Under the direction of the City Attorney, provides a wide variety of advanced clerical, administrative, and legal support in several of the main areas under the Legal Department including the City Attorney’s office, contracts, procurement, grants, and claims management. Manages responsibilities independently according to applicable city, state, federal laws, and regulations in addition to generally accepted procedures.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: Responsibilities for the legal assistant falls under several main areas of focus to be assigned by the City Attorney:

Contracts and Grants:

Provide administrative and redundancy support to the Contracts and Grants Manager in the execution of the City’s procurement, contracting, and grants program.
Perform data entry, scanning, and hardcopy and digital file filing, in order to assist with the implementation and maintenance of contract and grant databases, records, and logs, including routinely update, track, and report activity, as well as process DocuSign envelopes for execution.
Draft, administer and monitor contracts to ensure compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as City policies and procedures.
Coordinate and monitor the competitive bid and negotiated contract processes for projects from specification development and estimates, bidding document preparation, award and post-award administration including amendments and change orders.
Assist with the administration and management of pre and post award activities related to City’s local, state, and federal grants.
Audit contract or records relative to pre-award requirements, work in progress, invoices, and billings; and verify compliance with contract terms and legal requirements.
Process contract invoicing payments, requisitions, and purchase orders. Establish and maintain organization of division financial records in coordination with the finance department. Process and track accounts payable including public works contract payments.
Perform related duties as assigned.

Claims Management:

Prepare and retain correspondence with Washington Cities Insurance Authority and claimants. Manage claim intake and provide clerical and general support of claim including administrative compliance and claims adjustment. Ensure WCIA delegate and City Attorney are informed of claims and claims status.

City Attorney Office & General Legal Support:

Provide administrative assistance to the City Attorney including support for correspondence, memoranda, and other legal documents; preparing required federal and state notices and tracking and managing calendar deadlines; scheduling appointments and coordinating meetings.
Conduct legal research and act as liaison with the Legal Department.
Plan, coordinate, and perform complex legal office operations to assure timely and efficientworkoutputandperformcomplexadministrativedutiesinvolvingdepartment- wide impact and civil law and legal assistant functions.
Demonstrate strong customer service skills and excellent oral and written communication skills. Must be able to manage diverse and demanding requestors.
Independently compose and prepare a variety of correspondence, legal documents, court pleadings, and statistical and textual reports, including sensitive and confidential materials.
Maintainlibraryandelectronicmediaoflegalresourcematerialincludingstatutes, ordinances, codes, and case law.
Originate or transcribe court pleadings, resolutions, ordinances, agenda bills, contracts, confidential memos, and legal opinions for the City Attorney.
Provide support to the City Attorney with public records requests.
Act with a high degree of discretion and confidentiality.
Perform related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent. Must have some combination of education and experience leading to requisite skills in organization and project management. Three to five years of legal assistant/paralegal experience or increasingly responsible office manager/clerical experience required. Previous experience in the public sector working for local government in legal or public procurement, or private law firm experience within the State of Washington, is desirable. Associate degree in legal administration, business, or related field is preferred. A combination of experience and training that provides the candidate with the knowledge and skills to perform the job will be considered.
Licenses and other requirements: Must possess a valid Washington State driver’s license. Notary public license required or ability to obtain within 6 months of hire.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
Preferred Knowledge of:

Civil case filing procedures.
Records management systems, techniques, and technology. Washington State Public Records Act (RCW42.56); rights to privacy regulations; and Washington State records retentions schedules.
Basic federal, state, and local laws, codes, and protocol.
Principles and practices of public procurement, contract preparation, and contract administration.
City organization, operations, policies, and objectives.
Knowledge of court system & procedures, legal terminology, legal format, standard legal instruments, and legal research methodology.
Real estate property procedures including familiarity with title reports, purchase and sale transactions, commercial and residential leasing, and eminent domain/condemnation proceeding, foreclosures and liens.

Required Knowledge of:

Broad knowledge of general office skills and equipment as evidenced by a combination of course work and administrative experience in a comparable environment.
Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Judicial Information System, and City specific programs.
Comprehensive knowledge of paper and electronic records management system, with preference given to candidates with experience with Laserfiche.

Ability to:

Must be able to demonstrate excellent technical writing skills including document organization, document format, spelling, grammar, punctuation, editing, and an ability to proofread the work of self and others with high degree of accuracy.
Ability to plan and schedule work with minimal supervision to monitor assigned contracts and adhere to strict deadlines and established procedures.
Ability to furnish effective technical assistance to the public and agencies in the preparation of contracts and grants.
Ability to effectively communicate with the public, internal departments, officials, contractors, and suppliers professionally and tactfully. Ability to manage stressful situations and resolve conflicts in a courteous manner.
Mustbeabletodobasicaccountingandmathematicalcomputationswithahighdegree of accuracy, for example to calculate contract payment retain age amounts or assist with budget preparation.
Organized, efficient, creative, and capable of implementing multiple tasks.
Highly motivated and able to work independently yet remain a member of a team.
Must be able to perform legal research to support client advice and document preparation.
Ability to handle multiple interruptions and adjustments to priorities throughout day.
Ability to follow through on a series of steps for multiple ongoing projects to ensure project completion and coordination with a variety of individuals.
Ability to maintain a strict confidentiality.

LEVEL OF AUTHORITY: Requires ability to proactively manage and administer projects from concept to close-out; to express ideas effectively orally and in writing; to assess needs and do research and prepare clear and concise reports; work effectively with elected officials, department heads, professional and staff. Responsible for sound judgment, thoroughness, and competence, where failure to perform effectively and efficiently could have serious impact on municipal operations and public relations.

WORKENVIRONMENT: Work is performed in a fast-paced office setting that is open to the public and includes a customer service center. Regular attendance is an essential function.

PHYSICAL: Work is primary performed indoors in an office setting and requires sitting and working at a computer workstation for extended periods of time. Position requires hearing, seeing, talking and repetitive motions of the hands and wrists. Frequent sitting or standing. Must be able to push, pull, or lift ten pounds and carry twenty pounds.

OTHER: The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility; but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individual may perform other duties as assigned including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise to balance the workload. The mission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or is a logical assignment to the position. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned.

Following an offer of employment, and prior to starting work, individuals may be required to have a pre-employment physical examination by a physician designated by the City of Anacortes. The city will pay for the examination. Satisfactory clearance to perform essential job functions will be required for employment. As an absolute condition of employment, employees are required upon hire to sign a drug-free workplace agreement and an agreement not to use tobacco products in any form while on the job.

The City of Anacortes is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, creed, sex (including pregnancy), age (over 40), marital status, families with children, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, genetic information, sexual orientation including gender identity, or status as an honorably discharged veteran or military status, or any other class protected by federal, state, or local law. Accommodations for people with disabilities are provided on request.

City of Anacortes

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Legal Assistant