LEGAL SERVICES CLERK

1B40

PAY RANGE: 11

(Forensic Evidence)

(Records and Identification)

(Reentry Services)

(Trial Listing)

(Ethics Compliance)

(Sheriff’s Sales)

GENERAL DEFINITION

This is complex, specialized clerical work in support of law enforcement activities or correctional system activities or investigative and enforcement activities involving violation of ethics codes and ordinances. Employees in the Trial Listing specialty process a variety of legal forms and records necessary to prosecute defendants. Employees in the Forensic Evidence specialty follow chain-of-custody handling techniques for receipt and storage of evidence., Employees in the Records and Identification specialty roll fingerprints for law enforcement purposes, prepare and maintain fingerprint, photography and other related identification records and files, and provide customer and field support services for the Records and Identification Unit, Employees in the Ethics Compliance specialty process a variety of prosecutorial and adjudicative forms and records. Employees in the Reentry Services specialty provide technical and administrative support to management and counseling staff for the reintegration program in Prisons. Employees in the Sheriff’s Sales specialty process legal documentation, conduct legal research and ensure the judicial sale of property adheres to PA Rules of Civil Procedure and all applicable city, state, and federal laws, rules and regulations. Adherence to protocols and procedures to ensure proper handling of materials related to criminal court cases is of major significance to the work. Work is performed under the direction of an administrative superior.

ALLOCATING FACTORS: (The following factors must be met in order for a position to be allocated to this class.)

1) Positions in this class must perform advanced level support activities on behalf of law enforcement or correctional or ethics board officials.

2) Positions must be located in the District Attorney's Office, Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office, the Police Department, Prisons or the Board of Ethics.

TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)

All Specialties

Answers questions, takes messages, and refers telephone calls; enters, updates, revises, tracks, and retrieves information; gathers information required for official replies and reports; types and proofreads a variety of correspondence and other documents; maintains statistical and activity data; organizes and maintains file; assists in special projects as assigned.

Performs related work as required.

Trial Listing Specialty

Checks case folders against list of defendants to insure existence of case folders for each; identifies co-defendants in the same action and merges files; posts date of trial and courtroom locations from a trial list to the outside of folders; receives case folders after trial; checks case folders for police reports, criminal extracts, complaints, medical records, and other documents necessary for presenting the case in court; requests missing documents from police districts and departments concerned; checks a listing of witnesses against copies of subpoenas issued; requests subpoenas be issued if missing; prepares subpoenas for additional witnesses; files subpoenas in case folders; files folders by court term and number and files cases after trial disposition.

Prepares bring-up orders for defendants or witnesses who are incarcerated and are to appear at trial; notifies bail bondperson of trial date of defendant; answers questions from attorneys and interested parties concerning the status of cases scheduled for trial; notifies witnesses of postponement or cancellation of trial; requests the presence of court interpreters when needed; requests medical and bank records necessary for trial.

Performs related work as required.

Forensic Evidence Specialty

Receives forensic evidence (including drugs, firearms, fire debris, explosives, documents, biological materials, any physical material used in the course of a criminal investigation, etc.); examines evidence containers for contents, physical hazards, proper seal, packaging and labeling; returns materials not correctly sent or improperly and unsafely packaged.

Records evidence information into electronic data-system; updates records as required; labels evidence containers; stores evidence in temporary facilities; transfers evidence to proper laboratory units and between units; logs evidence in and out of property rooms; accepts and inventories previously submitted and analyzed evidence that has been presented in Court; accesses Police and Court computer systems for incident, defendant and court information; testifies in court as required regarding chain of custody of evidence.

Assists in inventorying and disposing of evidence to external facilities; repackages, inventories and properly stores evidence that requires drying or special handling.

Performs related work as required.

Records and Identification Specialty

Rolls fingerprints using LiveScan or ink for law enforcement purposes; develops and improves skills and techniques used to fingerprint hospitalized individuals, cadavers, and individuals with skin difficult to print.

Logs and files fingerprint cards; enters demographic data into a criminal information system to establish a record; conducts fingerprint record searches; generates reports from record search results; prepares outgoing correspondence.

Provides customer service to law enforcement agencies by conducting special searches for fingerprint or photographic records and fulfills requests for related services or products; fields telephone requests for information and records calls into a centralized customer service log for recordkeeping purposes.

Assists Police Photographer in shooting, developing and printing still photographs of prisoners and arrestees; positions person in poses; logs, maintains and retrieves photographs and related files.

Performs related work as required.

Reentry Services Specialty

Manages calendar and schedules meetings for management of reentry services; responds to general inquiries directed to the office by phone and by email; assists in client sign-up for trainings and workshops; assists in preparing training materials such as manuals and handbooks.

Assists in creating promotional materials such as brochures and flyers; maintains website content and social media accounts for reentry programs.

Conducts research for new partnerships, workforce trends, and parenting programs; compiles recidivism data for use by management; assists in preparing presentations and reports.

Performs related work as required.

Ethics Compliance Specialty

Develops and maintains the separate filing system for lobbyists, lobbying firms and principals; creates and maintains duplicate lobbying registrations and expense reports for inspection by the public; receives, processes and verifies payments for lobbying registration fees; compiles, copies and prepares and maintains confidential material for Ethics Board meetings, including maintaining separation of prosecutorial and adjudicative materials.

