LEGAL ASSISTANT II

Thurston County • Olympia, WA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is seeking a highly motivated and qualified individual who will take on the role of a Legal Assistant II in the Civil Division, Family Support Office. In the Family Support Office, this position will provide a variety of technical clerical support services to assigned attorneys including specialized, technical or program-specific information. Responsibilities may include serving as the primary point of contact for the public—including attorneys, law enforcement personnel, and various court and community agencies—this position plays a key role in supporting the daily operations of the office. The ideal candidate will provide clear, courteous, and knowledgeable assistance while navigating detailed regulations, procedures, and complex requirements within the legal and judicial system.

Requirements

• Must have a high school diploma or GED.
• Associate degree in legal assistant or paralegal studies, or legal-related studies, and/or Paralegal certificate from an accredited program.
• Or, four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in a legal-related field, which include two years in a Legal Assistant I level position; or any combination of education and relevant experience which demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the position.
• Must be able to type 60 words per minute.

Nice To Haves

• Strong technical skill set; able to work effectively with various case management systems, Microsoft Office applications, i.e. Outlook, PowerPoint, and media players.
• Superior communication skills (written, oral, and listening) with the ability to work with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently and be self-motivated, handling multiple competing priorities, sensitive situations and crisis situations and functioning well under time pressure.
• Must possess exceptional interpersonal skills to interact with difficult individuals.
• Familiar with correct and effective use of legal terminology and legal case management techniques.

Responsibilities

• Serves as primary point of contact by answering multiline incoming telephone calls.
• Provides assistance to the public, including attorneys, law enforcement, court and community agencies by answering inquiries and explaining the detailed regulations, procedures and complex requirements of the legal or judicial process.
• Prepares, files, and/or serves correspondence, legal briefs, pleadings, charging information, complaints, orders, court orders, affidavits, notices of appearance, motions, summonses and other legal documents.
• Prepares, organizes and maintains case records; reviews case files and court rules to assure timely action or review by attorney and initiates preparation of appropriate documents and pleadings.
• Reviews court files for complete information and consistency of court dates, and performs basic legal research to verify citations of statutes and cases or other related information.
• Researches and investigates records of potential plaintiffs and/or defendants/respondents and recommends legal action to be taken.
• Gathers information and performs investigation work related to defendants and respondents to be served with necessary court documents.
• May research financial and work-history records and performs numerical calculations.
• Receives and reviews incoming mail; composes responses to routine inquiries from attorneys, agencies and the public; composes answers to procedural correspondence for approval; routes other correspondence to attorneys, calling attention to items needing immediate consideration.
• May utilize appropriate techniques to effectively interview claimants, petitioners, respondents, witnesses, victims, and members of the public to obtain factual information.
• Analyzes collected information and assesses needs of individuals, provides guidance through court procedures and processes, answers questions, coordinates testimony for hearings/trials.
• Communicates with neighboring county, city, state, and federal jurisdictions.
• Coordinates arrangements for depositions/interviews, hearings and meetings.
• May schedule appointments for the gathering of DNA specimens in order to establish paternity.
• Tracks testing compliance and, if necessary, prepares orders or warrants to require compliance.
• When assigned, gathers specimens ensuring evidentiary chain-of-custody procedures are followed.

Benefits

• Work-Life Balance: We are committed to ensure that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individuals’ lifestyle.
• Plan For Your Future: As a member of our team, you will enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre-tax savings accounts, as well as comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you and your family.
• Paid Leave: Full-time regular employees earn paid vacation in addition to paid holidays.
• Robust Training Program: Employees are encouraged to attend County paid training to help them further their career, learn new skill sets, and stay on top of emerging trends in our industry. We also encourage our staff to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences.
• Flexible Work Schedules: Some of the options that employees may take advantage of include alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
• Deferred Compensation: The County offers 3 voluntary deferred compensation plans for employees who would like to set aside additional deferred tax dollars into a retirement savings plan.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Employees can take advantage of Section 125 flexible spending accounts for out-of-pocket health care and daycare expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: This is a federal program which allows full-time public service employees who have made qualifying payments for certain loans, to get their student loans repaid.

What This Job Offers

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