Enforcement and Legal Office Support

Job Description and Duties

The California Department of Social Services, Legal Division, is recruiting to fill one full-time Legal Secretary position in our Monterey Park location.

The Legal Secretary independently and effectively supports two to four attorneys, including senior level staff. The Legal Secretary will perform the most complex secretarial work involving the highest degree of difficulty, sensitivity, and discretion. The incumbent will type, edit, and format legal correspondence, petitions, briefs and legal opinions, pleadings, motions, testimonials, and depositions; proofread and prepare form letters, files, and e-files; serve legal pleadings in multiple jurisdictions including State, Federal, and Appellate courts. The incumbent maintains calendars for assigned attorneys and must be able to schedule meetings and appointments often including high-level executive staff, independently resolving any scheduling conflicts that arise. In addition, the Legal Secretary will make travel arrangements and prepare travel expense claims and may be assigned special projects for an attorney assigned to a complex case. The incumbent must have an understanding of difficult technical and legal terms covering a wide variety of disciplines and areas of law. Additionally, the incumbent must be able to analyze and apply rules, regulations, statutes and laws regarding legal procedures applicable to typing, processing, and serving legal documents.

The Legal Secretary works independently as well as in a team environment with other Legal Secretaries and Senior Legal Typists, under the supervision of a Legal Support Supervisor I.

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Working Conditions

This position is eligible for hybrid work in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order N-22-25 and at the sole discretion of the Department of Social Services under California Government Code Section 14200. All telework schedules are subject to change and may be re-evaluated at any time. The incumbent will be expected to report for in office work and attend work related in-person events as deemed operationally necessary. Telework does not change the terms and conditions of employment, the essential functions of job duties, or required compliance with the CDSS policies. For positions advertised in more than one location, headquarter location may be designated on the selected candidate's primary residence location, and/or the closest CDSS location in accordance with operational need and available space. The successful candidate must reside in California upon appointment.

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) a Background Investigation be cleared prior to being hired.
• The position(s) require(s) a(n) Typing Certificate Certificate. You will be required to provide a copy of your certificate prior to being hired.

Do not include any confidential information on any documents (i.e., application, resume, or transcripts) you submit for this job vacancy. Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents include but is not limited to: Social Security Number (SSN), birthday and/or age, photos, student/other ID number, driver’s license number (unless required), basis of eligibility, exam results, LEAP status, and marital status. Confidential information submitted via a CalCareer Account (electronic application) is automatically redacted upon submission.

A current typing certificate (issued within the past four years) verifying typing speed of a minimum of 45 wpm is required for this position.

Applicants must be able to recognize proper English grammar, punctuation, and spelling of written material; read and comprehend legal work material; follow verbal and written instructions; communicate effectively; and be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships. In addition, applicants must be able to work well under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and have excellent attendance and reliability.

INTERESTED APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING APPLICATION MATERIALS:

STD. 678 job application and a one page (12-point type), SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS (SOQ). The SOQ is a narrative discussion of how the applicant’s education, training, experience, and skills meet the job description and duty statement for the position. The SOQ will also serve as documentation of your ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. Please ensure that SOQ is written in a narrative summary as described above, and not in a bullet point type format. Applications submitted without required documents, or following requested instructions, may not be considered. All applicants must clearly indicate the basis of Legal Secretary or Senior Legal Typist eligibility on Page 1 (Explanations Section) of the STD. 678.

Subject to fingerprinting and criminal record clearance by Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

You are required to complete employment history on the application form (STD 678). You may be disqualified from the hiring and selection process if the employment history is inaccurate or incomplete. Resumes will not take the place of employment history.

If you are meeting minimum qualifications with education, you must include your unofficial transcripts for verification. If selected, you may be required to provide official transcripts at the time of hire.

Training and Development assignments may be considered based on the availability of eligible candidates and are subject to approval by the Hiring Authority prior to appointment. Training and Development assignments are temporary in nature and shall not exceed twenty-four (24) months.

Candidates who reside outside of the State of California may be admitted to the job interview, but they must provide proof of residence in California prior to being eligible for appointment.

Benefits

There are many benefits to joining our team! The State of California has a generous benefits package that includes medical coverage, CalPERS pension upon retirement, two weeks paid vacation per year, two weeks paid sick leave per year, two paid Professional Development Days, one paid Personal Holiday, pre-tax parking fee program.

TRANSPORTATION REIMBURSEMENT

• Public transit (mass transit) passes.
  • 100 percent discount on public transit passes sold by state agencies, up to the monthly exclusion amount provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
  • 100 percent reimbursement on public transit passes purchased by state employees, up to the monthly exclusion amount provided by the IRS.
• Vanpool drivers and riders
  • 100 percent reimbursement on the monthly fee, up to the monthly exclusion amount provided by the IRS.

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025

Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025 - Salaries do not reflect reductions from the Personal Leave Program, please see the applicable Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for additional information on the length and percentage of reductions.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
• Statement of Qualifications - Please see the Special Requirements section of this job advertisement for detailed instructions for the SOQ submission.