Rev. 07/2025
CITY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA
CLASS SPECIFICATION
TITLE: LEGAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT (JOB CODE 185)
DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE TO FLSA STATUS
City Attorney’s Office Various Exempt
CLASS SUMMARY
Under general direction, performs a variety of legal administrative duties within the Office of the City Attorney. Responsibilities include drafting and preparing legal documents and related materials; performing varied work related to special projects in the Attorney's Office; maintaining daily office tasks; answering inquiries, complaints, and providing information related to the Office of the City Attorney. Performs related duties as assigned.
The Legal Executive Assistant is distinguished from other classes in the administrative support series in that the incumbent provides responsible, confidential, administrative support services for the City Attorney. The job involves working with individuals, activities and issues with which the City Attorney is involved and requires daily contact with a cross-section of high level government, community, and public and private officials, as well as individual members of the community. The incumbent must be able to handle non-partisan confidential matters with a high level of judgment.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
The Legal Executive Assistant is distinguished from other classes in the administrative support series in that the incumbent provides responsible, confidential, administrative support services for the City Attorney and other attorneys in the office. The job involves working with individuals, activities and issues with which the City Attorney’s Office is involved and requires daily contact with a cross-section of high level government, community, and public and private officials, as well as individual members of the community. The incumbent must be able to handle non-partisan confidential matters with a high level of judgment.
As a member of the City’s unclassified service, this is an “at -will” position and the incumbent serves at the discretion of the City Manager or City Attorney. An incumbent in this position demonstrates strong ethical, professional, and service-oriented leadership and interpersonal skills, sets a good example, and correctly applies the tenets of the City’s Code of Ethics and Values.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
• Associate of Arts degree from an accredited college or university in office administration, business management or related field; AND
• Six (6) years of progressively responsible and varied administrative support and/or legal experience, including knowledge of legal terminology, forms, procedures, technology, and supervisory responsibilities.
ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTION
None.Experience can be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis, with one year of experience equivalent to either thirty (30) semester or forty-five (45) quarter units.
LEGAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT (185)
LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS
None.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
• Experience in law office procedures, including court calendaring, litigation procedures, file system organization, records retention and management, and workflow managemen t library maintenance and familiarity.
• Four (4) years of experience in a legal office setting highly desirable • Public sector experience highly desirableis preferred.
TYPICAL DUTIES
This description may not include all the duties listed below, nor do the examples cover all duties that may be performed.
Under general, direction, the incumbent will: Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Under general direction:
• Receive and reply to mail, office visitors, telephone calls, and refer citizen complaints to the appropriate department;
• Perform varied, responsible and confidential administrative duties, including, but not limited to, payroll processing and management of IT, HR, Building Maintenance requests for the office; ;
• Maintain calendar and appointment schedule, and coordinate attendance at numerous board, committee, and commission meetings and update public calendar information; • Participate in employee committees on behalf of the City Attorney’s Office; • Prepare original correspondence, reports, news releases, proclamations and commendations;
• Coordinate special and ongoing projects, including City-wide projects; • Handle daily contact with high-level government officials and residents; • Handle confidential information regarding controversial issues; • Handle staff travel arrangements and reimbursements;
• Prepare and/or transcribe finished copy from notes, typed copy, rough draft, oral instructions self-composed letters and memos, and transcripts of minutes and reports; • Assemble, review, and analyze materials to determine that all relevant data, files, signatures, and other required details are included;
• Screen incoming correspondence, follow up to ensure deadlines are met; • Contact other agencies for information required for special reports or correspondence, handle confidential information regarding controversial matters; • Establish and maintain office files and procedures;
• Prepare annual operating budget and monitor use of funds; • Track Council proclamations and awards received by the City of Santa Clara; • Order office supplies and capital outlay items;
LEGAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT (185)
• Interface with State the municipal, superior, and Federal courts and various adjudicative bodies;
• Assist attorneys and departmental staff with preparation of discovery responses and Public Records Act responses;
• Draft letters, memoranda, reports, pleadings, resolutions, and ordinances; • Maintain the filing system and the law library, including organizing, ordering, cataloging and filing books, updates, supplements newsletters, bulletins, and seminar materials; • Coordinate contracts and invoices from outside counsel; and • Perform other related duties as assigned.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES
Knowledge of:
• Legal terminology, forms, procedures, and technology, and supervisory responsibilities; • Basic organization and function of municipal government, including the role of an elected City Council and appointed boards and commissions; functions and role of City Manager, City Attorney, and City operations;
• Individual activities and issues with which the office is involved; • Budgetary and financial record keeping methods;
• Office methods, procedures and machines, including filing systems, reception and telephone techniques and letter and report writing;
• Office safety practices, procedures and standards;
• Microsoft Office suite products, including but not limited to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook;
• Collaborative software programs such as Microsoft Teams, Share Point, and OneDrive, or other;
• Correct English usage, spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary; • Current legal and general office methods and technology; and • Fundamentals of the organization and maintenance of a law library; and • Legal terminology, pleadings, briefs, ordinances, resolutions, documents and publications.
Ability to:
• Perform difficult para-professional work independently • ;
Use tact and discretion in handling routine, complex, and confidential matters related to the City of Santa Clara's business;
• Effectively manage calendars and appointment schedules; •
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, including the general public;
• Prepare correspondence without review, employ good judgment and make sound decisions in light of established policies and procedures; • Transcribe material with accuracy;
• Type from clear copy at a net rate of not less than 25 words per minute on a computer LEGAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT (185)
keyboard;
• Communicate effectively and clearly, both verbally and in writing; Supervise the work of administrative support staff;
• Manage multiple priorities, organize workload, organize files; • Keep track of multiple concurrent deadlines and consistently follow up with pertinent staff to , meet strict deadlines and work with many interruptions; and • Occasionally work extended hours, and attend off-site events; and • Walk or stand for extended periods of time and bend, stoop, crawl, climb, and lift as necessary to perform assigned duties.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED
Works under the general direction of the City Manager, City Attorney, or designee
SUPERVISION EXERCISED
May supervise administrative support staff as assigned by the City Attorney.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Incumbents in this position are required to file a Conflict of Interest statement upon assuming office, annually, and upon leaving office, in accordance with City Manager’s Directive 100.
CLASSIFICATION HISTORY
Est. 5/2020; Rev. 07/2025