Senior Legal Processor - Promotional

County of Sonoma (CA); Santa Rosa (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of Sonoma is seeking a Senior Legal Processor within the Human Services Department to handle processing, filing, and distribution of legal documents to courts, attorneys and other parties. This role requires meticulous attention to deadlines and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications include knowledge of the child welfare system, experience handling legal documents, strong communication skills, and proficiency with Word, Excel, Outlook,

Qualifications

• Knowledge of the child welfare system and court procedures.
• Ability to handle sensitive materials, including images.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.
• Experience processing legal documents in a law or court setting.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Process, file, and distribute legal documents to courts and attorneys.
• Provide status updates to department personnel and attorneys.
• Manage and maintain case files and notices for hearings.
• Answer questions regarding department services and operations.
• Coordinate with others in the legal system.

Skills

Child welfare knowledge

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Time management

Teamwork

Independent work

Typing speed 45 wpm

Tools

Word

Excel

Outlook

Adobe Acrobat

Google Sheets

Teams

Job description

This recruitment is promotional only. You must presently be a full or part-time regular or probationary County of Sonoma, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, or Sonoma County Water Agency employee in order to apply for this position.

The Human Services Department's (HSD) Family, Youth, and Children Division has requested a department promotional certification to fill a full-time Senior Legal Processor position. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary Human Services Department employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised positions. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

The Family, Youth, and Children Division Senior Legal Processor will perform highly specialized work related to the processing, filing, and distribution of a variety of legal documents (including court reports, court orders, and petitions) to courts, attorneys, and other parties. They will provide status updates regarding legal documents to department personnel, courts, and attorneys, as well as manage and maintain department case files and notice parties for upcoming hearings. This Senior Legal Processor will be tasked with managing multiple competing and fast-moving priorities while also adhering to strict deadlines. They will coordinate work with others in the legal system and answer a variety of questions regarding department services and operations. Additional responsibilities include:

• Utilizing independent judgment to select and apply specific processes and procedures, and time limitations to various work situations
• Formatting detailed forms and documents for court
• Distributing time sensitive documents and forms to all parties involved in a case
• Importing documents and entering data into a central database
• E-filing memos and orders, and distributing signed orders upon receipt
• Distributing and filing original petition and detention reports for next day hearings
• Noticing parties for hearings (including complicated adoption hearings)
• Answering questions regarding the work coming to/through the unit

The ideal candidate will possess many of the following:

• Knowledge of the child welfare system and case management system
• The ability to deal with sensitive materials and subject matter, including images of children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned
• Flexibility, patience, and the ability to provide a high level of customer service
• The ability to engage others in working together towards a common goal
• Experience handling legal documents in the course of daily work
• Strong communication skills with the ability to build relationships and interact with a diverse customer base
• The ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• Strong attention to detail
• The ability to work in a fast-paced environment juggling various deadlines and priorities
• Experience using Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat, Google Sheets, and Teams

Experience and Education: Any combination of education and work experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. Normally, two years of work experience in a law office, law enforcement office, or court environment processing legal documents would provide this opportunity.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised in this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Special Skill Requirement: The ability to type at a corrected speed of 45 words per minute may be required for some assignments.

Background Requirements: Applicants for some assignments must successfully complete a thorough background investigation conducted by the Sheriff’s Office.

Considerable knowledge of: the purpose and processing of a diversity of court, law enforcement, and legal documents, forms, and records; the operations, procedures and jurisdictions of the court or department of assignment; the record and computer systems of the Courts and the department of assignment; basic arithmetic, English grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and composition; the technical resource materials and information sources applicable to the area of assignment; court related statutes, laws, ordinances and procedures and their applicability to the department of assignment.

Some knowledge of: effective supervision; techniques and methods of training employees in work procedures.

Ability to: prepare and process a variety of complex legal documents; maintain complex legal records, assemble materials and prepare reports; locate, identify and correct technical inaccuracies; work independently in performing assignment and in resolving problems and deviations; assist in the planning and coordination of the work in the assigned unit; understand, interpret, explain, and apply specific statutes, codes, laws, regulations, and procedures train employees; use independent initiative and discretion in organizing work and carrying out instructions within a structured environment; establish and maintain cooperative and harmonious relationships with judges, attorneys, litigants, other employees, and the general public; independently research and prepare correspondence in answer to inquiries about department records, programs, services, procedures, and regulations; make accurate arithmetic calculations; operate a variety of office equipment.

HR Analyst: EP

HR Tech: VH

Additional Information

Background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.