Administrative Secretary II

Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Springfield, MA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Administrative Secretary II acts as a confidential legal assistant to two Administrative Judges or two Administrative Law Judges administering M.G.L. c 152. This role involves working independently and is responsible for case management, coordination of resources, and managing a broad range of complex administrative duties and responsibilities involving confidential and security-sensitive information. The ideal candidate should possess excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, the ability to maintain accurate records, and must be able to balance multiple projects simultaneously.

Requirements

• High school degree or equivalent
• At least five (5) years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience in clerical or secretarial work
• Any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below
• Excellent organizational skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to maintain accurate records
• Ability to balance multiple projects at the same time

Nice To Haves

• An Associate's degree may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of approximately 200-300 cases in a multi-situational environment, conferring with the Judges on all issues or questions related to their personal dockets.
• Utilize sound judgment to analyze and evaluate actions needed to manage past, current, and future cases daily.
• Serve as the Judges' liaison with all stakeholders, including internal units, pro se claimants, claimants' attorneys, employers', insurers' attorneys, paralegals, and other office staff.
• Maintain the case file (DMS), including scanning and uploading all submitted substantive documents prior to quality control review.
• Perform administrative duties with a high level of skill and knowledge.
• Accurately prepare and distribute court determinations, Conference Orders, and Hearing Decisions based on the Judges’ findings following Conferences and Hearings, including calculating benefits and attorney fees pursuant to specific sections of M.G.L. c.152.
• Communicate daily with the Stenographer Unit to facilitate stenographer resources, providing updates if a traveling stenographer is required.
• Manage Judges’ schedules and daily case dockets, and communicate real-time meeting date changes to claimant’s attorney, insurer’s attorney, pro se claimant, and impartial physician offices.
• Provide courteous, prompt, and professional communication (electronic and oral) in response to inquiries from attorneys, the public, and all supporting internal units regarding judicial procedures, court appearances, hearing dates, adjournments, protocols, and forms, as well as providing guidance on the use of proprietary software.
• Proofread all documents and forms received, including Judges' completed Hearing Decisions and Conference Orders, prior to distribution to the parties.
• Maintain internal database (DMS/CMS) case information to record all case dispositions for court orders, decisions, motions, and agreements, including importing and maintaining all case correspondence and pertinent documents in the electronic filing system, as well as documenting electronic calendar changes of Conferences and Hearings.
• Prepare Judges for court by organizing all case trial documents, motions, and exhibits, ensuring all documents are current, appropriate, available, and correct.
• Review trial transcripts to compose initial sections of hearing decisions, including listing appearances, witnesses, exhibits presented, and procedural matters.
• Make determinations as to whether parties' submissions of Conference medical evidence, non-medical evidence, hypothetical questions, Section 15 submissions, agreements, forms, or other electronic documents comply with established court protocol and accept or reject them in accordance with strict departmental guidelines.
• Review electronic files and contact attorneys or litigants to obtain any outstanding documents and information for scheduled meetings.
• Investigate, gather, and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, legal articles, codes, motions, and documents, as well as search pertinent internal sources such as claims, scheduling, and the impartial unit to determine the appropriate action necessary to prepare cases.
• Initiate necessary action based on the Judge’s motion ruling, such as creating new cases.
• Complete Conflict Disclosure Forms for the assignment of 11A examinations.
• Communicate with stakeholders regarding missing Conference medical submissions and appropriate information.
• Review proposed Lump Sum Settlement Agreement papers and Section 15 petitions for accuracy, as well as research cases for liens on file and/or open vocational rehabilitation.
• Review monthly status reports to ensure the expeditious advancement of all claims.
• Follow up with parties regarding outstanding issues, documents, or submissions.
• Perform other duties and assignments as assigned by the Senior Judge and Judicial Support Manager.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Benefits
• Outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package
• Work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED