Legal Staff Paralegal in Grand Rapids, MI

Government

Grand Rapids, MI

Legal Staff Paralegal in Grand Rapids, MI

Legal Staff

Min 3 yrs required

No

Job Title
Legal Assistant I

Job Responsibilities
The role of Legal Assistant I is primarily focused on supporting the legal activities of the City Attorney's office. The key responsibilities include:

- Preparing legal documents from transcription and finalizing pleadings for filing with various courts.
- Maintaining court calendars and FOIA logs, as well as managing databases, including the opening and closing of files, while ensuring retention requirements and appeal processes are followed.
- Greeting callers and visitors, handling and processing all incoming agency calls, screening calls, taking messages, and directing inquiries to the appropriate source while answering questions within the context of established policies and procedures.
- Typing letters, legal documents, reports, and various other materials from rough drafts, clear copies, dictaphone, shorthand, or notes.
- Preparing and sending correspondence and form letters on legal matters where instructions are clear and precedence is followed.
- Facilitating the completion, collection, and flow of required forms/documents such as legal documents or notices, purchase orders/requisitions, job applications, claims and billings, requests for information, travel vouchers, or other forms indigenous to specialized operations.
- Handling arrangements for commission and committee meetings, notifying commissioners, committee members, and appropriate individuals of meeting details, and recording, transcribing, and distributing minutes of meetings as required.
- Maintaining various reference files, assembling and organizing data, and preparing necessary reports.
- Performing related work as required.

Education and Experience Information
Required Education and Experience:
- High school diploma (or GED equivalent)
- At least three (3) years of experience in responsible legal clerical and secretarial work

Alternatively, any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge, and abilities is acceptable.

Other Necessary Qualifications:
Knowledge of:
- GP/FM process
- FOIA requirements
- Local rules for various courts
- Record retention requirements and archiving
- Legal terminology and court procedures
- Principles and practices of basic bookkeeping
- Modern office procedures, methods, and computer equipment

Skill in:
- Customer service
- Interpersonal skills necessary to develop and maintain effective and appropriate working relationships
- Performing a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature

Ability to:
- Operate a variety of office equipment, including microcomputers and other electronic equipment
- Make arithmetic calculations and computations accurately
- Proofread, research files, and logically organize information
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the general public
- Meet schedules and deadlines of the work
- Understand and carry out oral and written directions
- Accurately organize and maintain paper documents and electronic files
- Maintain the confidentiality of information and professional boundaries

Salary Information
The annual salary for the Legal Assistant I position ranges from $54, to $65,.