Legal Secretary I/II - Public Defender

LEGAL SECRETARY I/II - PUBLIC DEFENDERCounty of Humboldt Public Defender's Office
Mission-Driven Work With Real Impact:You are part of a team that changes outcomes for real people. Work here is meaningful, emotionally impactful, and directly connected to the justice system.Our office handles criminal, juvenile, mental health, and specialty court matters, providing exposure to a wide range of legal processes and real-time impact on client outcomes.Legal Secretaries are essential partners in an interdisciplinary team, working closely with attorneys, social workers, investigators, and administrative staff to support holistic defense strategies.

A Demanding and High-Impact Environment:This is a demanding, high-volume role that requires managing frequent interruptions, strict deadlines, and competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.This position operates in a fast-paced, deadline-driven setting where priorities shift quickly. Staff are expected to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, handle frequent interruptions, and maintain accuracy in time-sensitive situations where the margin for error is low.This role requires strong organizational judgment, the ability to prioritize competing demands, and confidence working across multiple systems and workflows.

Commitment to Fair and Equitable Justice: This role requires a strong commitment to the principle that all individuals—regardless of the charges they face—deserve fair and equitable legal representation.Unlike many legal environments, this role requires daily interaction with clients navigating the criminal justice system. Staff must be able to engage respectfully with all clients without judgment and maintain professionalism in all interactions.

Collaborative, High-Trust Culture:Our office is known for humor, empathy, and teamwork. Staff support one another in a demanding environment while maintaining a shared commitment to high-quality work.

Who Thrives in This Role:Individuals who succeed in this position are organized, resilient, and adaptable. They are comfortable managing competing priorities, working under pressure, and taking ownership of their work within established procedures and systems.
Job Highlights:
This position is responsible for a variety of duties, including;

• Screens visitors and telephone calls, assists clients by providing information, and routes inquiries to the appropriate attorney using judgment and knowledge of procedures.
• Drafts legal documents such as pleadings, subpoenas, briefs, and correspondence based on instructions or source materials.
• Calendars and schedules court dates, appointments, meetings, and files legal documents with the court as
  required.

Work Location:
This position is located at1001 4th Street Eureka CA 95501



A typical work schedule for this position is M-F; 8-5 with a 1-hour lunch and occasional overtime.

This position is represented by the AFSCME bargaining unit.


DEFINITION

Under general supervision, provides varied, responsible and confidential secretarial and office administrative assistance to one or more attorneys; may provide direction to office support staff on a project basis; performs related work as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Legal Secretary I is the entry level in this specialized secretarial series. It is designed to allow an experienced incumbent with either well-developed office administrative or secretarial support skills to learn the terminology, formats and procedures in the legal secretarial field, or an incumbent with knowledge of legal office terminology, formats and procedures to learn office administrative and secretarial support skills. This class is alternately staffed with Legal Secretary II and incumbents may advance to the higher level after gaining experience and demonstrating proficiency which meet the qualifications of the higher level class.

Legal Secretary IIis the journey level class of this series, fully competent to independently perform a wide range of legal secretarial support work. General procedures and guidelines are normally established by the secretarial supervisor or the attorney to which assigned; however, day-to-day activities may require the use of initiative and independent judgment. Responsibilities include regular contact with County staff and outside agencies in situations where tact and discretion are important. This class is distinguished from Senior Legal Secretary in that the latter assigns, directs and reviews the work of a legal secretarial and/or support staff.

• Drafts pleadings, subpoenas, briefs, contracts, ordinances and other legal documents and correspondence, memoranda and reports from stenographic notes, brief instructions, dictated tapes or printed materials.
• Calendars and schedules court dates, meetings and appointments for attorneys; files or arranges for the filing of legal briefs and other necessary paperwork with the court. Receives and screens visitors and telephone calls, providing information regarding the particular area of assignment, which may require the use of judgment and interpretation of policies and procedures or taking messages or referring the caller to the proper attorney.
• Processes a variety of legal agreements, contracts, etc., following attorney's instructions. Researches and compiles a variety of informational materials.
• Types drafts and a wide variety of finished documents, including both general and legal-related correspondence and documents; may use word processing equipment and input or retrieve data and prepare reports using an on-line computer system.
• Initiates specified correspondence such as transmittal letters independently for signature by appropriate staff; reviews finished materials for completeness, accuracy, format, compliance with policies and procedures, and appropriate English usage.
• Organizes and maintains chronological and other files.
• Relieves attorneys of certain administrative matters by following up on projects, transmitting information, keeping informed of pertinent activities, and scheduling and arranging for meetings.
• Organizes own work, sets priorities and meets critical deadlines.

Knowledge of:

• Office administrative and secretarial practices and procedures, including filing and business letter writing.
• Legal office terminology, processes, procedures, and the format for legal documents. The operation of common office equipment, including a word processor and personal or on-line computer.
• Record keeping, report preparation and filing methods.
• Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary. Business arithmetic, including percentages and decimals.

Skill in:

• Drafting pleadings and other legal documents from stenographic notes, brief instructions, dictated tapes or printed information.
• Providing varied and responsible secretarial and office administrative assistance to one or more attorneys and/or associated staff.
• Using initiative and independent judgment within established guidelines.
• Organizing and maintaining accurate records and files.
• Organizing work, setting priorities, meeting critical deadlines, and following up on assignments.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.
• Typing accurately at a rate of 50 net words per minute from printed copy.

NOTE: Specific positions may require skill in taking dictation at a rate of 80 words per minute by hand or stenographic machine and transcribing it accurately. Specified positions require skill in typing accurately at a rate of 50 net words per minute from printed copy.

Other Requirements

Specified positions may require possession of a valid California driver's license.

Desirable Education and Experience:

A typical way to obtain the knowledge and skills outlined above is:

Legal Secretary I: One year of EITHER secretarial and office administrative experience equivalent to the County's class of Secretary OR legal office support experience equivalent to the County's classes of Legal Office Assistant II or Court Clerk II.

Legal Secretary II: In addition to the above, two years of experience in providing legal secretarial and office administrative support to one or more attorneys and related support staff.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

HOW TO APPLY

A complete, original application must be filed for each position you are interested in applying for. Applicants must apply online through the County’s automated application system at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/humboldtcountyca.

Applications must be submitted no later than the final filing date and time listed on the job flyer.

It is important that your application shows all the relevant education and experience you possess. Human Resources staff does not consider or review resumes or attachments. Incomplete applications will be rejected.

Please read the job requirements section of the announcement. Be sure you meet these requirements since they will be carefully evaluated during the selection process.

Your performance in any employment examinations will be compared with the performance of others who take the tests. The examination results will be emailed to you as quickly as possible.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

The County utilizes a set of rules to ensure that our hiring processes are fair and equitable. Applications will be screened and those considered qualified will be invited to appear for an oral and/or written examination. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee inclusion into the selection process. Depending upon the number of applications received, the selection process may consist of additional application screening, written and/or practical exam(s), oral interview, or any combination thereof.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long does it take to fill out the application?

• You should allow 30 – 45 minutes to fill out your application.

Can I change my application after submitting it?

• No. Once an application has been submitted, it is final. Applicants may submit a new application with updated information during the filing period if they wish. Only the most recent application submitted will be considered. All other applications will not be considered.

How long until I hear back from you and how can I check for updates on my application?

• You may receive communications regarding your application at different stages of the selection process. Important updates will be sent to the email address listed in your governmentjobs.com account at the time of notification. To ensure you don't miss any critical information, we recommend keeping your email address current and regularly checking both your inbox and junk mail folders throughout the process. You can also log into your governmentjobs.com account at any time to check your application status. If you have any questions about your application's progress, please contact the County of Humboldt Human Resources Personnel Division at 707-476-2349 or personnel@co.humboldt.ca.us.

Will I be informed if I am not selected for an interview / Oral Exam?

• Yes, you will be informed via email if you are not selected for an interview / Oral Exam.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Research indicates that individuals in protected classes can be less likely to submit a job application. The County of Humboldt is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where our employees are free to bring their full selves to work each day in an environment that allows them to reach their full potential. The County Board of Supervisors has made organizational commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and the County is working to ensure that these commitments are reflected in all we do. The County recognizes that certain populations (BIPOC, Disabled Persons, Veterans, LGBTQIA+ community members, etc.) face systemic and structural challenges which may inhibit their ability to satisfy every requirement of the position. In recognition of these structural and systemic factors, the Human Resources Department understands that experience can be gained in many ways – oftentimes, outside of formal institutions – and strives to take a holistic approach in assessing an applicant’s qualifications for a position.

If you’re excited about this role but your past work experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we strongly encourage you to apply.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

The County of Humboldt is committed to providing equal access and opportunities in its programs, activities, and employment, and does not discriminate on the basis of mental or physical disabilities. The Human Resources Department is located in the Humboldt County Courthouse, which has an accessible entrance on 4th Street. Accessible parking is available adjacent to the 4th Street entrance and on the 4th Street side of the K Street lot. Special testing arrangements may be made to accommodate disabilities or religious convictions. If invited to an examination and you are in need of a reasonable accommodation, please contact Human Resources immediately at (707) 476-2349 so arrangements can be made.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The county is an equal opportunity employer. We enthusiastically accept our responsibility to make employment decisions without regard to race, religion or religious creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, military service, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws or ordinances.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

A pre-employment medical examination provided by the County may be required upon offer of employment.

OTHER EXAMINATIONS

Some positions also require psychological evaluation and/or extensive background investigation.

LICENSES

Some classifications require possession of valid professional and/or technical licenses. Some classifications may require the possession of a valid California driver’s license.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

Persons appointed to regular County positions serve a probationary period. This is normally six (6) months but could be up to one (1) year. All designated safety employees serve a one-year probationary period.

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY

It is the County’s intention to hire only those workers who are authorized to work in the United States, pursuant to the Immigration Act of 1990. If you are offered employment, you will be required to verify your eligibility to work in the United States. For law enforcement positions you will be required to verify your U.S. citizenship or legalized status.

DISASTER SERVICE WORKERS

All County of Humboldt employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

THE PROVISIONS OF THIS BULLETIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED CONTRACT. THE COUNTY OF HUMBOLDT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS TO THE EXAMINATION PLAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY MERIT SYSTEM RULES.