Administrative Legal Secretary

WHO WE ARE

California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA) is an anti-poverty law firm dedicated to dismantling unjust systems through community lawyering in California’s historically rural areas. For over five decades, we have partnered with communities priced out of private legal representation to uphold civil rights in housing, employment, health, and public education.

Building on a radical legacy rooted in the farmworker movement and the War on Poverty, CRLA continues to fight for the rights and prosperity of rural Californians through bold advocacy, systemic change, and a vision of thriving, empowered communities.

CRLA’s community-led legal services activate community power to achieve justice, ensuring our clients and partners have the tools to dismantle poverty, discrimination, and systemic inequities.

• Position: Administrative Legal Secretary
• Experience: 1 + years of experience as a Legal Secretary or equivalent experience providing administrative support
• Application Deadline: Open until filled
• Location: Salinas
• Other: FLSA Non-Exempt, Union Position, Full Time (37.5hrs per week)

The Administrative Legal Secretary (ALS) manages all communications, correspondence, typing of legal documents, filing, travel, calendar, and general organizational matters within the local office.

The ALS is also responsible for managing legal expenditures, minimal litigation coordination with outside counsel, maintaining/organizing records of litigated and transaction matters, and vendor, supplier, and other office contracts.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintains all duties of the Legal Secretary position
• Assist with the new applicant and client intake process
• Maintain the court and appointment calendar
• Assure that legal deadlines are met in the processing of legal documents
• Maintain/archive confidential client files, and arrange for confidential document destruction as directed
• Administer petty cash and clients' trust accounts as needed
• Serve as coordinator of the office, training and coordinating the office clerical staff
• Delegate tasks to other clerical staff, coordinate clerical and litigation support responsibilities
• Assist in the interviewing and selection of clerical staff
• Disseminate information from statewide ALS meetings
• Maintain statistical records as required, creates and produces reports using Legal Server
• Maintain office administrative and personnel files
• Order and maintain office equipment and supplies as needed
• Coordinate building maintenance, process invoices, bills, statements, and check requests as needed
• Assist off-site IT personnel with the local provision of tech support
• Perform other office duties as assigned, including

Qualifications

• Three (3) years of experience as a Legal Secretary or equivalent experience providing administrative support
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with all staff, clients, and community organizations
• Type 55-60 wpm, efficiently and correctly into the case management system
• Knowledgeable with Windows/Microsoft Office, Internet and willing to learn Legal Server and web-based programs
• Knowledgeable of office equipment such as copiers, facsimile machines, and scanners
• Ability to maintain client confidentiality of personnel and administrative records
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Knowledge of law office management
• Bilingual (English & Spanish)

Preferred Education and Experience

A highly qualified and desirable candidate would also have the following:

• Experience working with low-income families and communities.
• Experience in a non-profit legal services environment.
• Prior experience in legal services.

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

We offer a diverse, family-friendly environment and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries; generous benefits package which includes 100% employer-covered medical, dental, vision, life, and short & long-term disability insurance for employees and up to 50% for dependents coverage; and 401K retirement plan with CRLA contribution effective immediately.

Generous paid leave policy which includes; 15 days of sick leave, 15 holidays each year, and vacation (accrue 15 days for the first year of service and 20 days after one year of service at CRLA). This is a union position (Legal Service Workers for Rural California "LSWRC" ), and the estimated starting hourly range for this position is $22.56 - $34.41 (placement in the range is primarily determined by years of related experience).

CRLA requires that all employees are Fully Vaccinated, defined as a CDC-approved COVID vaccination and one booster shot. This offer is contingent on meeting this requirement. The complete vaccination policy, including the process for reasonable allowable accommodations, is available for your review upon request.

CRLA invites all applicants to submit their resume and in their cover letter a statement about how their unique background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and legal services practice.

California Rural Legal Assistance thrives on our diversity and we are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, persons of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply.