Legal Secretary (Juvenile Services)

Clackamas County employees work to serve the public and enrich our community. In that spirit, we pledge to hold ourselves to these standards at all times in our interactions with customers and one another:

· Service · Professionalism · Integrity · Respect · Individual accountability · Trust

By incorporating these values into our daily routines, we can better serve our customers, ourselves and our projects. We’re always looking to improve. That’s the Clackamas County SPIRIT.

Clackamas County Core Values

Clackamas County is committed to building a community where people thrive, have a sense of safety, connection, and belonging, so that everyone is honored and celebrated for the richness in diversity they bring. We encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds and lived experience to apply.

This Job Posting closes at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) on Monday, March 11, 2024.

Annual Pay Range: $44,641 - $56,179

Hourly Pay Range: $22.89 - $28.81

Salary offers will be made within the posted pay range and will be based on a candidate's experience (paid or unpaid) that is directly relevant to the position.

Clackamas County proudly offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including competitive wages, cost-of-living adjustments, merit increases (for eligible employees), and a robust sick and vacation plan for regular status employees.

We encourage and support employee health and wellness by offering, health and wellness classes and events, and alternative care benefits, so you can customize your wellness needs to fit your lifestyle.

Employee benefits become effective the first of the month following an employee’s date of hire.

Attractive benefits package and incentives for employees in regular status positions are detailed below.

Generous paid time off package, including:

• 12 hours of vacation accrued per month
  • Eligible newly hired employees will have the one-time option to frontload their first year of vacation accruals in compliance with EPP 66 - Vacation Leave! This means you have access to vacation time at time of hire.
• 8 hours of sick accrued per month
• 10 paid holidays and 1 personal day per year

Other Benefits:

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP):
  • Employer paid 6% PERS retirement contribution (The county currently pays the employee’s share of the retirement contribution.)
  • OPSRP members get vested after five years of contributions or when they reach age 65
• A Choice of Medical Plans that include chiropractic coverage, alternative care, vision, and prescription drug coverage
• A Choice of Dental Plans
• Robust EAP and wellness programs, including gym discounts and wellness education classes
• Longevity pay
• Other retirement Savings Options that allow for additional retirement funds savings, including an option to contribute a portion of employee earnings on a pre or post-tax basis to a 457b Deferred Compensation Plan
• A variety of additional optional benefits (see links below for additional information)

This is a Full Time County position represented by the Employees' Association.

Employees' Association (EA) Full Time Benefits

Learn More About Benefits

• Are you passionate about helping others?
• Are you committed to providing excellent customer service?
• Do you thrive working in a fast-paced team environment and are invested in team success?
• Do you have exceptional organization skills?
• Do you have creative problem-solving skills?
• Do you have a personal commitment to putting ethics into action by holding yourself to the highest standards of professionalism, honesty, and objectivity?

If you answered “yes” to the questions above, we want you to join our team as a Legal Secretary at the Clackamas County Juvenile Department. We are seeking a motivated individual with strong communication and interpersonal skills. If selected for this position, you will play a critical role in providing legal assistance with processing cases, court documents, court records and payments. In this role, you will be focusing on providing timely, efficient, and accurate legal secretarial support to Clackamas County Juvenile Department.

This position will provide you with an opportunity to apply your knowledge of basic legal terminology, organizational skills, ability to handle confidential information with discretion, the ability to prioritize multiple competing tasks, and work collaboratively with other support staff members to achieve a positive outcome.

We are committed to being an exemplary organization with best practices in providing equitable juvenile justice, family support, intervention, and reformation services to youth, so they can repair harm to victims, experience positive change, and contribute to a safe, healthy and secure community. To that end, we are searching for individuals, who are motivated to be positive and collaborative contributors, demonstrating strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills that will allow us to improve, develop and enhance our operations.

