Salary : $55,392.16 – $67,330.49 Annually
Location : Santa Rosa, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 23/07-0020-OB
Department: Public Defender’s Office (PDO)
Division: PUB DEF – Public Defender (4501)
Opening Date: 07/20/2023
Closing Date: Continuous
Position Information
Do you have experience working in a legal office and have fluent bilingual (English/Spanish) and administrative skills?
The County of Sonoma Law Office of the Public Defender has an excellent opportunity to begin a career in the legal secretarial field.
Starting salary up to $32.26/hour ($67,330/year), plus an additional $1.50/hour fluent bilingual pay, and a competitive total compensation package!*
As a Legal Secretary I, you will utilize your bilingual skills and provide legal secretarial support to the Law Office of the Public Defender. You will be responsible for preparing and finalizing legal documents, transcribing various recordings into proper style and form, and providing a wide variety of legal secretarial services to law office staff. Additional duties may include:
- Filing documents and calendaring in the support of the Sonoma County Superior Courts
- Organizing and scanning all incoming mail and client discovery to the case management system
- Maintaining client files in the case management system
- Researching client information in various justice system programs
- Composing routine letters for assigned attorneys, and notifying clients of court dates
The ideal candidate for this position will have experience in a criminal or governmental law office, including working with a legal case management system, and possess:
- The ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other Public Defender staff, departmental representatives, court officials, and the public
- Strong communication skills with the ability to work towards the collective benefit of Public Defender clients, both independently and with the team
- The ability to multi-task, while shifting priorities, in a fast-paced environment
- Experience working with the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint)
Fluent (reading, writing, conversation) Spanish is required for this position. Applicants who wish to be considered for a bilingual position must indicate their level of skill in the required supplemental questionnaire. An examination will be conducted prior to employment to a bilingual position to confirm level of skill in this area.
What We Offer
When you join the County of Sonoma, you become part of a challenging and rewarding work environment where you gain the satisfaction of knowing you’re working to better your community. You can also look forward to excellent benefits* including:
- Eligibility for a salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
- Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
- County paid 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
- An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance of up to $500 and ongoing education/training opportunities
- County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
- Retirement fully integrated with Social Security
- May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment
- Bilingual premium pay* for the fluent bilingual level is an additional $1.50/hour on top of the hourly pay rate for bilingual positions
*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the and our .
This recruitment is being conducted to fill a fluent bilingual (English/Spanish) Legal Secretary I position in the Public Defender’s Office. The employment list established from this recruitment may also fill future Spanish bilingual full-time, part-time, and extra-help positions as they occur during the active status of the employment list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.
The County of Sonoma
Sonoma County offers a rare and compelling array of scenic, recreational, and geographic characteristics – including over 200 award-winning wineries, inspiring coastline and beaches, the Russian River, and majestic redwoods. The County encompasses over one million acres of land and water; rich with agriculture, parks, campsites, lakes, and open space. Sonoma County is also home to a wide variety of restaurants, art and music festivals, farmers’ markets, and concert venues. Local schools continually rank high on California’s Academic Performance Index, and the Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State University offer higher education opportunities. Sonoma County is an increasingly diverse region and is home to approximately 500,000 residents. The Latino population has grown by almost 230% within the last 25 years and is approximately 27% of the population. In 2016, slightly over half of Sonoma County’s population was between 25 and 64 years old; however, between 2007 and 2016, the fastest-growing age range in the county were those aged 65 to 74.
Please visit www.sonomacounty.ca.gov and for additional information about Sonoma County – the place to live, work, and build your career legacy.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience: Satisfactory completion of a legal secretarial training program which directly relates to the required knowledge and abilities is highly desirable, and one year of responsible clerical experience or work experience in a law office or office of the courts which directly relates to the required knowledge and abilities.
Performance Skills: Ability to type accurately at a rate of 65 words per minute.
License: Possession of a valid driver’s license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Working knowledge of: legal terminology, legal forms and documents; business English, spelling, grammar and punctuation; word processing equipment.
