Office Specialist I

Yakima County•Yakima County General Administration Building, WA

5d•$21 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

This position performs specialized legal support services for Yakima County Department of Assigned Counsel operations. It involves sorting and analyzing legal/medical documents, conducting complex research in judicial databases, extracting information to identify relationships and potential conflicts of interest, and entering data into reports and client database systems. The role requires making decisions regarding conflicts based on legal and policy guidelines, referring complex issues to an assignment attorney, and preparing conflict reports and case assignments. Additionally, it involves contacting private attorneys regarding appointments, conferring on legal issues, and preparing court orders. The position also supports ongoing cases, files, and administrative operations by interacting with supervisors, attorney staff, clients, the public, and other law and justice agencies.

Requirements

High School Diploma or G.E.D.
Three (3) years general office experience OR any combination of experience or training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.
Successful completion of a keyboarding (typing speed/accuracy test) with a minimum of 35 net w.p.m. at time of application.
Employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of a general employment verification.

Nice To Haves

General understanding of legal documents, court procedures, administrative functions, and databases.
Experience related to the law and justice field, such as legal secretary, paralegal, or civil or criminal justice.
Associate Degree.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel.
Bilingual English/Spanish.
High proficiency in typing speed preferred.

Responsibilities

Sorts and analyzes legal/medical documents, reports, and statements in assigned areas of operations and court cases.
Initiates and conducts complex searches in various judicial databases.
Extracts or interprets appropriate information to identify complex relationships and potential conflicts of interest.
Sorts and enters information into reports and client database systems.
Makes decisions regarding absence of conflicts applying legal and policy guidelines.
Refers anomalies and issues requiring attorney determination to the assignment attorney.
Prepares summary conflict reports and legal documents for case assignment.
Prepares and distributes notices and legal pleadings to implement case assignments.
Provides telephone notice of attorney assigned to clients calling.
Inputs initial and final court docket report information into the department’s database.
Analyzes court docket reports and pleadings.
Researches data to determine client court history and attorney representation in various complex judicial and internal databases.
Implements decisions to assign conflict cases out of office.
Identifies and applies appropriate fee agreement and schedule.
Solicits private bar participation as an appointed counsel according to established procedures.
Assesses client inquiries for name of attorney appointed, court dates, appointments, status of proceedings, and complaints.
Provides information using office and court databases and established procedures.
Prepares office files to be sent to outside counsel when attorneys are retained or cases are substituted out due to conflicts of interest.
Photocopies legal documents and distributes them to various outside and county agencies.
Prepares, opens, and distributes files for office staff attorneys and supervisors.
Prepares legal pleadings, orders, client letters, jury instructions, and miscellaneous correspondence.
Transcribes court proceedings, victim/witness interviews, and dictated letters; composes letters.
Sets hearings on dockets for attorneys and confirms with other law and justice agencies.
Generates, maintains, calculates, and edits various lists and reports in complex databases and/or various software.
Prepares statistical reports in assigned areas, including Superior Court, District Court, and Juvenile BECCA, Family, and Offender cases.
Creates weekly and monthly reports.
Assists the public and clients in person and on the telephone, including handling complaints.
Closes office files, inputs closing data into the department’s database, and maintains the legal filing system, including pending and closed cases.
Records files for permanent legal records.
Routinely assists and supports other Office Specialists in the department in all operational areas in a busy dynamic environment.
Performs duties and assignments of other Office Specialists when absent for breaks, annual leave, sick leave, training, and/or periods of peak operations.
Assists supervisor and attorney staff as directed.
Calendars events and court hearings/trials in attorney calendars, court dockets, and department database for future court hearings and trials.
Schedules client appointments and interviews.
Collates, examines, calendars, and distributes incoming and outgoing legal pleadings, notices for court hearings, and general mail.
Communicates and delivers to staff and various agencies.
Maintains and monitors office systems and administrative functions, including supplies and equipment.
Maintains internal lists and notices.
Copies, files, and archives files.
Performs other duties as required.

Benefits

Health Care Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Basic Life and Basic LTD)
Retirement Benefits
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Paid Sick Leave
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Health Reimbursement Account (HRA- VEBA)
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Voluntary Benefits – vision, term life, critical illness, disability and other insurance plans
Washington State Retirement Plan (DRS)
457 Deferred Compensation Program (DCP)