Legal Assistant Ii - Civil

Min 3 yrs required

Full-time

No

Legal Assistant II - Civil
Duties: Prepares legal correspondence, opinions, resolutions, ordinances, contracts, leases, and other legal documents related to County departments from verbal instructions or handwritten notes and may prepare preliminary drafts of correspondence and basic legal documents prior to review by an attorney. Prepares routine and complex legal documents for litigation such as complaints, motions, memoranda, and trial briefs from verbal instruction, handwritten notes, and on own initiative, and files those papers following the rules of each individual court at the state and federal levels and of administrative/adjudicative boards; may prepare preliminary drafts of basic legal documents prior to review by an attorney. Assists with verifying citations in briefs, memoranda of law, and other legal documents, verify references to the Skagit County Code, RCWs, WACs and others using Westlaw or other online research methods or reference books. Maintains calendaring systems to ensure that timelines required in various legal matters are kept and to follow up on other matters in which the Chief Civil Deputy and/or Civil Deputies are involved. Maintains files of general and legal correspondence and documents that include not only those cases pending before state and federal courts and administrative/adjudicative boards, but also documents for issues pending in various County departments. Maintains awareness of ongoing legislation and updates or changes to rules of practice and procedures before the superior courts, federal courts, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court as well as those before administrative/adjudicative boards in the State of Washington. Coordinates with other County departments in the gathering and preparation of documents or exhibits in connection with issues affecting those departments or with matters that are before the various state and federal courts and administrative/adjudicative boards. Maintains the tracking of contracts, ensuring the drafting and completion of renewals are completed timely. Maintains agreements and other documents received in the division for signature and maintains accident investigation files for possible future litigation. Organizes and maintains documentation and exhibit materials produced by County departments as it pertains to issues associated with Growth Management Act provisions as directed by the attorney. Maintains and updates legal resource materials and computer forms in the Civil Department. Responsible for communications, scheduling meetings and depositions, and acting as liaison with County departments and outside law firms. Prepares case files for attorneys involving mental health commitment hearings, including setting up files, preparing forms and/or pleadings, monitoring and preparing court calendars for hearings and trials, and keeping case statistics. Preparing and processing all legal paperwork involving mental health commitment hearings from initiation to closing. This may include contact with other agencies and departments involved in the mental health commitment hearings process.

Position #30321-0521

Qualification and Experience Qualifications: One year of college-level coursework in legal assistant or paralegal studies. 3 years of progressively responsible office experience in a court or legal environment may substitute for the above requirements. An equivalent combination of education and experience that provides progressively responsible legal assistant experience. Knowledge of civil procedures, legal terminology, forms, court rules, and techniques; organizational and interpersonal communication skills are required. Requires the ability to observe strict confidentiality regarding information obtained in the course of employment. Be able to work independently and calmly under pressure, meet deadlines and cope with interruptions. Be able to organize and perform multiple tasks to meet concurrent deadlines.

Legal