Senior Legal Secretary

City of Norwalk; Norwalk (CT); On-site; USD 60,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401A retirement plan

Life insurance

Dental coverage

Deferred compensation

Paid vacation/holidays/sick time

Job summary

City of Norwalk seeks a paralegal/legal secretary to support staff attorneys in a municipal legal department. You will prepare contracts, deeds, easements, and licenses, receive directions from attorneys, and coordinate document preparation and filing.

Strong knowledge of law office procedures and court rules is essential. Minimum qualifications include an Associate’s degree in Secretarial Science or a paralegal certificate and three years of relevant experience.

Qualifications

• Requires an Associate’s degree or paralegal certificate with 3 years in paralegal/legal secretarial work
• Experience in law office settings and municipal government is preferred
• Knowledge of CT and Federal court procedures and time limits

Responsibilities

• Receive directions from staff attorneys and prepare legal documents for review.
• Plan and organize work following office procedures.
• Research questions and compile documents for staff attorneys
• Independently compose routine correspondence and manage case files
• Operate and maintain word processing, data processing, and file management systems
• Maintain contact with other legal offices, courts, city departments, officials and the public
• Prepare pleadings, filings, discovery requests, and manage court calendaring

Skills

Legal document prep

Law office procedures

Word processing

Data & file management

Public interaction

Calendaring & deadlines

Education

Associate’s degree in Secretarial Science or Paralegal certificate

Tools

Word processing software

Case management software

Job description

Description of Work

Specific Duties

• Receiving general oral or written directions from staff attorneys.
• Working independently to prepare legal documents, including City contracts, deeds, easements, and licenses/permits for review and action by a staff attorney.
• Planning and organizing work according to office and standard procedures.
• Performing initial research on matters and questions referred to office.
• Coordinating compilation of documents, papers and materials for use by staff attorneys
• Independently composing routine correspondence.
• Operating and maintaining word, data processing, file management and case management programs.
• Maintaining contact with other legal offices, court personnel, other City departments, elected officials and the public.
• Preparing returns of record in appeals from various land use agencies.
• Typing appearances, briefs, motions, agreements, stipulations, leases, affidavits, judgment files, releases, pretrial memorandums, opinions, contracts, deeds and correspondence.
• In pending municipal lawsuits: preparing pleadings and other filings, standard discovery requests and compliance with discovery requests, as well as managing calendaring for court events and deadlines.
• Developing and maintaining confidential cross-indexed files and records.
• Independently performing special assignments, studies and reports as assigned.

Note: The above is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task or responsibility.

Required Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of law office practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of local and state governmental agencies and their functions.
• Ability to relate to City employees, attorneys and members of the public in a positive manner.
• Experience operating data, word processing, file management, and data management programs.
• Working knowledge of policies and procedures, including legal forms, time limits, etc…, of Connecticut State and Federal Courts.
• Litigation experience with preparation of pleadings and other filings, standard discovery requests and compliance with discovery requests, as well as management of calendaring for court events and deadlines.

Minimum Qualifications: An Associate’s degree in Secretarial Science with coursework in the legal field or a paralegal certificate from an accredited college or university, and three years of experience performing both paralegal and legal secretarial work in a law office or other municipal law department or state agency legal department such as the Attorney General’s Office. Relevant work experience may be substituted for college training on a year-for-year basis.

Special Licenses/Certifications AND/OR Supplemental Information

License or Certificate: Not applicable.

This position is a Grade 15.

The City of Norwalk is an affirmative action/Equal Opportunity Employeer.

The City of Norwalk provides an outstanding benefits package including a Managed Health Care Program, Participation in 401A Retirement Account, Life Insurance, Dental Coverage, Deferred Compensation Plan, Vacation, Holiday and Sick Time.

For a more detailed overview of our management benefit package go to:

View Our Benefits