Legal Secretary

California Department of Industrial Relations; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

California Department of Industrial Relations is seeking an Appeals Board Legal Secretary to perform complex legal secretarial work, including processing pleadings, preparing deliberation files, and assisting attorneys with finalizing orders, opinions and decisions of the WCAB.

The role involves preparing appellate briefs, motions, and related filings for state appellate courts, coordinating with judges and staff, and ensuring accurate records.

Qualifications

• The ability to type at a minimum speed of 45 words per minute as designated on the Class Specifications. You must obtain a valid typing certificate confirming your ability to meet the minimum typing speed, prior to being hired.

Responsibilities

• Review and process legal documents filed with the WCAB.
• Prepare electronic case files for circulation to commissioners for deliberation.
• Consult with judges, legal secretaries and staff at the district offices about reports, pleadings and exhibits to ensure an adequate record to address the appeal.
• Format, proofread, finalize and serve legal orders, opinions and decisions by the WCAB.
• Assist attorneys with preparing appellate briefs, motions, letters and answers.
• Monitor electronic files from circulation for approval of decisions through to service.
• Maintain case assignment list and assist with organization of hard copy files.
• Review and process incoming mail and emails from parties, judges and arbitrators.
• Respond to phone and in-person inquiries about cases with the WCAB.

Job description

Job Description And Duties

Under the general direction of the Legal Support Supervisor I, the Appeals Board Legal Secretary performs a wide variety of complex legal secretarial work, including processing legal pleadings filed with the WCAB, preparing and circulating deliberation files to commissioners, and assisting attorneys with preparing, proofreading and finalizing orders, opinions and decisions of the WCAB. The Legal Secretary also assists attorneys with preparing appellate briefs, motions, letters and answers for filing with the state appellate courts.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Review and process legal documents filed with the WCAB.
• Prepare electronic case files for circulation to commissioners for deliberation.
• Consult with judges, legal secretaries and staff at the district offices about reports, pleadings and exhibits to ensure an adequate record to address the appeal.
• Format, proofread, finalize and serve legal orders, opinions and decisions by the WCAB.
• Assist attorneys with preparing appellate briefs, motions, letters and answers.
• Monitor electronic files from circulation for approval of decisions through to service.
• Maintain case assignment list and assist with organization of hard copy files.
• Review and process incoming mail and emails from parties, judges and arbitrators.
• Respond to phone and in-person inquiries about cases with the WCAB.

To be considered for this Legal Secretary job opportunity, applicants must be either reachable on an employment list, have transfer eligibility or have reinstatement eligibility. To take the exam and gain employment list eligibility, please click here to access the exam bulletin: https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=5073

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

This position is at:
455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 9328
San Francisco, California
Located in an WCAB office environment in the 14-story State office building This unit is currently located on the 9th floor. The incumbent works in a cubicle near others. The position requires work extensively on computers, scanners, copiers, telephones, and/or shredders as necessary for processing work, drafting email communication, and other purposes. Reasonable accommodation is available to qualified employees with disabilities. Teleworking per DIR policy is available. Being in a stationary position for long periods of time.

The hours are usual business hours, Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week.

Our building is in San Francisco, approximately two blocks from the Civic Center BART station and close to multiple other public transit lines. Benefits include reimbursement of use of public transportation such as BART or other public transit systems.

Special Requirements

The position requires the ability to type at a minimum speed of 45 words per minute as designated on the Class Specifications. You must obtain a valid typing certificate confirming your ability to meet the minimum typing speed, prior to being hired. Additional information regarding acceptable typing tests is available at the CalCareers.ca.gov website.

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.