JOB
The City of Coeur d'Alene is hiring a Senior Legal Assistant to refill an upcoming retirement in our Civil Department.
First review of applications will be after July 16, 2026. The filing deadline may be extended if additional applications are deemed necessary.
The Senior Legal Assistant is an advanced legal assistant position that manages the administration operations of the Civil or Criminal Divisions of the City Attorney's office. The Senior Legal Assistant could be assigned to the Civil or Criminal Divisions performing much of the same work in office management, however the Civil assignment includes complex administrative work for the City Attorney and Chief Deputy Civil Attorney and the Criminal assignment includes complex administrative work with more supervisory responsibility, including training and oversight of Legal Assistants, paralegals and interns. The Criminal assignment also develops procedures, serves as a communications facilitator with various outside agencies and city departments and must possess strong victim advocacy skills. Both positions perform administrative and professional services in the area of criminal prosecution and civil legal support and general legal office business. Work is performed independently and under the general guidance of the City Attorney or a Chief Deputy City Attorney. The job requires previous administrative and legal experience with knowledge of legal court, and judicial procedures, rules, terminology, methods, documents, practices, and objectives. The work is accomplished primarily in an office environment. EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
(illustrative only and may vary by assignment)
- Oversees, plans, organizes and manages the operational work of administrative support for civil and criminal attorneys;
- Provides objective analysis of current administrative functions and processes and identifies opportunities for change to improve processes and procedures;
- Compiles information from a variety of sources to general comprehensive and complete legal documents;
- Assists with establishing and accomplishing department goals;
- Handles telephone calls of a sensitive, confidential and/or difficult nature and respond to citizens and agencies in a timely and informative manner;
- Prepares and proofreads for accuracy a variety of written documents, correspondence and legal documents including discovery, supplemental discovery, request for production and interrogatories, contracts, leases, easements, zone changes, deeds, resolutions, ordinances, etc.;
- Compiles statistical reports;
- Maintains filing system and records of briefs and case files;
- Performs routing investigative duties including redaction, editing and copying of video and audio media;
- Updates and maintains the legal library;
- Oversees budget records and monitors general office purchasing;
- Responds to management's, supervisor's, co-workers' and citizens' questions and comments in a courteous, thorough and timely manner;
- Performs time management and scheduling functions, meets deadlines, and sets project priorities;
- Maintains strict confidentiality of all matters;
- Performs Notary Public duties;
- Assists other department and City employees as needed or requested.
- Performs all work duties and activities in accordance with City policies, procedures, and safety practices.
Civil Division:
- Prepares bills and monitors and administers the department budget;
- Prepares documents for Council packets;
- Makes all travel and training arrangements for department;
- Reviews department timesheets for accuracy;
- Provides legal support in civil matters;
- Updates code changes into database system; communicates changes to appropriate personnel;
- Provides direct administrative support to the City Attorney;
- Provides back-up to the Mayor's Executive Assistant.
- Supervises Legal Assistants, paralegals and interns.
Criminal Division:
- Supervises Legal Assistants, paralegals and interns, including recruiting, interviewing, training, assigning work and reviewing performance;
- Prepares and manages case files by gathering various information and evidence from other sources to build comprehensive and complete legal files;
- Update and maintains court calendar including assignment of dockets to attorneys and managing officer and staff leave requests to ensure availability for trial and hearings;
- Performs victim advocacy duties including the collection and management of restitution information to ensure compensation for victims;
- Performs basic paralegal duties;
- Creates and maintains office policy procedures and ensures they are followed;
- Reviews cases after court and completes appropriate documents for completion of case, and updates the court calendar;
- Designs, implements, maintains and provides training for office databases, including maintaining and creating forms/macros for paperless system;
- Processes and tracks multiple case files from start to finish, including overseeing case files of legal assistants;
- Performs routine investigative and research duties;
- Complies with CJIS and ILET security regulations;
- Prepares audio and video for presentation at trial;
- Ensures that all exhibits are clearly viewable;
- Prepares jury instructions for trial;
- Performs all duties of a Legal Assistant as Senior Legal Assistant handles own caseload while performing supervisory and administrative duties.
Secondary Duties and Responsibilities:
- May serve on various city committees as assigned;
- Performs the duties of Legal Assistants as needed; Criminal handles own caseload as a Legal Assistant
- Attends and takes minutes at meetings;
- Performs other duties as assigned.
- May attend Court proceedings as requested by the Attorney.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION The requirements listed below are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required for an individual to perform each essential duty satisfactorily and be successful in the position.
Knowledge of:-
Legal, court, and judicial procedures, rules, terminology, methods, documents, practices, and objectives;
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Operation of standard office equipment including a personal computer and job-related software applications;
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Operation of legal case management system;
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Principles and practices of supervision and office management;
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English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and composition.
Skill and Ability to:-
Perform essential job functions independently and keep managers informed;
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Maintain confidentiality related to the area of work;
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Exhibit initiative and problem solving skills;
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Prioritize and carry out multiple tasks;
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Manage the office effectively and supervise the work of others;
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Communicate effectively with diverse persons and interests;
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Use a high degree of tact, discretion and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive situations and concerned or upset individuals;
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Establish and maintain effective working relationships with city managers, employees, and outside agencies;
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Proficiently operate computers, software programs, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or similar office software to create documents and other materials, maintain information, and generate reports;
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Type 70 words per minute;
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Use English and speak clearly for understanding;
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Listen carefully to, understand, and effectively communicate through verbal, written, and electronic communication channels;
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Perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines;
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Perform all duties in accordance with City policies and procedures with regard for personal safety and that of other employees and the public.
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Work in a fast paced environment with numerous interruptions.
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Exercise initiative in managing own caseload and meeting deadlines.
Physical Demands & Work Environment:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this classification. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.
While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to keyboard or type, handle materials , or manipulate tools used in performing the essential functions of the classification, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must (occasionally or frequently) lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this classification include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing abilities required by this classification includes those which permit the employee to discern verbal instructions and communicate effectively in person, by telephone. While performing the duties of this classification, the employee works in an office setting where the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
