Staff Attorney Circuit Court Judges

:

General Statement of the Job & Essential Functions

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB Under limited supervision, this position performs a variety of professional legal work, legal research and legal consultation for Circuit Court judicial officers and staff. Reports to the Circuit Court Judges pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-1638.1. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Performs legal research on a variety of issues and presents findings to Circuit Court Judges. Writes bench briefs, memoranda and case summaries for presentation to the Circuit Court Judges; drafts formal legal opinions and court orders for review by Chief Judge or designee; and reviews a variety of orders, petition and motions submitted to the Judges to ensure that they comply with the statutory and other legal requirements. Prepares and reviews proposed responses to correspondence received by the Judges and the Clerk of Court. Attends Court hearings and provides support to judges as required. Serves as liaison between attorneys and judges. Provides guidance to support staff and law clerks. Performs other duties as assigned. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on the current workload and department needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Knowledge of Job: Has thorough knowledge of principles, practices, and procedures of Virginia law pertaining to the operations, authorities, and responsibilities of the circuit court. Has general knowledge of statutory provisions applying to rules of order. Knowledge of the principles of legal writing and legal research sources and methodology. Able to use office equipment such as computers, telephones, copiers and fax machines. Able to compile technical information from a variety of sources and prepare clear and concise reports. Able to exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment in analyzing and applying standards to a variety of situations. Able to exercise considerable tact, courtesy and discretion in contact with judges, attorneys, and the general public. Able to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments. Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interacts within court, and with co- workers and the general public. Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under "Essential Job Functions." Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, city policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas. Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to city policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time- off requests. Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction. Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment. Cooperation: Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified, i.e., poor communications, variance with city policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department. Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisors and court staff for mutual and departmental benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, external attorneys and the general public to maintain good will toward the department and project a good departmental image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the city. Coordination of Work: Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establish a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings, deadlines and events. Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly workplace. Planning: Plans, directs and uses information effectively in order to enhance activities and production of the circuit court. Knows and understands the expectations of the court regarding the activities of the circuit court and works to see that these expectations are met. Assists with the formulation of ways, means and timing to achieve the goals and objectives of the circuit court. Within the constraints of court policy, assists with the formulation the appropriate strategies and tactics for achieving objectives. Organizing: Assists with organizing assigned work and that of subordinate staff well. Ensures that staff members know what results are expected of them and that they are regularly and appropriately informed of all city and circuit court matters affecting them and/or of concern to them. Staffing: Works with other officials and management to select and recommend employment of personnel for the department who are qualified both technically and philosophically to meet the needs of the division and the department. Leading: Provides a work environment, which encourages clear and open communications. Has a clear and comprehensive understanding of the principles of effective leadership and how such principles are to be applied. Provides adequate feedback to staff so that they know whether their performance levels are satisfactory. Exercises enthusiasm in influencing and guiding others toward the achievement of department goals and objectives. Controlling: Provides a work environment, which is orderly and controlled. Has a clear and comprehensive understanding of court standards, methods and procedures. Delegating: Assigns additional duties to staff as directed and/or appropriate in order to meet circuit court goals, enhance staff abilities, build confidence on the job and assist staff members in personal growth. Decision Making: Uses discretion and judgment in developing and implementing courses of action affecting the court. When a particular policy, procedure or strategy does not appear to be achieving the desired result, recommends alternatives. Creativity: Regularly seeks new and improved methodologies, policies and procedures for enhancing the effectiveness of the court. Employs imagination and creativity in the application of duties and responsibilities. Is not averse to change. Human Relations: Strives to develop and maintain good rapport with all staff members. Listens to and considers suggestions and complaints and responds appropriately. Maintains the respect and loyalty of staff. Policy Implementation: Has a clear and comprehensive understanding of court policies. Adheres to those policies in the discharge of duties and responsibilities and ensures the same from subordinate staff. Policy Formulation: Keeps abreast of changes in operating philosophies and policies of the Circuit Court and continually reviews division policies in order to ensure that any changes in court philosophy or practice are appropriately incorporated. Also understands the relationship between operating policies and practices and court morale and performance.

Education, Experience & Special Requirements

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE Requires a Bachelor's Degree and 1 - 2 years of professional attorney legal experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A Juris Doctorate degree is preferred. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS An acceptable comprehensive background investigation to include a local, state and federal criminal history check. A valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record. Licensed by the Virginia State Bar to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Active membership in good standing in the Virginia State Bar is required.

Physical Demands

Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks with frequent interruptions and under time constraints. Must be able to operate a variety of office machines which include computer, adding machine, calculators, copiers, facsimile machines, telephones, etc. Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary Work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for periods of time. Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things. Interpersonal Communications: Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments and/or directions to subordinates or assistants. Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, records, forms, statistical summaries, policy manuals, etc. Requires the ability to prepare reports, correspondence, records, forms, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence. Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatical form; deal with several abstract and concrete variables. Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages, including legal, medical and insurance terminology. Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas, to add and subtract, multiply and divide. Must be able to utilize decimals and percentages; interpret graphs. Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape. Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment. Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination. Color Discrimination: Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color. Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress when confronted with persons acting under stress. Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking - expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving nature of sounds by ear).

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations. This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.