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Legal Secretary II

Employer
City Of Alexandria Virginia
Location
Alexandria, VA
Salary
$44,970.12 - $79,136.46 Annually
Closing date
Feb 20, 2023

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Job Details

Legal Secretary II - FOIA

An Overview

The Alexandria Office of the City Attorney is seeking a highly qualified Legal Secretary II whose work will be integral to the City’s compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA). The Legal Secretary II provides support to ensure all record requests are fulfilled in accordance with VFOIA by coordinating with agency staff, communicating with requesters, analyzing data from the FOIA database, and making recommendations for improvements in efficiency and effectiveness. The position is also responsible for other secretarial and legal tasks.

The Opportunity

  • Uses FOIA database to monitor status and completion of VFOIA requests.
  • Designs, develops and generates reports from the FOIA database.
  • Assists FOIA Officer in developing performance measures and tracking data to report on those measures.
  • Responds to questions regarding VFOIA and researches complex inquiries, coordinating with the FOIA Officer to confirm that information complies with City policies as well as VFOIA.
  • Confers with the responsible department to ensure that they are aware of the VFOIA request and understand that timeframe for completion.
  • Follows up as deadlines approach to verify that responses are provided in accordance with VFOIA.
  • Supports the FOIA Officer in the development and delivery of training to City staff as necessary to ensure that all employees who have VFOIA responsibilities have a thorough understanding of the law and its requirements; the City procedures for tracking, billing and responding to VFOIA requests; and how to use the FOIA database.
  • Composes correspondence for the FOIA Officer’s review and signature.
  • Deposit checks with finance if office receives checks from attorney offices, code violators, and real estate taxpayers.
  • Creates case files, maintains and organizes files, updates and keeps records relating to pending proceedings up to date.
  • Resolve inconsistencies between The City Attorney’s Office and the Courts of Alexandria such as incorrect court actions and court schedules.
  • Professionally greet city residents in person or over the phone and assist them with disputing a parking ticket, or transferring them to the best suited department/individual.
  • Performs related work as required.


About the Department

The City Attorney's Office provides legal advice to City Council, Boards and Commissions, the City Manager and City Departments. We are responsible for drafting ordinances, contracts, deeds, leases, and other legal papers. We represent the City in civil court to defend the City in actions taken against it and to initiate cases to enforce the City's laws and actions. Our office is also responsible for handling requests for public records, in compliance with FOIA and for serving as an adjudicator for parking ticket disputes.

Minimum & Additional Requirements

Two-Year College Degree; one year of experience in an office environment with basic skills in English grammar, punctuation, proofreading and Mathematics; ability to type 45 wpm and be computer literate; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

Paralegal degree or five or more years of experience working in a legal office and/or experience coordinating and tracking records, specifically Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Demonstrated ability working with an automated system to track records or FOIA requests; generating reports from the system; and analyzing the data. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Ability to communicate effectively and establish and maintain effective working relationships. This position requires the successful completion of pre-employment background checks including but not limited to drug testing and criminal background screenings.

Notes

This position will require the successful completion of a background investigation, to include a criminal records check.

Company

The City of Alexandria is an award-winning, innovative, and progressive local government that brings together elected leaders, residents, businesses, and staff to foster a thriving community.  We are an independent, full-service city, providing the services typically operated by both counties and cities in areas such as public safety, transportation, human services, parks and recreation, planning, and administration. We offer a wide range of exciting career opportunities in a variety of fields, with the resources and expertise to succeed.  In Alexandria, employees are our most important asset, and we work hard to create and support a culture that delivers excellence through the shared values of respect, integrity, teamwork and continuous improvement.

Our employees have access to excellent medical, dental, vision, life insurance and other benefits.  Alexandria provides a defined-benefit pension and offers six weeks of paid parental leave to employees who become parents through birth, adoption or foster care.

We offer a robust wellness program, interdepartmental rotation program, tuition assistance funding and professional development program that helps employees obtain the knowledge, skills, qualifications and experience to enhance their professional and personal growth.

With a population of approximately 160,000 and a land area of 16 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Located on the Potomac River across from Washington, D.C., Alexandria is known for its beautifully preserved 18th- and 19th-century architecture, charming waterfront, high-tech economy, vibrant retail and restaurant corridors and diverse neighborhoods. We are a unique and historic community, and we continue to innovate for the 21st century.

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