Required Minimum Qualifications/ Transferrable Skills:*

• A minimum of one (1) year of experience in a legal or similar office setting
• Experience reviewing and verifying information for accuracy and the inclusion of proper documentation
• Experience processing a high volume of documents within time constraints
• Strong customer service experience, including experience resolving customer complaints
• Experience in positions that required strong organizational and prioritization skills
• Strong data entry skills, including speed and accuracy
• Must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. Learn more about the County's drug testing policy.
• Must pass a criminal history check which may include national or state fingerprint records check
• Driving may be necessary for County business. For position(s) with occasional/incidental driving, incumbents must possess a valid driver's license. Accommodation requests for an acceptable alternative method of transportation will be reviewed on an individual basis in compliance with State and Federal legislation. For position(s) with regular driving, incumbent(s) must also possess and maintain an acceptable driving record throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the County's driving policy.

Preferred Special Qualifications/ Transferrable Skills:*

• Experience working in a court or legal setting
• Experience understanding and applying policies, procedures, guidelines and regulatory requirements
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software applications: Word, Excel, and Outlook

Post-Employment Requirements:

• Active Oregon Notary Public Commission within ninety (90) days of hire

• For Veterans qualified for Veteran’s Preference: If you believe you have skills that would transfer well to this position and/or special qualifications that relate to this position, please list those skills and/or qualifications in the open-ended question at the end of the application and explain how those skills and/or qualifications relate to this position.

KEY COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESS IN THIS POSITION:

Creates a Respectful and Safe Environment by promoting a working environment and culture in which employees and all the youth, families, and victims we serve feel physically and emotionally safe and able to express themselves without repercussion. It will be critical for someone in this position to commit to serving diverse populations, and recognize that all youth, families, and the victims we serve must be treated with dignity and respect, and must not experience discrimination, bias, or a lack of equity in services. These diverse populations include but are not limited to people of all races, ethnicities, and national origins; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender-nonconforming people; individuals with physical or mental disability; people of all ages, religions, genders, political affiliations, veterans, and people of various socio-economic statuses.

Embodies “SPIRIT” by demonstrating a commitment to the Clackamas County core values of Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, Individual Accountability, and Trust in their work (Clackamas County Core Values).

Builds (Cultivates) Relationships by sustaining cooperative working relationships with internal and external customers, partners and stakeholders, in order to work toward shared goals.

Promotes Cross Cultural Effectiveness by engaging in a culture of respect, inclusiveness, and appreciation of diverse perspectives, backgrounds and values.

Commits to Teamwork and Collaboration through team unity by working effectively towards a shared goal, encourages sharing of information, productive problem solving and putting team success first.

Demonstrates Excellent Customer Service by anticipating, assessing, and responding effectively to the needs of the diverse youth, families, and victims we serve.

Professional Communication demonstrated by self-awareness, respect for others, empathy, situation appropriateness and professionalism when communicating verbally, non-verbally and in writing.

Embraces Continual Learning by displaying an ongoing commitment to, and takes ownership for, learning and self-improvements, demonstrates willingness to grow within the job as technology, organizational changes demand it.

Honors Confidentiality in compliance with privacy laws, business needs, including all juvenile matters, and employee/team relations, using only for the purpose required to fulfill employment obligations.

Seeks to Problem Solve as evidence by using critical thinking and analytical skills, identifies alternative strategies bringing a solution-focused approach to address challenging or difficult solutions.

Engages in Self-Management as evidenced by the individual’s ability to manage and continually improve the individual’s own performance through thoughtfulness, self-awareness, self-motivation, personal accountability, and the ability to develop strategies to effectively manage tasks and personnel.

Displays Creativity and Innovation by generating new ideas and takes initiative in improving services, processes, programs and products

Puts Ethics into Action by holding themselves to a high standard of professional, honest and objective behavior in all dealings with or about youth, families, victims, stakeholders, community partners and service providers. Maintains professional relationships and appropriate social, emotional and physical boundaries at all times with the youth and families the Juvenile Department is entrusted to serve.

