ability to think critically in order to formulate and implement particular projects; provides information to the public and staff requiring knowledge of department services, policies, and procedures; provides assistance for a wide variety of confidential assignments related to City Council activities, employees' bargaining units, employee grievances, claims and lawsuits filed against the City, and personnel issues; and performs related work as required. SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED Receives general supervision from the City Attorney or Assistant City Attorney. May exercise functional direction over assigned administrative support staff. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS This is an experienced-level, specialized class in the City Attorney's Office. Incumbents perform complex and responsible legal and administrative duties requiring a thorough knowledge of basic legal concepts and an ability to think critically in order to formulate and implement particular projects; assist in department related projects and programs; and are required to be well versed in procedures related to the assigned area(s) of responsibility, working with a high degree of independent judgment, tact, and initiative. This class is distinguished from the Administrative Assistant in that it provides more specialized legal services and requires specialized knowledge and training.
Role & Responsibilities:
- Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.
- Provides high level administrative support to the City Attorney and the CAO by assisting with duties of a complex and confidential nature related to City Council activities, employees' bargaining units, employee grievances, claims and lawsuits filed against the City, and personnel issues; acts as a liaison between the department and other staff or the public, coordinating resolutions when appropriate.
- Composes, types, edits, and proofreads a variety of complex and confidential documents, including forms, memos, and legal documents, such as memoranda, agreements, ordinances, administrative and staff reports, and correspondence for department staff from rough draft, dictation equipment, handwritten copy, verbal instructions, or from other material; inputs and retrieves data and text using a computer terminal; checks draft documents for punctuation, spelling, and grammar; makes or suggests corrections to drafts.
- Maintains the City Attorney's calendar and arranges meetings; schedules meetings between City staff or between City staff and other groups or organizations; arranges for necessary setup and materials to be available at meetings.
- Verifies and reviews forms and reports for completeness and conformance with established regulations and procedures; applies departmental and program policies and procedures in determining completeness of applications, records, and files.
- Conducts initial review of draft contracts and amendments; flags inconsistencies and potential problems in documents for Attorney review; participates in contract template working group to monitor and recommend changes to template contracts as proposed by the CAO and internal staff.
- Reviews certificates of insurance, including various endorsements and verify they meet the City's insurance requirements, in addition to liaison with staff or public regarding insurance requirements.
- Tracks contract review requests from start to completion.
- Prepares and files all pleadings in Superior and Federal Court including criminal pleadings, civil pleadings, and weapons forfeitures; maintains calendars for filings and court dates.
- Screens calls, visitors, and incoming mail; provides information to the public by phone or in person requiring an understanding of department services and City policies and procedures; listens to questions and interprets and applies regulations, policies, procedures, systems, rules, and precedents according to existing guidelines; responds to citizen and staff inquiries and complaints; refers citizens to the appropriate department source; coordinates or resolves problems of a moderate nature when appropriate.
- Tracks and maintains litigation calendars, including recording follow-up trial dates, action dates, and disposition of cases.
- Coordinates arrangements for serving of summonses, complaints, and other legal documents by outside parties; coordinates the response to subpoenas by staff or other City departments.
- Composes, types, edits, and proofreads a variety of complex documents, including forms, memos, legal documents including subpoenas, warrants, petitions, briefs, motions, memoranda, and pleadings, agreements, ordinances, real property documents, administrative, statistical, and staff reports, and correspondence for department staff from rough draft, dictation equipment, handwritten copy, verbal instructions, or from other material; inputs and retrieves data and text using a computer terminal; checks draft documents for punctuation, spelling, and grammar; makes or suggests corrections to drafts.
- Organizes and carries out administrative assignments; researches, compiles, and organizes information and data from various sources on a variety of specialized topics related to programs in assigned area; checks and tabulates standard mathematical or statistical data; prepares and assembles reports, manuals, articles, announcements, and other informational materials.
- Assists in the preparation of the CAO budget; reviews and ensures accuracy of budget documents for the City Attorney's final review and approval.
- Maintains department and staff calendars and makes meeting arrangements; schedules meetings between City staff or between City staff and other groups or organizations; arranges for necessary setup and materials to be available at meetings.
- Makes travel arrangements for the City Attorney and Assistant City Attorney to attend conferences, seminars, etc.; registers City Attorney and Assistant City Attorney for webinars, as requested.
- Verifies and reviews forms and reports for completeness and conformance with established regulations and procedures; applies departmental and program policies and procedures in determining completeness of applications, records, and files.
- Purges CAO physical legal and non-legal files according to the City's Retention Schedule.
- Assists with Public Records Act Requests and other inquiries from the public. Monitors deadlines for timely production of responsive records.
- Develops and implements file, index, tracking, and record keeping systems; maintains law library materials; researches records within areas of assigned responsibility to prepare reports and provide follow-up information to customer and staff inquiries.
- Monitors and orders office and other related supplies; prepares, processes, and tracks purchase requisitions for services and materials; receives and processes vendor invoices; prepares requests for payment for department head approval.
- Coordinates and integrates department services and activities with other agencies and City departments.
- Maintains and updates the CAO webpage as needed.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Organization and function of public agencies, including the role of an elected City Council and appointed boards and commissions.
- Sufficient legal terminology necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
- Procedures, methods, and practices involved in composing, processing, typing, formatting, and filing a variety of legal documents.
- Applicable codes, regulations, policies, technical processes, and procedures related to the City Attorney's Office.
- Business letter writing and the standard format for reports and correspondence.
- Principles and practices of data collection and report preparation.
- Business mathematics and basic statistical techniques. Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.
- The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination.
- Computers and software programs (e.g., Microsoft software packages) to conduct, compile, and/or generate documentation.
Education and Experience:
- Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be: Equivalent to the completion of twelfth (12th) grade supplemented by specialized legal secretarial training and two (2) years of responsible legal secretarial experience. Completion of a paralegal certificate program or college degree is desirable.
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22nd Century Technologies, Inc.
Pay rate: $25.00 - $28.00/Hr. - W2
Dec 02, 2025