Job Title: Judicial Assistant to Appellate Justice – Division Eight
Job Responsibilities:
- Provide administrative, paralegal, and legal secretarial support to an appellate court justice and, in some instances, the justice’s research attorneys.
- Support the intake and processing of writ petitions, prepare court orders, and manage internal court databases.
- Calendar cases for oral argument and track cases for timeliness.
- Word process, edit, proofread, and review opinions and court orders for correctness regarding grammar, spelling, punctuation, content, and organization; ensure opinions conform to the California Style Manual.
- Prepare final opinions by verifying facts against documents from the clerk’s office and reporter’s transcripts, administrative records, exhibits, and correspondence.
- Verify and Shepardize legal authorities cited using resources such as law library databases, state and federal reporters, statutes, citators, textbooks, handbooks, restatements, and legislative intent materials.
- Transmit opinions and modifications to the Reporter of Decisions; communicate with the Reporter of Decisions regarding the stylistic requirements and content of opinions; proofread and inspect galley proofs of all published opinions for complete accuracy.
- Maintain and update chambers library.
- Organize and route work, set priorities, and follow up to ensure coordination and completion of assigned work; exercise skill in setting priorities that accurately reflect the importance of assigned responsibilities; train backup support staff.
- Work closely with Clerk’s Office and file room staff to ensure materials are received and sent out timely.
- Draft correspondence and independently initiate specified correspondence for signature by appropriate staff.
- Perform additional secretarial and administrative assistant functions as requested.
Knowledge of:
- Administrative office practices and procedures, standard formats for typed materials, including proper memoranda, briefs, drafts, opinions, recordkeeping systems, and file maintenance.
- Complex legal concepts, terminology, principles, and procedures.
- Methods of complex legal research (traditional and electronic).
- California trial and appellate court practices and procedures.
- Use of personal computers and specified computer applications, such as word processing, spreadsheets, legal applications, desktop publishing, and online search and reference tools.
- Correct business English, including spelling, grammar, and punctuation, with emphasis on legal terminology, the uniform system of citation, and the California Style Manual.
- Organizational policies and procedures.
- Basic supervisory principles and practices.
Ability to:
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Apply complex legal concepts, terminology, principles, and procedures.
- Conduct legal research (traditional and electronic).
- Use initiative and independent judgment within established procedural guidelines.
- Organize, prioritize, and coordinate multiple work activities from multiple sources and meet critical deadlines while maintaining accuracy; exercise skill in setting priorities that accurately reflect the importance of assigned responsibilities.
- Train others in policies and procedures related to work.
- Transport boxes weighing up to 40 pounds.
- Operate personal computers and use specified computer applications, such as word processing, spreadsheets, legal applications, and desktop publishing, including demonstrated skills in interpreting and applying technical manuals and tutorials.
- Communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work, including justices, court staff, and representatives of other governmental and private agencies.
- Plan, direct, and review the work of others on a project or day-to-day basis.
Education and Experience Information:
- Equivalent to six (6) years of legal secretarial experience, including four (4) years of technical legal research. OR Bachelor’s degree and two (2) years of legal secretarial experience, including technical legal research.
- Additional directly related experience and/or college-level coursework may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for either of the paths outlined above.
- OR One (1) year as a Judicial Assistant OR two (2) years as a Deputy Clerk OR three (3) years as a Lead Judicial Secretary or Assistant Deputy Clerk III with the judicial branch.
- Equivalent years of experience performing the duties of a class comparable in the level of responsibility to the classes listed above in a California Superior Court or California state-level government entity also qualify.
Salary Information:
- Salary Range: $6,627 to $8,062 per month (Starting salary will be between $6,627 and $7,288)
- Benefits include Health/Dental/Vision benefits program, 14 paid holidays per calendar year, choice of Annual Leave or Sick/Vacation Leave, 1 personal holiday per year, up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs, CalPERS Retirement Plan, 401(k) and 457 deferred compensation plans, Employee Assistance Program, Basic Life and AD&D Insurance, FlexElect Program, Long Term Disability Program (employee paid/optional), Group Legal Plan (employee paid/optional).
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The Court of Appeal of the Second Appellate District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
