Legal Secretary

The Department of Toxic Substances Control (Department’s) Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) is staffed with attorneys who support the Department’s legal needs. The incumbent is assigned to independently perform complex clerical and legal secretarial work; coordinate and schedule legal services; screen mail, visitors, and telephone calls and take appropriate action; interact with courts, administrative agencies, governmental entities, co-counsels, opposing counsels. The incumbent is supervised by an Assistant Chief Counsel.  

Types and processes complex legal documents, including administrative orders, petitions, briefs, legal opinions, pleadings, motions, depositions, affidavits, and legal notices in accordance with applicable state law and local court rules. Independently prepares routine correspondence, form letters, and other documents in accordance with the California Style Manual as appropriate. Reviews legal documents correspondence, form letters, and other documents to ensure accurancy, completeness, and proper formatting.

  

Types, formats, and files legal documents with the Office of Administrative Hearings. Reviews legal documents to ensure compliance with Departmental or preferred legal guidelines with respect to format, grammar, punctuation, and filing requirements. Researches information for legal or general documents based on information provided by OLC attorneys. Assists in the Department’s response to Public Records Act (PRA) requests, by copying and assembling exhibits and discovery documents. 

Serves as a personnel liaison between the Human Resources Office (HR) and OLC. Coordinates with HR to ensure timely processing and proper documentation of all recruitment and other personnel activities. Works with HR staff to prepare and submit Request for Personnel Action packages, including the preparation and review of justifications, duty statements, and organizational charts submitted by OLC.  

Manages Cal Card and all other non-IT purchases for OLC. Surveys the need for office supplies and orders them accordingly. Answers telephone calls on the office’s main line and e-mail inquiries about HR, recruitment, and administrative issues and takes appropriate action, including forwarding inquiries to the appropriate OLC attorney or other Department staff. Opens, sorts and distributes mail to the appropriate OLC attorney or other Department staff. 

Experience: One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Senior Legal Typist, Range B.

Experience: Two years of experience in a private law firm, corporate law office, or a legal program in a governmental agency performing a full range of legal secretarial duties, which requires the preparation of legal documents for filing and service.

[(1) Academic education above the 12th grade may be substituted for six months of the required experience on the basis of either (a) one year of the general education being equivalent to three months of the required experience; or (b) one year of education of a business or commercial nature being equivalent to six months of the required experience; or (2) Completion of a certificated legal secretarial program at either a regionally accredited college or a business school approved by the Bureau of Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education and accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools may be substituted for one year of the required experience.]