Knowledge of: modern legal office practices and procedures; the effective operation and utilization of dictation transcription machines may be required; the effective operation and utilization of photocopiers, fax machines and other office machines and equipment; alphabetical, numerical and other filing systems appropriate to law offices; government or department codes, ordinances, laws, regulations, procedures, precedents, policy decisions and written format in order to carry out clerical and minor administrative functions under general direction; the records and filing systems used in a law office or office of the courts.
Ability to: perform basic computer and word processing tasks; transcribe from dictating equipment a wide variety of legal dictation at an acceptable rate of speed may be required; compose, type and assemble information into proper legal form from outlined instructions or established procedures; finalize attorney’s work products for filing or mailing; compose routine letters and memoranda; understand and follow complex oral and written instructions, and adhere to established practices and procedures; use good judgment in making decisions in accordance with existing laws, ordinances, regulations, department policies and procedures; understand, weigh and apply regulatory, office practice and procedural guidelines to a variety of unrelated situations; maintain a wide variety of legal files, records and reports; establish and maintain harmonious and effective working relationships with departmental personnel, legal and court related departments and the public; perform basic arithmetic calculations; type accurately at the rate of 65 words per minute.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying
- Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
- You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
- You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
- Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.
Please visit to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Responses to supplemental questions will be used in assessing minimum qualifications. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state “See Resume” or “See Application” may be considered insufficient.
The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:
An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination(weight 100%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.
Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the to determine the requirements for this position.
HOW TO APPLYApplications are accepted online at . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.
The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.
HR Analyst: JT
HR Technician: RR
IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.
COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL*
These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:
Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.
Health Plan: Choice of five health plans (a PPO, EPO, HMO, and two deductible HMOs) with a County contribution toward the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit. For specific details, please refer to the applicable MOU). A County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement is available for some bargaining units.
Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit
IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.
Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.
Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.
For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to or, contact the Human Resources’ Risk Management-Benefits Office at or (707) 565-2900.
*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.
01
How did you first learn about this opportunity?
- Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)
- Careers in Government
- College or University
- Craigslist
- DiversityJobs
- Employee of Sonoma County
- Glassdoor
- Google Jobs
- GovernmentJobs.com
- Handshake
- Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County
- Indeed
- Job Fair
- La Voz
- Latino Service Providers
- Los Cien
- Minority Organization or Group
- Press Democrat
- sonoma-county.org/www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org
- Sonoma County Human Resources Office
- Sonoma County Job Line
- Start Here!
- Veterans Services Office
- Women’s Organization or Group
- Workplace Diversity
- ZipRecruiter
- Other Internet Site
- Other Publication
02
BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH SKILLS: If you would like to be considered for a position that requires bilingual abilities, please indicate the level of your proficiency below. Candidates must pass a bilingual proficiency examination to be eligible for positions with bilingual designation.
- Yes, I have basic (conversational) English/Spanish bilingual abilities.
- Yes, I have fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) English/Spanish bilingual abilities.
- No, I do not have English/Spanish bilingual abilities and/or do not wish to be considered for a bilingual position.
03
Please indicate if you would also be interested in future part-time or extra-help (temporary, intermittent, or seasonal employment) positions should they become available. Check all that apply.
- I would also like to be considered for future part-time positions
- I would also like to be considered for future extra-help positions
- I am only interested in full-time positions
04
For this question and all subsequent questions provide sufficient information to allow for a thorough evaluation of your qualifications. Responses to supplemental questions may be scored using specific criteria.
The minimum qualifications for this position is normally met with satisfactory completion of a legal secretarial training program which directly relates to the required knowledge and abilities (highly desirable) and one year of responsible clerical experience or work experience in a law office or office of the courts which directly relates to the required knowledge and abilities.Please describe your education, training, and experience which qualifies you for this position and:
- List your relevant certifications, coursework, and/or degree(s)
- For each relevant position you list include job title(s), employer’s name, dates of employment (mm/yy – mm/yy), and a description of your primary responsibilities
05
Please describe your experience preparing and processing legal documents. Include the types of legal documents you prepared or processed and highlight any experience you possess redacting documents.
06
Please describe your experience working with the following software/applications. For each program you have used, list the name of the software, your proficiency level (beginner, intermediate, advanced), and provide an example of how you used the software.
Required Question