Administrative Assistant

PA LAW CLERKS; Harrisburg (Dauphin County); On-site; USD 48,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania is seeking an Administrative Assistant to support the Office of Chief Legal Counsel. The role involves administrative and legal duties, such as organizing opinions, case information, and routine orders, under attorney supervision.

Responsibilities include coordinating with chambers, posting opinions, and maintaining records, with emphasis on accuracy and timely processing of matters in a court environment.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of legal terminology, documents, and court procedures.
• Ability to review detailed documents and case information for accuracy.
• Manage competing deadlines and respond to urgent matters.

Responsibilities

• Review opinions for administrative and technical accuracy before filing.
• Coordinate electronic opinion posting and access to unpublished opinions.
• Maintain case queues, assignments, and deadlines in PACMS.

Skills

Legal terminology

Document review

Deadline management

Written communication

Microsoft 365

Education

Associate degree or paralegal certificate

Tools

PACMS

Microsoft 365

Job description

Established in 1968, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania is an intermediate appellate court responsible for matters involving state and local governments and appeals from state agencies and the Courts of Common Pleas. You will be joining a distinguished and well-respected organization that provides employees with appropriate compensation, excellent benefits, and opportunities to learn and grow.

The Commonwealth Court is seeking an Administrative Assistant to provide administrative and legal support to the Office of Chief Legal Counsel (OCLC). The employee helps manage opinion filing and publication, case information, routine orders and correspondence, and coordination with judicial chambers and other Court offices. The employee independently handles established administrative processes and refers legal or substantive issues for attorney or management review. Legal work is performed under attorney supervision and final review.

Typical Duties

• Review opinions for administrative and technical accuracy before filing, including votes, captions, docket information, formatting, citations, and filing requirements; refer discrepancies to the appropriate judicial or legal staff.
• Coordinate electronic opinion posting with AOPC, distribution to publishing services, verification before publication, and access to unpublished opinions.
• Maintain OCLC queues, case assignments, votes, filings, and deadlines in PACMS; monitor assigned matters through disposition.
• Prepare routine orders, case management orders, filing notices, memoranda, correspondence, argument materials, and reports, including for election and other time-sensitive matters.
• Answer routine procedural questions from chambers staff about opinion circulation, voting, filing, and publication; refer novel or substantive questions to an attorney or manager.
• Help organize and move work through shared queues and provide backup coverage during absences or high-volume periods.
• Maintain accurate records and process guides; use Court technology to track work, standardize recurring documents, and prepare reports.
• Identify recurring workflow problems and assist with approved improvements while preserving required review controls.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Four years of progressively responsible experience in a court, law office, government legal office, or comparable setting involving legal documents, case records, or regulated administrative processes; or
• An associate degree or paralegal certificate and two years of relevant experience; or
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge and abilities.
• Satisfactory criminal background check.

Preferred Qualifications

• Formal education in paralegal studies, legal studies, public administration, or a related field, including an ABA-approved paralegal program.
• Experience with PACMS or another electronic case management system, legal filings, appellate court procedures, or routine legal documents.
• Experience developing templates or process guides, improving workflows, or cross-training colleagues.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of legal terminology, documents, and court procedures, and the ability to learn the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure and the Court’s Internal Operating Procedures.
• Ability to review detailed documents and case information for accuracy and completeness, manage competing deadlines, and respond to urgent matters.
• Sound judgment, discretion with confidential information, and the ability to recognize issues requiring attorney, judicial, or management review.
• Clear writing and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with chambers, Court staff, attorneys, publishers, and the public.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and the ability to learn PACMS, document management, and web publication systems; ability to work independently and provide backup coverage.

Salary information

Salary: $48,128-$62,834

Starting salary will vary depending upon the qualifications and employment history of the selected candidate.