Legal Assistant

Position Overview

This position is located in the Gallatin County Attorney's office and responsibilities include clerical and office administrative duties; greeting and assisting the public in person and on the telephone; data entry; file management and administrative support for a variety of programs and activities in the Attorney's Office. This position also provides support to the attorneys and for planned and unplanned activities in the Attorney's Office. The position reports to the County Attorney and does not directly supervise other County personnel. Essential job duties and responsibilities include:

• Opening, maintaining, and performing data entry for misdemeanors, felony, dependent neglect, juvenile, guardianship and involuntary commitment files and cases.
• Drafting basic pleadings, motions, orders and discovery documents and receipts.
• Pulling and processing files before and after court.
• Scanning and bate-stamping all discovery documents and saving into the JustWare software.
• Processing minutes and orders emailed from the District Court Clerk and distributing to associated support staff and attorney(s) by email.
• Preparing monthly statistics for all felony cases (new cases, post convictions, fugitive complaints, and probation violation).
• Processing and logging bad checks, including filing warning letters, receiving, and disbursing payments, and preparing deposits.
• Handling the administrative aspects of cases, including scheduling witness interviews, testimony, and transportation.
• Using the FullCourt system to gather information regarding cases and to run reports to assist attorneys in scheduling court appearances.
• Handling the administrative aspects of confidential criminal justice information (CCJI) cases, including opening the cases, drafting responses, and filing the cases and CCJI with the Court.
• Opening and closing all files for the Civil Division.
• Processing the documents submitted for final plat review for proposed subdivisions, performing the initial review of these documents to confirm their completeness and then corresponding with the landowner and their representatives regarding the documents' review and approval.
• Opening, scanning, and logging all incoming mail into the Division's paperless filing system.
• Preparing, processing, and approving claims for the Attorney's Office by entering the claims into the ERP Software.
• Running various reports for the Attorney's Office and supporting departments, such as expenditure detail reports.
• Entering payroll timesheets into the County's ERP software.
• Maintaining filing systems for correspondence, court filings, legal records, contracts, confidential materials, and other documents to ensure effective storage, reference, and retrieval of information.
• Ordering office supplies and legal resources for the office as needed and as requested by the attorneys and staff.
• Communicating with the IT Department to coordinate technological assistance for attorneys and staff.
• Communicating with the Facilities Department to resolve issues pertaining to maintenance in the office building.
• Administrating the Office's JustWare software, which includes regular communications with the JustWare software provider regarding ongoing support and maintenance.
• Performs a variety of clerical duties, including answering the phone, receiving and handling visitors, copying and faxing documents, sorting and distributing mail, and responding to routine questions and issues.
• Requests various legal documents and records from outside sources including Law Enforcement, Department of Motor Vehicle, 911 Records, etc. for open cases.
• Refers complicated or controversial matters and concerns to the appropriate attorney staff.
• Conducts walk-in business with the public, law enforcement, and discovery pick-ups.
• Creates and edits a variety of correspondence. Determines intent of correspondence, compiles information, drafts letters and memos and distributes as requested.
• Maintains confidentiality according to established guidelines and coordinates with involved or affected parties to resolve problematic issues.
• Processes incoming and outgoing mail.
• Notarizes 5-10 documents per day.

Other duties as assigned include coordinating special projects and events, attending meetings and special events, and attending continuing education and training as required. If the County Commission proclaims a local emergency due to an actual or threatened disaster such as an earthquake, fire, riot, flood, etc., County employees may be required to provide services during the emergency and for a subsequent period of assessment and recovery.

Qualifications

This work requires knowledge of state and local statutes, rules, regulations and procedures; of county government operations; legal terminology and documents; and manual and electronic database management methods and techniques. The person in this position must have strong computer skills in word processing, Outlook, and various other office software methods, practices and procedures. The work also requires knowledge of appropriate sources of information needed to carry out administrative and program support, including the knowledge of office law operations and equipment, and related administrative and clerical support functions. The position also requires the ability to perform detailed administrative work; effectively communicate verbally and in writing; exercise courtesy and tact in receiving the public and in giving and obtaining information; and understand and maintain safeguards for sensitive and confidential information.

Education & Experience

The required knowledge, skills, and abilities are typically acquired through a combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation from high school, a work-related vocational program such as paralegal or related field, and one to two (1-2) years of job-related work experience.

Supplemental Information

Licenses and certifications: Applicants for this position must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of Montana, provide own transportation to conduct out of office job duties (mileage reimbursement provided under the County policy), and to be insurable under the County's liability policies.

As a condition of hire, the final candidate will be required to successfully pass a background check.

Please be prepared to attach the following documents when you submit your application materials:

• cover letter
• resume
• three work references.

Gallatin County is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment on the basis of merit and qualifications without regard to race, creed, religion, color, or national origin or because of age, physical or mental disability, marital status, or sex when the reasonable demands of the position do not require an age, physical or mental disability, marital status, or sex distinction.