Administrative Assistant

The Criminal Court Judges in the 30th Judicial District (Shelby County) have an opening for an Administrative Assistant. This person is responsible for legal transcription and clerical tasks. Work involves transcribing dictation of a legal nature and requires complete familiarity with legal terminology, legal format, and legal forms. Employees of this class utilize acquired skills and knowledge to relieve superiors of administrative details and make decisions in accordance with policies and practices. Work is performed within established procedures but carried on with considerable independence. All assistants work as a pool for all 9 Criminal Court Judges.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:    
Prepares and processes various legal documents and answers correspondence requiring the application of complex clerical procedures and a comprehensive knowledge of court rules and terminology.

• Performs a variety of confidential, technical, and general clerical tasks, and administrative work for a judge.
• Receives and screens visitors, routes incoming telephone calls and callers; places outgoing calls; sets up conference calls; schedules matter for hearing and may maintain a judge's personal calendar; schedules office conferences and appointments; sets conference calendars; schedules conferences; maintains records of pending and disposed cases; prepares case reference files; and requests special or senior judge assistance.
• Maintains records and files pertaining to the status of cases, assignment of cases and courtroom activities; delivers orders; opinions and documents to the clerk's office for filing.
• Enters case information into computer; logs in judge's assignments; tracks cases until conclusion.
• Takes and transcribes machine dictation. Types and proofreads jury instructions, opinions, orders, legal memoranda from transcriber, rough typed copy or handwritten copy; proofreads all documents and correspondence; may check the accuracy of routine legal citations; prepares and types correspondence and memoranda.
• Prepares reports on the status of cases and consolidates information; prepares responses to correspondence; maintains case statistics and reading files of all documents created.
• Opens, reads and distributes mail; prepares and transmits expense vouchers; makes travel arrangements; orders supplies including postage.
• Facilitates communications with other workers; makes responsible contacts with the general public for the purpose of furnishing or obtaining information. Performs related work as required.

Minimum Education and Experience:
The successful applicant will have a diploma from an accredited high school and a minimum of 2 years of increasingly responsible experience in court clerical or legal secretarial work. Certified Administrative Professional Certification, Professional Legal Secretary Certification, Paralegal degree or certification or bachelor's degree preferred.
Applicants should have a thorough knowledge of legal terminology and format; thorough knowledge of the rules of procedures as required by the court of assignment; thorough knowledge of business English, spelling and punctuation; thorough knowledge of office practices, procedures, equipment, and standard clerical techniques.
Applicants should be able to work appropriately with confidential information; ability to understand and carry out moderately complex oral and written instructions; and ability to effectively organize work.
Skills and Ability: 
Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to work in a fast-paced environment, set priorities and deal with competing demands; ability to preserve confidence, think logically, use problem-solving skills, and maintain a calm and professional demeanor in all situations.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer