Legal Assistant - Open Until Filled

County of Sonoma; Santa Rosa (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of Sonoma seeks a Paralegal to assist self-represented clients in family law matters under the supervision of the Family Law Facilitator. You will review intakes, help prepare forms, conduct basic legal research, and support outreach and social media management.

Responsibilities include triaging litigants, explaining procedures, maintaining records for grants, and collaborating with staff to ensure accurate filings and public information materials.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with California family law, statutes, codes, court processes and rules of court, specifically those that govern practices involving pro per litigants.
• Ability to differentiate between legal information and legal advice and to establish and maintain boundaries with pro per litigants.
• Ability to understand and apply legal principles and practices.
• Ability to explain and clarify legal concepts in lay terms.
• Ability to identify and correct technical inaccuracies in documents.
• Familiarity with principles, methods, techniques and materials of legal research, analysis and writing.
• Knowledge of basic judicial structure.
• Knowledge and skill to perform mathematical calculations.
• Ability to prepare child and spousal support calculations using online tools.
• Knowledge of legal office terminology, processes and procedures, and the proper format for legal documents.
• Familiarity with general office practices and software, including Zoom, etc.
• Familiarity with social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat and TikTok.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work with people experiencing personal crisis using trauma-informed interviewing techniques.
• Ability to work effectively as an individual and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with court staff and community organizations.
• Ability to use initiative and sound independent judgment within guidelines.
• Skill to prioritize and manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to court values.

Responsibilities

• Assist pro per litigants from diverse backgrounds with family law matters, guardianships and limited conservatorships, in person and via remote technology.
• Review litigant intake forms and refer for walk-in help or appointment scheduling.
• Interview and triage pro per litigants, assess issues and determine next steps; refer as directed.
• Assist with correct preparation of legal forms prior to filing with the court.
• Explain court filing processes and legal procedures to pro per litigants one-on-one and in groups.
• Identify non-routine cases and seek direction from supervising attorney; assist accordingly.
• Review judgments forms/documents for accuracy and compliance.
• Design and manage social media accounts for the Office of the Family Law Facilitator.
• Create, maintain and update written materials provided to the public.
• Maintain logs, records and statistical data for grant funding.
• Assist Family Law Facilitator and other staff attorneys and court legal assistants as directed.

Skills

California family law knowledge

Interpersonal communication

Legal research & drafting

Trauma-informed interviewing

Social media management

Education

ABA-approved paralegal program certificate

Paralegal program with 24 law units

Bachelor’s or higher with 1 year law-related experience

High school diploma + 3 years law-related experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Zoom

Essential Forms

Job description

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Family Law Facilitator, this position will assist self-represented clients with family law issues, guardianships and limited conservatorships; assess legal problems and the correct legal procedure for the customer's situation; perform a variety of paraprofessional legal duties; prepare legal forms and instructional materials; perform minimal legal research; promote self-help services through community outreach, creation of promotional materials and management of social media accounts; and perform other clerical and/or administrative duties as required.

Note: Applications will be reviewed the week of 10/19/26.

Typical Duties

• Assist pro per litigants from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds with family law matters, guardianships and limited conservatorships, in person and through use of remote technology;


• Review litigant intake forms; refer litigants for walk-in help or schedule services by appointment, as appropriate.


• Interview and triage pro per litigants, assess their legal problems and determine the appropriate next steps; make appropriate referrals;


• Assist pro per litigants with correct preparation of legal forms prior to filing with the court;


• Answer questions about court filing processes and explain legal procedure to pro per litigants one-on-one and in group/workshop settings;


• Identify non-routine cases and ask for specific direction from supervising attorney; assist litigant in accordance with those directions;


• Review judgments forms/documents submitted by attorneys and pro per litigants for accuracy, completeness and compliance with relevant statutes and rules;


• Design and manage social media accounts for the Office of the Family Law Facilitator;


• Create, maintain and update written materials provided to the public;


• Maintain accurate logs, records and statistical data for purposes of grant funding;


• Assist Family Law Facilitator, other staff attorneys and court legal assistants as directed.

Minimum Qualifications

• A certificate of completion of a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association;

OR

• A certificate of completion of a paralegal program at, or a degree from, a post-secondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester units (or equivalent) in law-related courses, and that has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization or approved by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education;

OR

• A baccalaureate degree or an advanced degree in any subject; a minimum of one (1) year of full-time, law-related experience* under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three (3) years, or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three (3) years; and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks;

OR

• A high school diploma or general equivalency diploma; a minimum of three (3) years of full-time, law-related experience* under the supervision of an attorney who has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least the preceding three (3) years, or who has practiced in the federal courts of this state for at least the preceding three (3) years; and a written declaration from this attorney stating that the person is qualified to perform paralegal tasks. The three (3) years of full-time, law-related experience and training must have been completed no later than December 31, 2003.

• Applicable law-related experience as mentioned in #3 and #4 above is defined as tasks which must have included conducting research of legal issues and drafting legal documents.

