Legal Assistant

Gallatin County; Bozeman (MT); On-site; USD 36,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Gallatin County is seeking a detail-oriented Administrative Assistant to support the County Attorney’s Office. The role provides clerical support to attorneys, maintains the PBK case management system, and assists with trial preparation and daily office operations.

Responsibilities include filing legal documents, coordinating scheduling, and managing discovery materials in collaboration with law enforcement.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or equivalent; paralegal program or related coursework preferred.
• Experience or training in legal office procedures or paralegal support is desirable.
• Familiarity with case management systems and document filing requirements preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide clerical and administrative support to attorneys and staff.
• Open, manage, and maintain case records in the PBK case management system.
• Draft and file basic pleadings, motions, and other legal documents; prepare orders and correspondence.

Skills

Legal terminology

Database management

Microsoft Office

Communication skills

Confidential information handling

Education

High school diploma

Paralegal training

Tools

PBK case management

Full Court system

Outlook

Job description

This position performs a variety of administrative and clerical duties to support the work of the County Attorney’s Office and assist members of the public. Primary responsibilities include supporting attorneys through administrative assistance, maintaining and utilizing our case management system, preparing for trials and performing a variety of clerical tasks necessary for daily office operations. The position also contributes to both planned initiatives and unplanned activities within the Attorney’s Office, helping ensure continuity of services and responsiveness to changing operational needs. The position reports to the Legal Support Supervisor and does not directly supervise other County personnel.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide clerical, administrative, and case management support to attorneys and staff within the County Attorney’s Office.
• Use the PBK case management system to open, manage, and maintain case records, including data entry and statistical tracking for felony cases.
• Draft, prepare, and electronically file basic pleadings, motions, proposed orders, and other legal documents and correspondence.
• Pull, prepare, and process case files before and after court proceedings and process court minutes and orders received from the Court Clerk.
• Monitor and review notices received through assigned attorneys’ electronic filing accounts.
• Use the Full Court system to obtain case information, run reports, and assist attorneys with scheduling court appearances.
• Coordinate administrative aspects of criminal cases, including scheduling witness interviews, arranging testimony, and preparing subpoenas.
• Work with law enforcement agencies to obtain and organize discovery materials and manage the discovery process, including tracking, Bates stamping, and sharing materials with defense counsel.
• Assist with administrative processing related to confidential criminal justice information (CCJI) cases.
• Open and close Civil Division files and maintain accurate case records.
• Process subdivision final plat submissions by conducting an initial review for completeness and corresponding with landowners or their representatives regarding review and approval status.
• Maintain electronic and paperless filing systems, including scanning, logging incoming mail, and organizing legal records, contracts, correspondence, and confidential materials.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Perform additional duties as assigned by the County Attorney or Deputy County Attorneys, including coordinating projects or events, attending meetings, and completing required training or continuing education.
• In the event the County Commission proclaims a local emergency due to an actual or threatening disaster, County employees may be required to provide services during the emergency and during subsequent assessment and recovery efforts.

This role requires knowledge of state and local laws, county government operations, legal terminology, and database management. Proficiency in word processing, Outlook, and other Microsoft office software is essential. The position also demands familiarity with law office procedures, administrative support functions, and relevant information sources. Strong communication skills, attention to detail, professionalism in public interactions, and the ability to safeguard confidential information are key.

The required knowledge, skills, and abilities are typically acquired through a combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation from high school, a work-related vocational program such as paralegal or related field, and one to two (1-2) years of job-related work experience.

Applicants for this position must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of Montana, provide their own transportation to conduct out of office job duties (mileage reimbursement provided under the County policy), and be insurable under the County's liability policies.

As a condition of hire, the final candidate will be required to successfully pass a background check.

Please be prepared to attach the following documents when you submit your application materials: cover letter, resume, three work references.

Gallatin County is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment on the basis of merit and qualifications without regard to race, creed, religion, color, or national origin or because of age, physical or mental disability, marital status, or sex when the reasonable demands of the position do not require an age, physical or mental disability, marital status, or sex distinction.