Legal Assistant II

County of Thurston•Olympia, WA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The salary for this position is: $4,446 - $5,914 monthly. 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. Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following: 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. In order to determine the nature and urgency of requests, screens and refers telephone calls and inquires, and reads and routes incoming mail to the appropriate office or person. 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. To view the full job classification, click here: Legal Assistant II WORKING CONDITIONS: Work Environment – Work is performed primarily in an office environment. Minimal physical exertion is required. Schedule - Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Workload demands may occasionally require work outside the assigned work hours. Travel Requirements - Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings or trainings. Customer Interactions - Substantial contact with the public, departmental staff, and other County departments. May come into contact with individuals who are irate, argumentative and in highly emotional situations. WHO WE ARE: The Prosecuting Attorney's Office performs its constitutional and statutory duties by serving as a highly skilled and innovative legal team advocating for public safety, seeking justice in criminal cases for victims and those accused, representing the interests of children, and providing effective legal services to Thurston County government. We are committed to being proactive in our mission by partnering with local government and community organizations to prevent crime, increase public safety, and support for victims. We recognize that today's investments in education, mentoring, and other support services for children and families will yield significant returns in the form of less crime, reduced costs for criminal justice and social services, and an overall improvement in the quality of life for all Thurston County residents. Thurston County values the diversity of the people it hires and serves. Inclusion to us means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person’s talents and strengths. We are dedicated to recruiting and developing a talented workforce from various cultures, lifestyles, backgrounds, and perspectives who are committed to our vision and core values. Thurston County Racial Equity and Inclusion Webpage WHAT WE OFFER OUR EMPLOYEES: 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. Please visit Thurston County Employee Benefit Plans for more information. 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. Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program 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. Why you’ll love it here: Thurston County is located between Seattle and Portland in Western Washington’s South Puget Sound Region. Perched in between the mountains and the ocean, the area boasts the perfect blend of year-round outdoor activities including boating, hiking, skiing, and more. The region is also home to the state capitol city of Olympia, known for its many restaurants, microbreweries, coffee shops, farmer’s markets, kids’ activities, history, and art events. Discover more about life in Thurston County at Experienceolympia.com . Message to potential applicants: We understand that some potential applicants are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the functions or skills listed in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we understand that may be someone who will learn some of these skills on the job. If you are interested in this position, and meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to go ahead and apply! Feel free to think about how you will bring your own set of skills to the role and tell us about the potential that you hold.

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.
In order to determine the nature and urgency of requests, screens and refers telephone calls and inquires, and reads and routes incoming mail to the appropriate office or person.
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.