Legal Secretary, South Dakota Supreme Court

Location: Pierre, SD                                         Salary: $22.85 per hour

JOB ID: 27978                                                     Closing Date: Open Until Filled

Position Purpose: This position will provide primary administrative assistance to the Chief of Bar Exam, Chief of Legal Research and Staff Attorneys, and backup administrative support to the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court and Supreme Court Law Clerks. Duties may include:

• Assisting with procedures for bar examinations, including application processing, ordering materials for the bar exam, assisting in preparations for exam days, acting as a proctor for the bar exam, processing test materials following the exam, compiling exam scores, preparing files for character and fitness hearings, maintaining records, answering telephone and email inquiries regarding the bar examination, setting up conference calls, and processing vouchers;
• Managing procedures for bar applications without examination by ensuring applications are properly received and processed and answering telephone and email inquiries regarding applications without examination requirements;
• Managing procedures for operation and maintenance of the Law Library to ensure books, pocket parts, and materials are properly ordered, received, inventoried, returned, filed, billed, and tracked in the Law Library;
• Performing administrative support functions for Supreme Court legal staff to facilitate the workflow in the office;
• Functions as the backup to the primary legal secretary to assist the Chief Justice, Associate Justices, Supreme Court Law Clerks, and other Supreme Court staff during the facilitation of the appeal before the Court and proofreading work to verify correctness of formatting and citations;
• Performing other work as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: Graduation from high school or possession of a GED certificate and three (3) years of legal secretarial work experience or an equivalent combination of related education and experience. Successful completion of a criminal background investigation is required for employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• legal terminology;
• procedures and practices of the Court;
• English, grammar, and punctuation;
• alphabetical and numerical sequences as they relate to sorting and filing.

Skill in:

• typing or keyboarding at a highly proficient level;
• proofreading;
• time management;
• prioritizing and organizing tasks.

Ability to:

• learn and proficiently use office machines;
• prioritize time and make sure assigned work is accomplished in the order that is most effective for the Court;
• adjust to ever-changing processes of computer and communication systems;
• maintain confidentiality;
• deal with others courteously and effectively;
• communicate effectively both orally and in writing with a wide variety of people.

About the South Dakota Unified Judicial System

The Mission of the South Dakota Unified Judicial System is to provide Justice for All.

Our employees are our most valuable resource and crucial to accomplishing our mission. We seek talented and motivated individuals to be the face of the court system and help ensure that the Court and all the people that come before it receives the highest level of service. Our dedicated staff work to enhance community safety and ensure victim’s rights while treating all individuals with dignity and respect.

The Unified Judicial System offers a comprehensive benefits package consisting of 10-12 paid holidays every year, extensive sick and vacation leave, paid family leave, military training leave, health, and flexible benefits, regular working hours, continuing education opportunities, retirement benefits, a great working environment, and more.

For more information on the Unified Judicial System, please visit http://ujs.sd.gov.

Apply at: https://sodakprod-lm01.cloud.infor.com:1443/lmghr/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=QPY

Unified Judicial System

500 East Capitol Avenue

Pierre, SD 57501-5070

Phone: 605.773.4884

"An Equal Opportunity Employer"