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Drafts and prepares routine court motions and orders, and other legal documents from templates; formats information according to applicable court requirements and legal and office standards; proofreads and edits legal documents for spelling, grammar, and correctness of information; edits documents based on Deputy District Attorney filing/requests; files original documents and/or pleadings with court; distributes materials pursuant to local, state, and federal procedures.
• Tracks and adheres to established expedient time frames such as In-Custody, Summons, and Warrants.
• Maintains misdemeanor and low level felony cases files, reviews information in files to determine if all pertinent information and/or documentation is present including petitions, preliminary hearings, violations, adjudications, and dispositions; contacts court personnel for the completion of assigned case files.
• Performs data entry of court outcomes and conditions, included but not limited to: Oregon Youth Authority Commitments, Interstate Compact Agreements, County Supervision, County Transfers, and Release of Jurisdication cases.
• Maintains docket related to caseloads for the department, keeps a record of all cases set for hearings, maintains record of pleas, type of hearing, case dismissals, adjudications and dispositions.
• Performs expungement activities as defined by SB 575, ORS 416A.260.
• Designs and maintains workflow using case management system; assist general public, receives, transfers, or refers calls to appropriate sources; provides basic information to the public and staff from other agencies including but not limited to status of particular cases or matters involving legal action. Operates a variety of office equipment with high degree of accuracy, skills, independent judgment. May train staff related to duties in assigned areas.

This position is included in the County’s alternate workweek program, working 37.5 hours during a standard workweek of Monday through Thursday (Fridays off):

• Regular work hours will be from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm. Specific hours of work will be discussed with the candidate selected for this position at the time an offer of employment is extended.
• This position is designated as on-site/in-person. It is expected that the selected candidate will perform duties at the specified on-site work location.

Clackamas County is in a prime location in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area and is recognized nationally as one of the most livable areas in the United States. Located on the southern edge of the City of Portland and extending to the top of Mt. Hood, Clackamas County is part of a thriving region in the Northwest. It has a population of about 420,000 residents.

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ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Juvenile Department provides prevention and early intervention services to at-risk youth, as well as case management for youth who have been referred to the department for delinquent behavior.

Its three-fold purpose is to hold juveniles accountable, protect public safety and provide intervention services directed at reforming the youth’s conduct.

The Juvenile Department’s programs are designed to have the youth restore the losses that they have imposed upon victims and the community at large. We accomplish this by using a strengths based case management approach and by providing opportunities to positively connect the youth in the community.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Clackamas County Juvenile Department is to provide equitable juvenile justice, family support, intervention, and reformation services to youth so they can repair harm to victims, experience positive change, and contribute to a safe, healthy and secure community.

Values

Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence

Guiding Principles

• To honor diversity and to treat all persons with respect.
• To involve youth, families, and community partners in creating an effective and responsive department.
• To strive to be innovative leaders in the field of juvenile justice.
• To incorporate evidence based practices in our work with youth and families.
• To honor victim’s rights and interests throughout all phases of the justice system;
• To invite victim’s participation in determining how to meaningfully address harm.
• To provide opportunities for youth to repair harm to victims and communities.
• To engage youth to have positive involvement in their communities.
• To foster open communication and team work in a supportive work environment.
• To demonstrate ethical and honest behavior in all that we do.

Learn more about the Clackamas County Juvenile Department.

Clackamas County only accepts online applications.

Help With Your Application:

Application Process

Help with the Application

If you have any questions or issues you may contact the Department of Human Resources at 503-655-8459 or e-mail us. Our office hours are Monday - Thursday 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time (closed on Fridays).

HOW TO CLAIM VETERAN'S PREFERENCE

Request Veterans' Preference

Learn more about the County's Veterans' Preference

VISA SPONSORSHIP

Clackamas County does not offer visa sponsorships. Once a job applicant has accepted a position, they will be required to complete an I-9 and confirm authorization to work in the United States prior to their first day.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Clackamas County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential elements that create and foster a welcoming workplace. All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, political affiliation, disability or any other factor unrelated to the essential functions of the job.

If you wish to identify yourself as a qualified person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and would like to request an accommodation, please address the request to the Department of Human Resources prior to the recruitment close date. You may request an accommodation during the online application process.

Kelly Schaefer, Recruiter
KSchaefer@clackamas.us