Champaign County
Job Description

Job Title: Legal Secretary
Department: Public Defender
Reports To: Administrative Assistant
FLSA Status: Non-exempt
Employment Status: AFSCME - Courts
Prepared Date: April, 2004

SUMMARY Provides clerical assistance to attorneys in the Public Defender's Office.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Handles confidential matters relating to all divisions of the Public Defender's Office.

Types all legal documents relevant to the defense of clients in cases charged.

Answers the telephone and provides information to County staff and the general public which may require understanding of case process.

Greets visitors and directs them to proper offices or courtrooms.

Composes routine correspondence.

Copies court files and faxes documents.

Obtains information utilizing the County computer terminals.

Maintains a variety of office files and records including files of arrest warrants, records on felonies, misdemeanors and traffic cases, neglect and abuse cases and a tracking system for drug asset forfeiture proceedings, child support cases, etc.

Schedules appointments and may obtain pertinent information to individual cases with a subpoenaed witness, victims, law enforcement personnel and other parties.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES None.

QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE High school diploma or general education degree (GED) with some further secretarial education training in word processing and computer preferred and one year of experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Requires knowledge of modern office practices, principles of modern record keeping, setup and maintaining filing systems and of legal phrases and terminology. Requires skill in operating a personal computer, word processing software, typewriter and in oral communications. May require skill in the use of dictaphones and transcribing equipment.

LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, correspondence and memos. Ability to write correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to the general public, co-workers and other employees of the organization. Requires good knowledge of the English language and spelling.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS As required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk; or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and distance vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Normal office conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

NOTE: This document contains wording of a description of a general class of positions within the Champaign County salary administration program. The description contains examples of duties and responsibilities which may or may not be considered to be "essential functions" to a particular job or position with this class. "Essential functions" are to be determined at the position or job level within each department.