Administrative Legal Secretary
WHO WE ARE: California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA) is a nonprofit legal services program founded in 1966 to assist low-income individuals in rural communities. Over 50 years later, CRLA is one of the largest legal aid organizations in California, utilizing its 19 field offices and a nearly $15 million annual budget to provide more than 43,000 low-income Californians with free legal assistance, community education, and outreach programs. CRLA’s mission, “To fight for justice and individual rights alongside the most exploited communities in our society,” has driven the development of innovative programming for vulnerable communities, including farm workers, children, migrants, indigenous communities, and the LGBT community.
Position: Administrative Legal Secretary
Experience: 3 years of legal secretary experience
Application Deadline: Open until filled
Location: CRLA Arvin Office
Term of Employment: Regular, Full-Time
Other: FLSA Non-Exempt, Union Position
The Administrative Legal Secretary (ALS) manages all communications, correspondence, typing legal documents, filing, travel, calendar, and general organizational matters within the local office. Also, responsible for managing legal expenditures, coordinating litigation with outside counsel and preparing discovery, and maintaining/organizing records of litigated and transaction matters, as well as vendor, supplier, and other office contracts.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Maintains all duties of the Legal Secretary position
- Serve as coordinator of the office, training and coordinating the office clerical staff
- Delegate tasks to other clerical staff, coordinate clerical and litigation support responsibilities
- Maintains statistical records as required, create and produces reports using Legal Server
- Administer petty cash and clients' trust accounts
- Assist in the interviewing and selection of clerical staff
- Maintain office administrative and personnel files
- Assure that legal deadlines are met in the processing of legal documents
- Maintain the court and appointment calendar
- Order and maintain office equipment and supplies
- Disseminate information from ALS meetings
- Maintain/archive confidential client files, arranges for confidential document destruction as directed
- Coordinate building maintenance, process invoices, bills, statements and check requests
- Assist off-site IT personnel with the local provision of tech support
- Perform other office duties as assigned, including assisting with the new applicant and client intake process.
This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Compensation & Benefits:
Based on a competitive public interest union salary scale; generous benefits package includes Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life Insurance, and 401K retirement plan contribution. Fourteen (14) paid Holidays, generous vacation and sick leave policy.
California Rural Legal Assistance thrives on our diversity and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, persons of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply.
- Three (3) years of experience as Legal Secretary or equivalent experience providing administrative support
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively with all staff, clients and community organizations
- Type 55-60 wpm, efficiently and correctly into case management system
- Knowledgeable with Windows/Microsoft Office, Internet, Legal Server and web based programs
- Knowledgeable of office equipment such as copiers, facsimile machines and scanners
- Ability to maintain client confidentiality of personnel and administrative records
- Excellent written and oral communications skills
- Knowledge of law office management
- Bilingual (English & Spanish) required
- Experience with Indigenous Latin American communities or willingness to learn with respect and humility about Indigenous Latin American communities
Preferred Education and Experience:
- Experience working with low-income families and communities.
- Experience in a non-profit legal services environment.
- Prior experience in legal services.
- Trilingual in English, Spanish and an Indigenous Mexican or other Indigenous Latin American language a plus.