Legal Assistant

Salary Range: $23.70 - $30.82 Hourly

Job Summary:

The City of Greeley is seeking a Legal Assistant to join the City Attorney’s Office. This position reports to the Supervising Assistant City Attorney and will provide in-person administrative support for the attorneys and paralegals in the City Attorney’s Office by performing a wide variety of legal, technical, and administrative tasks. The successful candidate will bring knowledge of administrative procedures, practices, or law office and court operations and previous experience working in the legal profession, including a law office, governmental agency, or a court system. The Legal Assistant will perform legal clerical duties requiring the frequent use of initiative and judgment in handling sensitive and confidential matters.

Experience, Knowledge, Skills:

Minimum Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Intermediate experience with computerized software applications including Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Preferred

• Associates degree in Legal Studies preferred but not required.
• At least one (1) year of experience working in the legal profession in a law office, private practice, governmental agency, or court system.
• Experience using Colorado E-Filing, Full Court, Spillman, Central Square, DocuSign, Legal Files, Adobe Pro, and the CBI/CCIC databases. Criminal law experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to understand and apply legal concepts and Court related procedures.
• Knowledge and understanding of and compliance with ethical standards regarding roles and responsibilities of attorneys, paralegals, and Legal Assistants.
• Understanding of ethical limitations inherent in the Legal Assistant role.
• Knowledge of the business and organizational structure of Colorado municipalities.
• Collaboration skills, including the ability to work with others from different areas and backgrounds to reach a common goal.
• Computer skills, including the ability to utilize Microsoft Office programs (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.), Colorado E-Filing, Full Court, Central Square, Axon, Tracker, Oracle, DocuSign, Legal Files, Adobe Pro, and CBI/CCIC databases, and the ability to learn and experiment with new software and systems.
• Interpersonal skills, including the ability to facilitate interaction, communication, and teamwork between others.
• Knowledge of the electronic file management program and the ability to effectively utilize it to route legal requests, manage files, and maintain contact information.
• Oral, written, and listening communication skills, including the ability to accurately interpret what others are saying and convey messages, information, concepts, and details accurately and clearly.
• Organizational skills, including the ability to set and meet goals and deadlines, manage appointments, create schedules, coordinate, and facilitate meetings, and make decisions.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple concurrent and competing tasks and responsibilities, and adapt to changing priorities while maintaining personal effectiveness.
• Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and stay on task when completing special projects and daily assignments.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and reliable professional judgment, as well as collaboratively with a team to achieve desired results.
• Ability to maintain a strong work ethic, positive problem-solving attitude, and enthusiasm for the work performed.
• Ability to self-start and take initiative in completing daily tasks and special projects.
• Ability to focus on activities that have the greatest impact on meeting work commitments.
• Ability to establish and maintain partnerships with a variety of internal and external constituencies.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and ages
• Ability to navigate a complex political environment.
• Proofreading, grammar, punctuation, and formatting skills, including the ability maintain consistency and be cognizant of and address details.
• Research skills, including the ability to utilize a variety of tools to ask questions, gather information, and review, analyze, and interpret data.
• Ability to interpret and apply complex rules and regulations.
• Ability to handle and maintain sensitive and confidential material.
• Ability to maintain accurate and detailed records and record keeping systems.
• Ability to prepare reports, briefings, and presentations in a variety of formats (e.g. verbal, written, visual, etc.)
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to examine and summarize data and trends in order to resolve issues and produce results.
• Customer service skills, including the ability to actively listen, address customer needs, diffuse tense situations, and maintain an open, flexible, and friendly demeanor.
• Ability to deliver a high level of commitment to customer service.
• Ability to respond to requests in a timely manner.
• Ability to multi-task effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to present oneself professionally in appearance, demeanor, and effort.
• Knowledge of contractual concepts, terms, and conditions.
• Ability to follow and uphold ethical guidelines, standards, and integrity and adhere to core character values of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship.

Essential Functions:

• Assists attorneys during arraignments at Municipal Court. Manages electronic queue, provides advisement forms, and directs defendants to the appropriate location.
• Drafts documents including pleadings, correspondence, and subpoenas. Proofreads material for accuracy, completeness, grammar, and punctuation. Edits and finalizes documents for paralegal or attorney review.
• Prepares routine reports or correspondence.
• Greets visitors to the City Attorney offices, which may include defense counsel, defendants, witnesses, and victims at Municipal Court.
• Gathers data and factual information from clients, defense counsel, victims, and witnesses as directed by the attorney, while refraining from offering advice or direction.
• Uses discretion and professional judgment commensurate with knowledge and experience but must not render independent legal judgment, conclusions, advice, or direction.
• Manages requests for restitution in Municipal Court cases.
• Manages contracts by ensuring all contracts are up to date with City clients and City Attorney’s Office
• Performs administrative tasks such as making travel arrangements, managing, and purchasing office supplies, and scheduling appointments.
• Assists paralegals and attorneys with case management system (Legal Files).
• Assists with electronic file maintenance; creates and manages paper and electronic files.
  • Including: scans documents and saves them in the appropriate matter, renames documents according to standard naming conventions, calendars all deadlines/hearings for various types of cases; inputs and updates name cards, opens and closes files.
• Manages intake of requests for legal assistance and determines appropriate attorney for assignment and gathers further information as needed.
• Sets up matters in Legal Files, uploads all documentation provided, and routes to appropriate attorney.
• Prepares for hearings and trials; coordinates witnesses; ensures service of subpoenas.
• Organizes and manages evidence and exhibits. Assists attorney and paralegal with other trial and hearing related tasks.
• Communicates effectively, both oral and written, with individuals in various roles, including City staff members, Court staff, members of the legal community, and citizens.
• Solves problems and makes decisions where work tasks are not completely defined by comprehensive procedures, with or without clear variations of precedent or alternatives, and defined solutions that should be considered. Latitude is expected to consider the most appropriate procedure or precedent to follow.
• Drafts documents independently or based on instructions from paralegal or attorney.
• Responds to questions and comments from managers, clients, and the general public in a courteous and timely manner.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements:

• Minimal physical effort typically found in clerical work. Primarily sedentary, may occasionally lift and carry light objects. Walking and/or standing as needed and minimal.
  • Example(s): Standing/Sitting at office workstation and performing office duties.
• Safe to minimal hazards that are typically found in general office environment where there is rarely little or no exposure to injury or accident.
• Example(s): Frequent repetitive tasks involving standard office equipment
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• Minor moving of boxes for supplies that are ordered - including orders for paper, plates, and other kitchen and office supplies. Food and water delivery for meetings as necessary.

EOE Statement: The City of Greeley provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

ADA Statement : We are committed to an inclusive and barrier-free search process. We provide accommodations for applicants requesting accommodation through the search process such as alternative formats of this posting. Individuals with disabilities in need of accommodations throughout the search process should contact the ADA Coordinator at: HR@Greeleygov.com .

Conditions of Employment: Candidates must successfully complete all pre-employment screenings and employment eligibility verification. Pre-employment screenings include a drug test, a background and national sex offender search, a motor vehicle record search, and for some positions, a physical demands evaluation. For more information about City policies and practices during the recruitment process, including but not limited to EOE, Reasonable Accommodation, and pre-employment screenings, please visit our career page HERE.