Program Specialist - PART TIME LEGAL SECRETARY

City of Stockton, CA; Stockton (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 39,000; Part time

Job summary

The City Attorney's Office is hiring a part-time Legal Secretary to support the litigation division. The role involves confidential clerical work, assisting attorneys with motions, discovery, calendaring, and court filings, and preparing legal documents. Must hold a typing certificate and a high school diploma/ GED. Incumbents work up to 20 hours per week (not to exceed 960 hours per fiscal year) under a 9/80 schedule, with varied hours from 7:30 a.m.

to 5:30 p.m. Mon-Thu and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; three years of secretarial experience in a law office within the last five years.
• Typing certificate required for at least 60 net words per minute.

Responsibilities

• Perform confidential, complex legal secretarial duties for the City Attorney's Office.
• Assist attorneys with motions, discovery, calendaring, hearings, and filings.
• Prepare and transcribe legal documents and correspondence; ensure accuracy and proper formatting.

Skills

Typing certificate

Legal secretarial

Attention to detail

Education

High school diploma

Tools

Microsoft Word

Court filing software

Job description

TYPING CERTIFICATE REQUIRED** On-line Typing Certificate Acceptable

DEFINITION

PART-TIME OPPORTUNITY

TYPING CERTIFICATE REQUIRED** On-line Typing Certificate Acceptable

Typing Certificate Deadline Submission due by Wednesday, December 23, 2026 @ 5:30 PM

Failure to submit a valid certificate will result in rejection of application.

The City Attorney's Office is seeking a well-qualified individual to fill a vacant part-time Legal Secretary position to provide support to the litigation division of Office of the City Attorney. The Office of the City Attorney provides legal services and advice to the City Council, officials, boards, commissions, and departments regarding legal and regulatory matters of concern to the City and its operations.

The incumbents in this position may work up to 20 hours a week, but no more than 960 hours per fiscal year. Once the incumbents have reached the total amount of allotted hours, their assignment will end. Incumbents will work assigned hours during the City of Stockton's 9/80 schedule. Hours will vary between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Friday with alternating Fridays off.

This is an At-Will (Unclassified) part-time position and is not represented by a bargaining unit. Only those candidates deemed best qualified will be interviewed.

(Applicants who fail to submit a typing certificate and fully complete the on-line application/supplemental questionnaire will be subject to rejection.)

Prior to appointment, eligible candidates may be required to submit to and successfully pass a background investigation, which will include fingerprinting.

Under general supervision, performs a variety of confidential, complex, and specialized clerical, secretarial, and paraprofessional duties in the City Attorney's Office; relieves administrators of routine legal clerical duties; and performs related work as assigned.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

Legal Secretary - This class performs a full range of legal secretarial work and office administrative services for professional legal staff. Incumbents apply technical legal secretarial skills with only occasional instruction or assistance while exercising judgment and discretion in the performance of duties. Work is typically reviewed only on completion. The Legal Secretary is distinguished from the Paralegal in that it is responsible for the legal secretarial and office administration assistance to the City Attorney and associated legal staff.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES (Illustrative Only)

• Performs difficult, complex and/or confidential legal office support work, which may require the exercise of independent judgment, the application of technical skills, or knowledge of detailed or specialized activities related to the Law Department.
• Assists attorneys in the preparation of motions and discovery; intake of new cases; calendaring; scheduling of hearings, trials, and depositions; and copy and service (by mail and otherwise) of pleadings and discovery documents.
• Prepares, indexes, and files legal documents by researching and assembling information from a variety of sources (e.g., statutes, recorded judicial decisions, legal articles, treaties, constitutions, and legal codes) to prepare legal documents (e.g., briefs, pleadings, appeals, contracts, and affidavits);
• Types and transcribes a variety of correspondence and legal documents including: reports, forms, court pleadings, and other specialized documents (e.g., appellate briefs) from drafts, notes, resolutions, ordinances, legal opinions, contracts, briefs, leases, and agreements using a personal computer.
• Proofreads and checks legal documents and other materials for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with departmental policies and regulations; and checks legal cites for accuracy ensuring conformity with California Style Manual and/or The Bluebook guidelines.
• Maintains and organizes litigation and other departmental files including the copying, filing, and maintenance of individual case files and attends to a variety of law office administrative details.
• Acts as receptionist and receives and screens visitors and telephone calls and directs the caller to the proper person or personally handles the call.
• Arranges meetings by notifying participants and reserving rooms.
• Provides information to the public or City staff as required that may necessitate the use of independent judgment and the interpretation of policies, rules, or procedures.
• Assists with various tasks including compiling information and data for statistical and financial reports; maintaining a variety of records; checking and tabulating data; preparing simple statistical reports.
• Operates standard office equipment and various computer applications.

Qualifications

Possession of a high school diploma or GED and three (3) years of secretarial experience in a law office within the last five (5) years performing increasingly responsible and complex clerical work, including: preparations of various pleadings, motions, discoveries, and calendaring. College or business school course work in law office administration is desirable. Must possess a valid (two years old or less) typing certificate for at least 60 net words per minute from a recognized organization.

The Process

Only those applicants who best fit the needs of the City will be considered for this career opportunity. Applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed and only the most qualified applicants will be referred to the City Attorney's Office.

In accordance with California Government Code section 3100, et., seq., all City of Stockton employees are considered disaster service workers who may be required to report for duty or remain on duty to address disaster service activities in the event of an emergency or disaster and are required to undertake an applicable loyalty oath.

There are no benefits provided for this position.