Candidates qualifying under Option #1 above must submit, with their application, an attestation of completion of an American Bar Association-approved paralegal program.

Candidates qualifying under Option #2 above must submit, with their application, an attestation of a certificate of completion of a paralegal program at, or a degree from, a post-secondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester units (or equivalent) in law-related courses, and that has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization or approved by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.

Candidates qualifying under Option #3 or #4 above must submit, with their application, the required written declaration from an attorney stating that the individual is qualified to perform paralegal tasks.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Familiarity with principles of California family law, statutes, codes, court processes and rules of court, specifically those that govern practices involving pro per litigants;


• Ability to differentiate between legal information and legal advice and to establish and maintain boundaries with pro per litigants;


• Ability to understand and apply legal principles and practices;


• Ability to explain and clarify legal concepts in lay terms;


• Ability to identify and correct technical inaccuracies in documents;


• Familiarity with principles, methods, techniques and materials of legal research, analysis and writing;


• Knowledge of basic judicial structure;


• Knowledge and skill to perform mathematical calculations;


• Ability to prepare child and spousal support calculations using the Department of Child Support Services online guideline calculator and/or DissoMaster software;


• Knowledge of legal office terminology, processes and procedures, and the proper format for legal documents;


• Familiarity with general office practices and procedures, including the operation of modern office equipment and use of software, such as Microsoft Office Suite, Essential Forms, Zoom, etc.;


• Familiarity with the structure and use of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat and TikTok;


• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both orally and in writing, including proper spelling, grammar and punctuation;


• Ability to work effectively with people experiencing personal crisis or when relations are strained, including use of trauma-informed interviewing techniques;


• Ability to work effectively as an individual and as part of a team of staff and volunteers in a fast-paced, emotionally‑charged, customer service environment;


• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, such as court employees in other departments and employees of community agencies and organizations;


• Ability to use initiative and sound independent judgment within established guidelines;


• Skill to prioritize and manage multiple projects, meet deadlines and follow up on assignments;


• Commitment to court values.

Highly Desirable Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Ability to speak, read and write in Spanish strongly preferred;


• Familiarity with the role, practices and procedures of the Department of Child Support Services;


• Familiarity with the services offered by community agencies and organizations that assist families and children and underrepresented populations in Sonoma County.

Background Investigation

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a thorough background check, including verification of prior employment, and the provision of appropriate identifying documents to certify eligibility to work in the United States. Please be advised that finalist(s) must be fingerprinted for criminal record check purposes and that continued employment is contingent upon information received in the report. Convictions, depending upon the type, number and date, may be disqualifying. False statements or omission of facts regarding background or employment history may result in disqualification or dismissal. Please note, all benefits for Part‑Time employment are pro‑rated.

Retirement Plan

Participation in the Sonoma County Employee’s Retirement Association (SCERA), a 1937 Act Retirement Plan based on PEPRA. The 2026/27 mandatory contribution is 7.7% for employees and 30.28% for the Court. This is a defined benefit plan fully integrated with Social Security.

Vacation Leave

Regular, full‑time employees in benefit unit 02 on paid status accrue vacation at a rate of 3.5 hours per pay period for the first two years (a little over 2 weeks and 1 day each year), with incremental increases to the accrual rate each year through year 5 and additional increases every 5 years thereafter, to year 20. Maximum accrual balance is 376 hours.

Sick Leave

12 days per year with no limit on accumulation.

Holidays

14 paid fixed holidays per year, plus 24 miscellaneous floating holiday hours, granted via compensatory time off.

Insurance

Family vision care, family Dental care as well as employee short and long term disability plans, are fully paid by the Court. Choice of three health plans: Health Net PPO, Health Net HMO, and a Kaiser Permanente HMO plan. The Court’s contribution is currently 92% of the premium for the health plan selected.

Life Insurance

$50,000 Term Life Insurance is provided by the Court; additional life insurance may be purchased by the employee.

Deferred Compensation

Employees may contribute a portion of their salary into a 457 Deferred Compensation account (up to the IRS annual maximum).

Dependent And Medical Care Assistance Programs

Employees may participate in these tax exempt programs which allow certain personal expenses to be paid from pre‑tax salary.

Employee Assistance Program

01 Please describe: (a) your most challenging moment or experience working in family law; (b) the specific action or steps you took in response to the situation. If you do not have family law experience, please answer the question based on your most challenging moment or experience in the legal field generally.

02 Please describe the difference between "legal advice" and "legal information".

03 Please describe your specific education and/or work experience with the following subject matters: (a) divorce, legal separation and nullity; (b) parentage; (c) child custody and visitation; (d) child support; (e) spousal support; (f) property division; (g) limited conservatorships; (h) stepparent adoptions; and (i) domestic violence retraining orders. For each case type, your description should include any courses completed and the specific tasks and duties performed, for which employer and over what period of time.

• Required Question

This Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma is committed to creating a diverse environment and an open, inclusive culture free from bias. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.