Legal Clerk I – Civil Case Management Center

City of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

15h • $39,301 - $39,301 • Onsite

About The Position

This is entry level clerical legal work providing administrative and clerical support to the Civil Case Management Center of the Trial Division - Civil. It differs from the nonlegal clerical classes by the constant work with legal documents and the degree of consequence of error and accountability involving the abstraction of pertinent information from legal documents in summary form to a docket which may serve as a basis for possible legal activity by counsel and the judiciary. Work is performed according to clearly defined rules and procedures, under direct supervision from the department’s management.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent and one to two years of progressively responsible clerical experience processing legal instruments and documents.
• Equivalent combinations of training and experience providing the characteristics required to perform the essential functions of the class may substitute for those listed.
• Satisfactory clearance of a criminal background investigation.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of a position in this class.
• General knowledge of court system purpose and record keeping processes.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to write legibly.
• Ability to effectively use various office-related computer applications, including: Word, Outlook, Zoom, Excel, and Teams.
• Ability to provide information clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to recognize different types of civil documents and legal instruments necessary to effectively perform the docketing function.
• Ability to learn to extract and summarize information from legal instruments in order to fulfill the requirements for docketing and indexing legal information.
• Ability to learn and comply with applicable rules, regulations, and procedures as they apply to posting information into dockets and indexes pertinent to the assigned function.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers and the general public.

Responsibilities

• Act as point of contact for outside communication with the Civil Case Management Center, including answering phone calls, responding to emails, and directing communications to the appropriate party.
• Schedule case management conferences using court case management system.
• Examines legal instruments submitted via paper or an electronic filing system to determine information for posting to the case management system.
• Abstracts, summarizes and records filing dates, types of legal instruments, and in some cases, substance of legal documents into the case management system.
• Returns incorrect documents for appropriate action if necessary.
• Processes documents in accordance with standard procedures.
• Searches dockets and indexes in order to serve the public with information.
• Processes incoming official and essential legal documents for inclusion into a system of court records according to procedural rules.
• Inputs litigant address and contact information into court systems when necessary.
• Checks court documents for errors and serves as a quality control check.
• Maintains a court record filing system with adequate controls, standards, and access restrictions.
• Resolves and responds to inquiries via telephone and email concerning court documents or actions, including scheduling and filing procedures.
• Prepares legal documents for dissemination or appropriate legal action by signature.
• Distributes documents to correct destinations and may hand deliver legal documents or records.
• Instructs others on proper procedural steps.
• Perform duties as conference event host via advanced communication technology (Zoom).
• Performs mailing of court notices generated by the department.
• Maintains office-wide calendar to coordinate staff schedule, court events, and other important dates.
• Coordinates conferences with incarcerated litigants and interpretation services.
• Answers the telephone or may meet or greet callers.
• Provides general information pertaining to assigned function.
• Replenishes computer printer, copier or fax machine paper supplies.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program.
• 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Eligibility into the discounted medical plan through the wellness program.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Generous retirement savings options.
• Eligibility to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• Tuition discounts and scholarships (10% to 40%) at over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees