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Legal Secretary I
Description of Duties
This is a legal secretarial position responsible for the performance of complex secretarial work and legal clerical tasks requiring independent judgment and decision-making responsibilities. Duties involve training others in the use of a variety of office equipment, including an electronic work station, and transcription equipment, utilized for the preparation and typing of confidential legal documents. This title differs from the lower title, Legal Secretary II, by virtue of frequently exercising independent judgment, supervising other clerical employees and/or processing the more difficult and technical documents. The employee reports directly to, and works under the general supervision of an attorney or administrator. General supervision may be exercised over clerical employees.
Minimum Qualifications
Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements on or before the date of the written exam:
Graduation from high school or possession of an equivalency diploma, plus EITHER:
- Three (3) years paid full-time or its part-time equivalent** secretarial, clerical, legal assistant, or paralegal* experience; OR,
- Successful completion of at least sixty (60) credit hours from a college or university, plus six (6) months paid full-time or its part-time equivalent** experience described in (A); OR,
- Satisfactory completion of a regionally accredited paralegal training and instructional program and possession of a certificate of completion, plus six (6) months paid full-time or its part-time equivalent** experience described in (A); OR
- An equivalent combination of education and experience as defined by the limits of (A), (B), and (C) above.
*Paralegal experience can include cooperative education (co-op) or internship experience (paid or unpaid).
NOTE: Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S Secretary of Education. If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee.
Anticipated Eligibility – Age and Educational Requirements:
According to Civil Service Law, section 54 which became effective September 4, 2024, applicants who are within 12 months of meeting the minimum age or attaining the minimum educational requirements following the date of examination, may take the civil service exam, but will be restricted from certification until such a time that the minimum age or educational requirements are met. Candidates will be required to provide proof of qualifying education and/or age within 12 months of exam date in order to be eligible for appointment from a certified list.
Special Requirements:
If you are appointed, you will be required to have a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State or otherwise demonstrate your capacity to meet the transportation needs of the position.