Directs members of the public to the Board’s website to find advice issued by the Board and links to the Public Integrity Laws; provides information to callers about the process to request advice or to request an investigation from the Board; assists users of the on-line Financial Disclosure System (FDS) with access and use of the online system; provides telephone support for City Human Resource Managers with creation of employee profiles and with corrections of employee information in the FDS; prepares mailings to former City employees concerning financial disclosure requirements; performs research to determine which forms are required by members of a particular board or commission; manages registrations and tracks attendance for specialized ethics, campaign finance and lobbying training sessions.

Performs related work as required.

Sheriff’s Sales Specialty

Ensures Sheriff’s Sales process and accepted documentation comply with PA Rules of Civil Procedure, and all applicable city, state and federal laws, regulations and rules for sale of property; processes writs and other legal documentation concerning sale of property; verifies and executes court orders; researches legal topics related to sales such as liens, heirs and property descriptions; performs data input and maintains legal records using the JEWELL System; verifies and processes payments and refund requests; arranges for advertisements; communicates with attorneys and the public to address questions about properties or judicial sale process; collaborates with city and external agencies in the judicial sale process.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

KNOWLEDGE OF:

All Specialties

· office practices, methods, and procedures

· English and spelling

· arithmetic

· legal and/or medical terminology, as applied to area of specialization

Trial Listing Specialty

· the purposes and scope of various courts

· trial listing procedures

· process involved in the preparation of subpoenas

Forensic Evidence Specialty

· preservation techniques for items submitted in evidence and laws affecting the handling of physical evidence and the confidentiality of reports

· laboratory safety related to hazardous substances and biological hazards

· techniques for handling, disarming and storing all types of firearms

Records and Identification Specialty

· clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records

· departmental rules, regulations, procedures, and functions

Reentry Services Specialty

· reentry services and programs

· community organizations and partners in providing reentry services

Ethics Compliance

· Board of Ethics rules, regulations, procedures, and functions

· the online Financial Disclosure System (FDS)

Sheriff Sale Specialty

· PA Rules of Civil Procedure and all applicable city, state and federal laws, regulations and rules for sale of property

· JEWELL information system and legacy database for the Sheriff’s Office

SKILL IN:

· using a computer to produce documents and to enter, correct, and retrieve information

ABILITY TO:

· understand and follow oral and written instructions

· learn procedures involved in the clerical processing of case files for the Trial Listing specialty

· organizing and maintaining filing systems

· make decisions within departmental guidelines

· define and establish clerical procedures to accomplish work requirements

· make judgmental decisions where several alternative courses of action are presented

· present ideas effectively, both orally and in writing

· maintain confidentiality

· establish and maintain effective working relationships with attorneys, associates, and the general public

Records and Identification Specialty

· learn modern methods, practices and techniques of police identification work

· learn fingerprinting and photographic methods and techniques

· maintain accurate files and records

· work accurately with names, numbers, codes and/or symbols

· sort and organize information numerically and alphabetically

· exercise discretion in handling confidential information

· work in small spaces, bend, stand, kneel and/or climb ladders

Ethics Compliance Specialty

· Learn the laws administered by the Boards of Ethics, including the Ethics, Financial Disclosure, Campaign Finance and Lobbying requirements of the Philadelphia Code and applicable public integrity provisions of the Home Rule Charter for the Board of Ethics position

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests. Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 4/17.)

EDUCATION:

Education equivalent to completion of the twelfth school grade.

AND

EXPERIENCE:

Trial Listing Specialty

Three years of experience in clerical work, two years of which have involved processing a variety of legal documents.

Forensic Evidence Specialty

Three years of experience in clerical work in a major municipal police department, one year of which has included provision of support services within a forensic laboratory.

Records and Identification Specialty

Three years of experience in clerical work, two years of which have been at the Clerk 2 level or above, in the Police Department, performing clerical procedures requiring the use of judgment in selecting alternative courses of action.

Reentry Services Specialty

Three years of experience in clerical work providing technical and administrative support for a reintegration services program.

Ethics Compliance Specialty

Three years of experience in clerical work, two years of which have involved processing a variety of legal documents and forms for the Board of Ethics.

Sheriff’s Sales Specialty

Three years of experience in clerical work, two years of which have been in the Sheriff’s Office and have included processing legal documentation and interacting with the public or legal representatives at Sheriff’s Sales to ensure compliance with the PA Rules of Civil Procedure and all applicable local, state, and federal rules and regulations for judicial sale of property.

Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Office of Human Resources.

NOTE: Completion of a Bachelor’s degree may substitute for the experience on a year for year basis up to a maximum of two years for the Reentry Services specialty.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, AND/OR CERTIFICATES

Records and Identification Specialty

Possession of a valid proper class motor vehicle's operator's license issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania prior to and during tenure of employment as a Legal Services Clerk, if required by work assignment.

Must be able to pass, prior to appointment, a criminal background check and maintain background check clearance during tenure of employment as a Legal Services Clerk.

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

Class Established 5/63

Spec. Revision: CSC – 11/10; Ad Board – 12/10

Spec. Revision:

CSC – 4/13

Ad Board – 5/13

Spec. Revision:

CSC – 5/15

Ad. Board – 6/15

CSC – 2/17

Ad. Board – 4/17