Judicial Administrative Assistant - COA

Administrative Office of the Courts • Seattle, WA

11h • Onsite

About The Position

Washington State Court of Appeals (COA) Division I is looking for a detail-oriented, motivated professional to join their team. As the Judicial Administrative Assistant, you will act as a confidential administrative assistant to a judge of the Court of Appeals. This role works under minimal supervision with discretionary decision-making responsibilities within their area of expertise. You will exercise independent judgment while assisting a judge with the court’s operation and, at the direction and control of the judge, may assist with other court functions. Our Mission: To serve the People by providing an accessible forum for the independent and impartial review of cases, while maintaining an atmosphere that respects the dignity and safeguards the rights of all.

Requirements

• Two (2) year Associate of Arts degree in legal secretarial science or related field or a paralegal degree; AND Five (5) years' experience as a legal secretary or paralegal, executive secretary, or confidential administrative assistant.
• At the discretion of the hiring judge, a legal secretarial certificate or equivalent may be substituted for an AA degree or paralegal degree on a year-for-year basis.
• Paralegal experience or administrative legal experience may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.
• Qualified candidates will have well-developed skills in the use of technology and automated systems, including the use of electronic documents.
• Familiarity with case management and document management systems, office suite products, and electronic workflow processing systems is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of principles of legal research and writing.
• Knowledge of secretarial and office management practices, procedures, and equipment.
• Knowledge of Washington State court system and procedures.
• Knowledge of relevant citation and cite-checking sources.
• Knowledge of legal terminology, forms, and documents.
• Knowledge of court rules.
• Knowledge of English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and arithmetic.
• Ability to compose correspondence and documents on complex matters.
• Ability to prepare reports and correspondence independently.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and discretion in court business operations to include evaluating situations and making decisions.
• Ability to proofread accurately.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and be sensitive to problems and issues.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with judges, commissioners, law clerks, court clerk and others.
• Ability to learn, interpret and apply court rules and policies and procedures.
• Ability to use word processing and e-mail software.
• Ability to type accurately.
• Ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with case management and document management systems, office suite products, and electronic workflow processing systems is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Processes letters, orders, opinions and other correspondence.
• Answers telephone inquiries, develops and initiates procedures to facilitate management of the judge’s office, keeps the judge informed of significant and important items requiring review or action, calls attention to deadlines, maintains files of correspondence and records.
• Provides support to the judge for committee work and assists the judge in preparation of presentation materials.
• Assists the judge in monitoring continuing judicial education requirements.
• Maintains judge’s brief packets for cases set for oral argument, maintains records of judge’s dockets and writing assignments; tracks the date of oral argument, distribution, signing and issuance of opinion; tracks petitions for review to the Supreme Court.
• Prepares work files for judge’s writing assignments.
• Arranges conference file for judge; indexes and arranges opinions, writs, and petitions for rehearing; removes all documents from case files and makes proper disposition thereof.
• Maintains and manages electronic case files for the judge.
• Processes drafts of opinions, edits and proofreads for errors, duplicates and circulates draft opinions to the panel for review.
• Finalizes opinions and processes them for judge’s signature.
• Verifies all case citations and quotations for accuracy, checks all facts of the case with the trial court record, checks for proper grammar, edits and proofreads for errors, reviews for adherence to prescribed style and legal terminology verifies all errors raised in the appellant’s brief have been addressed in the opinion.
• Checks advance sheets for accuracy of judge’s opinions and notifies publishing authority of any changes; circulates headnotes from publisher to law clerks and judge to check for accuracy.
• Verifies proposed opinion edits from the Office of the Reporter of Decisions.
• Oversees chambers staff; provide orientation to law clerks and judicial externs regarding policies and procedures of the individual judge; monitors and manages law clerk benefit time usage maintains a close working relationship with the staff attorneys, law clerks, and judicial externs in finalizing work; arranges meetings between chambers staff and judge; and coordinates and prioritizes workflow as directed by the judge.
• Works closely with the clerk’s office personnel regarding office procedures and judicial docketing.
• Works with the clerk’s office to ensure the record is complete on set cases and ensures the complete record is returned to the clerk’s office upon filing the opinion.
• Monitors and manages motions before the judge; drafts proposed orders for motions at the judge’s direction.
• Processes all orders pertaining to personal restraint petitions.
• Maintains judge's law library, including filing and indexing of volumes, supplements, and periodicals; corresponds with the Washington State Law Library to order books.
• Arranges transportation and travel accommodations for judge and prepares travel vouchers.
• Register the judge for attendance at various events.
• Schedules tours and presentations for the judge, organizes receptions, and coordinates staffing of events with court personnel.
• When serving the Chief Judge of a Division or Presiding Chief Judge of all three Divisions, responsibility is greater in the following areas: Monitors the filing of opinions; maintains records on all motions circulated to a panel of judges for consideration, including Motions for Reconsideration, Motions to Modify Commissioners’ and Clerk’s Rulings, Motions to Dismiss for Untimely Filing and motions for orders changing opinions, and Personal Restraint Petitions.
• Makes necessary arrangements for pro tem judges; maintains files with reference to Chief Judge and Presiding Chief Judge duties; schedules meetings and appointments for the judge as representative of the Court.
• Performs other duties as required.

Benefits

• The workweek may fluctuate depending on workload or agency needs.
• Overnight travel may be required based on business needs.
• Judicial Administrative Assistants are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Washington State Minimum Wage Act.
• The Court of Appeals is committed to the practice of equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all persons without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender and gender identity and expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree