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Juv LA3 BOCC Read AheadSUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON FOR THE COUNTY OF LEWIS (360) 740-1178 360 N.W. North St., MS:JUV01 JUVENILE COURT Fax (360) 748-2258 Chehalis, WA 98532-1900 TDD (360) 740-1480 Shad B. Hail Hon. J. Andrew Toynbee Administrator Judge - Department No. 1 Susan E. Wickert Hon. James W. Lawler Office Manager Judge – Department No. 2 Vanessa L. Conwell Hon. Joely A. Yeager Detention Manager Judge – Department No. 3 Rickie M. Anders Paul A Strophy Probation Manager Court Commissioner To: Lewis County BOCC From: Shad Hail, Juvenile Court Administrator Re: Proposed Legal Assistant 3 Read Ahead Date: June 28, 2024 Request: I am requesting that the Board approve the creation of a Legal Assistant 3 classification at a range 120 on the salary scale to mirror the structure of the Juvenile Court’s other positions (i.e. Probation Officer 1 & 2, Detention Officer 1 & 2). This request is not for an additional FTE, but rather for an additional classification Legal Assistants could pursue. This position would be for fully cross-trained Legal Assistants who have worked for the Juvenile Court for a minimum of 5 years and provide coaching, mentorship, and training to new employees. Note: There is no Legal Assistant 1 position. The Legal Assistant 2 position is the entry level position at Juvenile Court. Budget: Because I wrote the job description to require 5 years of employment as a Legal Assistant with the Juvenile Court, only one employee would be eligible. The next most senior person would not be eligible for 4 more years. Assuming this person applied for the position, I would anticipate placing them at a 120/5 which would be an increase of $7,369 a year total cost. However, much of this difference is expected to be absorbed in future years by differences in compensation associated with upcoming retirements. Grade Step Extended Salary Combined Benefits Total Salary & Benefits Cost 117 6 56,840 27,229 84,069 Difference =0 120 4 61,567 28,076 89,643 $5,574 120 5 63,090 28,348 91,438 $7,369 120 6 64,657 28,629 93,286 $9,217 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON FOR THE COUNTY OF LEWIS (360) 740-1178 360 N.W. North St., MS:JUV01 JUVENILE COURT Fax (360) 748-2258 Chehalis, WA 98532-1900 TDD (360) 740-1480 Shad B. Hail Hon. J. Andrew Toynbee Administrator Judge - Department No. 1 Susan E. Wickert Hon. James W. Lawler Office Manager Judge – Department No. 2 Vanessa L. Conwell Hon. Joely A. Yeager Detention Manager Judge – Department No. 3 Rickie M. Anders Paul A Strophy Probation Manager Court Commissioner Background: Effective leadership cannot happen by accident and especially not in times like these. The creation of this position is part of a specific strategy I have to prioritize retention and address a near crippling loss of institutional knowledge. Due to retirements and other turnover, currently a quarter of our staff are on a probationary period and 60% have been in their current position for less than 2 years. We have had 2 retirements so far in 2024, 2 more will be in the next few months, and another 2 are expected within the next 12 months. That is nearly 20% of the Juvenile Court staff retiring over a 15 month period. At the Juvenile Court we have very specific strategies to try and create an excellent work culture and retain the right kinds of people to serve the youth and families in our community. We hire the right people, provide them the right training and opportunities for growth, invest in them, and do our best to retain them, and they in turn train and mentor our other employees. We currently have PO and PO2 positions and DO and DO2 positions for the right people in those positions to work towards. There are no other positions in the Legal Assistant role, but the role of trainer and mentor is still necessary. The Juvenile Court does not do any time-based promotions or even certification-based promotions. We only do overall merit-based promotions. We have these second level positions open for any PO or DO to potentially achieve, but they take a great deal of initiative, dedication to personal growth, and buy-in to the overall mission and vision of the Juvenile Court. We also prioritize finding every way possible to retain those highest performers as they are our most trained and most knowledgeable staff who conduct themselves in a manner we want every employee to try and emulate. That is what the LA3 position would be for the Legal Assistant series. Susan Wickert is the manager over the Legal Assistants and she is soon to be retiring. We have one Legal Assistant still on her probationary period and the other position is vacant but soon to be filled with a new employee. That leaves only 1 experienced Legal Assistant who will be tasked with providing the bulk of the training and mentorship to the other Legal Assistants down the road, as well as helping onboard a new manager. Finally, it should be noted that our Legal Assistants are also deputized clerk’s just as those at the Lewis County Clerk’s Office. However, they have a higher classification for fully cross-trained and tenured employees at a range 120 and the Juvenile Court does not. The Clerk’s Office is my closest competitor and this request attempts to decrease the disparity in pay between very similar jobs in the same county. I appreciate your consideration. /s/ Shad Hail, Juvenile Court Administrator Rachel Lester Human Resources HR Generalist SR Public Disclosure Requests Lewis County Human Resources Human Resources To: Shad Hail, Juvenile Court Administrator From: Rachel Lester, HR Generalist Senior RE: Legal Assistant III Salary Analysis Date: June 25, 2024 Introduction The Juvenile Division of Superior Court in Lewis County is seeking to establish a Legal Assistant III position. This senior-level role is designed to provide leadership and guidance to less experienced employees, ensuring comprehensive cross-training across all legal assistant functions within the juvenile court. Additionally, this position will be responsible for training, mentoring, and coaching staff, the public, and other agencies. To determine the appropriate salary range for this role, a detailed salary analysis was conducted, considering both national and local compensation trends for comparable positions. National and State Compensation Data According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of May 2023: • The national mean annual wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants is $66,460. • The national median annual wage is $60,970. • Within local government, the annual mean wage is $78,130. • In Washington state, the annual mean wage is $75,560. • In the top-paying metropolitan areas of Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue, WA, the annual mean wage is $83,210. Local Market Comparison An analysis of similar positions within neighboring counties and local competitors provides additional context for setting a competitive salary range: Walla Walla County: Legal Assistant III • Starting Pay: $41,244 351 NW North Street Chehalis, WA 98532-1900 360.740.1209 Page 2 of 7 • Pay Cap: $55,272 • Requirements: HS Diploma and seven years of administrative support experience, including one year equivalent to Legal Assistant II. Franklin County: Legal Secretary III • Starting Pay: $45,843 • Pay Cap: $61,547 • Requirements: HS Diploma or GED and two years of office experience in a legal environment. Whatcom County: Legal Assistant III • Starting Pay: $49,962 • Pay Cap: $75,733 • Requirements: BA in Criminal Justice or related field and two years’ experience as a legal assistant, or AA in Paralegal studies with four years’ experience, or six years’ experience. Grays Harbor County: Secretary III • Starting Pay: $51,336 • Pay Cap: $60,192 • Requirements: HS Diploma, four years of secretarial experience, two of which must be as a Secretary II in the Juvenile Department. Thurston County: Legal Assistant II • Starting Pay: $51,804 • Pay Cap: $68,904 • Requirements: HS Diploma or GED, AA in legal assistant or paralegal studies or four years of experience in a legal-related field including two years in a Legal Assistant I position. Clark County: Legal Specialist • Starting Pay: $53,518 • Pay Cap: $72,259 • Requirements: Three years of legal secretarial support work; legal secretarial coursework can substitute for one year of experience. Snohomish County: Legal Process Assistant III • Starting Pay: $56,732 • Pay Cap: $68,986 • Requirements: Two years’ experience working in District or Juvenile Court and one year of experience supervising employees or a combination of experience and training. Lewis County: Court Clerk Senior • Starting Pay: $56,812 • Pay Cap: $76,428 • Requirements: HS Diploma or GED and five years clerical/customer service experience, with a minimum of five years within the clerk's office. The data collected is as follows: County / Title Starting Pay Pay Cap Misc./Education Chelan $ - $ - Does not have this position. Spokane $ - $ - Does not have this position beyond a level I or II Page 3 of 7 Adams $ - $ - Does not have this position beyond a level I. Kitsap $ - $ - Does not have this position. Cowlitz $ - $ - Does not go beyond a level I. Yakima $ - $ - Does not go beyond a level I. Douglas $ - $ - Does not go beyond a level I. Clallam $ - $ - Does not go beyond a level II. Island $ - $ - Does not have a similar position. City of Chehalis $ - $ - Contracts out. Walla Walla $ 41,244 $ 55,272 Performs complex administrative, legal secretarial activities. Serves as liaison between assigned attorney, law enforcement, and the courts. HS Diploma and seven years administrative support experience including one year of legal secretarial practices equivalent to Legal Assistant II. Franklin/ Legal Secretary III $ 45,843 $ 61,547 Performs a variety of complex, specialized, and technical intermediate legal secretarial functions in PAO. Greets and assists the public and staff, etc. Serves as liaison. Maintains calendar. HS Diploma or GED and two years of office experience in a legal environment. Whatcom $ 49,962 $ 75,733 Independently performs a variety of complex and diverse office, clerical and secretarial support functions. Prepares court documents, pleadings, reports, correspondence. Provides assistance and information to the public and witnesses. Acts as liaison between attorneys, etc. BA in Criminal Justice or related field and two years’ experience as a legal assistant, or AA in Paralegal studies with four years’ experience, or six years’ experience. Grays Harbor/Secretary III $ 51,336 $ 60,192 Performs a variety of legal secretarial duties, transcription, operates JUVIS, acts as liaison, manages files. HS Diploma, four years of secretarial experience, two of which must be as a Secretary II working within Grays Harbor County Juvenile Department. Thurston/ Legal Assistant II $ 51,804 $ 68,904 Provides a variety of technical clerical support services to attorneys. HS Diploma or GED, AA in legal assistant or paralegal studies or four years of experience in legal related field which includes two years in a legal Assistant I level position. Clark/ Legal Specialist $ 53,518 $ 72,259 Responsible for establishing and maintaining case files, processing complicated legal documents, respond to questions from the public, prepares responses to legal correspondence. Three years of legal secretarial support work. One year of legal secretarial Page 4 of 7 course work can be substituted for one year of experience. Snohomish/ Legal Process Assistant III $ 56,732 $ 68,986 Complex office work, supervises other office staff, maintains, prepares and processes legal documents and records. Two years' experience working in DC or Juvenile Court and one year of experience supervising employees or a combo of experience and training. Lewis County/ Court Clerk Senior $ 56,812 $ 76,428 Performs a variety of clerical support functions, processes legal documents, conducts a variety of record management functions, provides customer service to the public. Prepares files and records. HS Diploma or GED and five years clerical/customer service experience and a minimum of five years within the clerk's office. Lewis County/ Lead Deputy DC Clerk/Calendar Coordinator $ 56,812 $ 76,428 Under limited supervision, serves as Lead Deputy and performs a variety of legal administrative functions on behalf of the Lewis County District Court; schedules court hearings and maintains the Court’s calendar; dockets and files criminal case documents; issues summons and subpoenas; and performs other related duties as assigned. Associate’s Degree in a related field; AND four (4) year’s court clerk experience in a limited jurisdiction court environment. Benton/ Legal Process Assistant III $ 56,988 $ 73,968 Performs senior level technical, legal, clerical duties within an administrative support office of the court. HS Diploma or GED and three years' clerical experience including two years of legal office or court experience or a combo of education and experience. Skagit $ 57,408 $ 72,966 Provides complex legal support, acts as a liaison between client and attorney. Process referrals, sets up files, prepares pleadings and correspondence, prepares and organizes and maintains case files. Five years of progressively responsible law office experience or experience in the legal field. Paralegal Certificate or equivalent education with a Bachelor’s or an Associate’s Degree in Law & Justice, Paralegal Studies or related field required. Grant / Legal Secretary III $ 58,906 $ 65,416 Advanced administrative support, preparation of legal documents, records requests. Four years' experience in office administrative Page 5 of 7 support or two years competent performance in a legal environment. Lewis County/ Court Clerk Senior Lead $ 59,387 $ 79,846 Performs a variety of clerical support functions, processes legal documents, conducts a variety of record management functions, provides customer service to the public. Prepares files and records. HS Diploma or GED and five years clerical/customer service experience and a minimum of five years within the clerk's office. Lewis County/ Senior Paralegal $ 59,387 $ 79,846 Performs highly skilled legal administrative functions, provides routine and advanced litigation support, conducts legal research, drafts/prepares/files legal documents, schedules and coordinates calendars, Records management. Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies; AND five (5) year’s paralegal experience, OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. A Notary Public License is required Pierce $ 61,256 $ 76,648 Complex legal support, coordinates and participates in collection and preparation of reports, provides supervision over others, organizes case files, maintains legal files, dictation. Two or more years of progressive, responsible experience as a legal assistant, legal secretary or related legal staff support function. LC PUD/ Sr Admin Assistant $ 61,549 $ 92,323 Provides advanced and complex administrative support, manages multiple calendars, coordinate and maintain documents with Records retention schedule, handle claims, correspondence. Associate degree (A.A.) from a two-year college or technical school; and minimum of five years of experience as an executive assistant or in executive support positions; or equivalent combination of education and experience. King/ Legal Admin Specialist III $ 64,089 $ 81,237 Provide clerical support and case coordination, research specialized or technical legal documents, attends court hearings, case coordination, prepare/maintain/process documents. Additional licenses, certifications and other requirements determined to be necessary to meet the business needs of the employing unit may be required. Page 6 of 7 Salary Placement Recommendations Within our own County organization, the legal assistant position is very similar to that of the Paralegal, the District Court Clerk, and the Court Clerk. Because of this, the Juvenile Division recognizes that it must adequately compensate their legal assistant positions to mitigate the loss of an employee to a higher paid, similar position within a different department. Law firms continue to be the largest employer of paralegals and legal assistants; however, many large organizations are increasing their in-house legal departments to cut costs which leads to an increase in the demand for legal workers in a variety of settings. This demand makes it imperative that the Juvenile Division remain competitive in the market, to retain the people they currently have, and to continue to attract quality candidates. Given the data collected and analyzed, the proposed salary range for the Legal Assistant III position in the Lewis County Juvenile Division should be competitive both within the county structure and compared to neighboring counties. To attract and retain qualified candidates, and in accordance with the Board of County Commissioners’ objective to maintain competitiveness in the market by positioning roles at the mid-level range, it is recommended to consider assigning this position a grade of 120 on the Lewis County salary grid. At a grade of 120, the starting salary for this position would be placed at $56,812 which is in line with the minimum-level range and the starting salary that is closest to the mid-level range the BOCC is desiring. $- $20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $80,000 $100,000 Walla Walla Franklin/ Legal Secretary III Whatcom Grays Harbor/Secretary III Thurston/ Legal Assistant II Clark/ Legal Specialist Snohomish/ Legal Process Assistant III Lewis County/ Court Clerk Senior Lewis County/ Lead Deputy DC Clerk/Calendar… Benton/ Legal Process Assistant III Skagit Grant / Legal Secretary III Lewis County/ Court Clerk Senior Lead Lewis County/ Senior Paralegal Pierce LC PUD/ Sr Admin Assistant King/ Legal Admin Specialist III Juvenile Legal Assistant III Pay Cap Starting Pay Page 7 of 7 This range aligns closely with similar senior-level legal assistant positions within Lewis County and nearby counties. It is also competitive compared to national and state averages, ensuring that the Juvenile Division can attract high-quality candidates and retain its current staff. Conclusion The proposed Legal Assistant III position in the Lewis County Juvenile Division requires a well-considered salary range to remain competitive in the local job market. By setting the starting pay at a 120 on the Lewis County salary grid, the Juvenile Division will be well-positioned to attract and retain skilled legal assistants, providing the necessary leadership and expertise to support the division's functions effectively. The recommendations for salary scores within this study are competitive and comparable within the local market. If further assistance or clarification of this study is needed, please contact our department at 360-740-2737 or hr@lewiscountywa.gov. Page 1 of 2 JUVENILE DIVISION LEGAL ASSISTANT III JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title: Juvenile Division Legal Assistant III Pay Grade: 120 FLSA: Non-Exempt Job Code: LS???? Effective Date: May 2024 Revision Date: May 2024 NATURE OF WORK Under general supervision, performs a variety of clerical functions in support of Lewis County Superior Court Juvenile Division; processes and files legal documents; provides customer service to the public; conducts a variety of records management functions; maintains case files; collects and receipts Court fees associated with UAs; and performs other specialized duties as assigned. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties. • Responds to inquiries, researches cases, and provides customer service to the public, law enforcement, and outside agencies regarding individual cases, court processes, and procedures; answering incoming calls and communicating face-to-face, via email or fax. • Receives money, records and receipts payments for Court fees associated with UAs; maintains cash drawer. • Creates, updates, maintains, and retrieves case files; updates case progress. • Maintains ongoing awareness of applicable rules, statutes, and regulations pertaining to records of juveniles involved with criminal and/or civil court proceedings. • Drafts, prepares, files, and distributes various types of legal documents including notice and summons, petitions, motions, orders, warrants, motions of contempt, notices of legal publication, probation violations, and appointments of counsel/Guardian ad Litem. • Conducts research regarding cases and individuals; enters and files criminal cases and civil petitions, individual name/demographic information changes into Judicial Information System (JIS) and Juvenile Corrections System (JCS); ensures accuracy of information across multiple local and statewide information databases. • Prepares, certifies, files, activates and deactivates warrants for criminal and civil cases in statewide databases utilized by juvenile courts. • Prepares new referrals for review by probation officers; enters referrals from school districts, parents, and DCYF into the JIS, JCS, and/or other designated databases. • Performs a variety of records management and clerical functions; organizes, files, completes data entry, scans, archives, copies, retrieves, and/or certifies court records and documents. Creates databases for use by local departments. • Determines eligibility and completes the destruction of case files; seals eligible cases in JCS. • Maintains GAL resource library to provide training materials to fulfill required continuing education of volunteers; provides support to GAL Program Coordinators in recruiting and training of volunteers. • Researches and analyzes statistical data for court operations and completes monthly statistical report for distribution to Court Administrator and Judges. • Performs other specific specialized duties relative to area of assignment and as a deputized Superior Court Clerk. Page 2 of 2 Job Title: Juvenile Division Legal Assistant Job Code: LS124 WORKING ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Work is performed in a standard office environment; subject to sitting for extended periods of time, standing, walking, bending, reaching, and lifting of objects up to 25 pounds. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: This is the senior-level of the Legal Assistant series. The individual must have worked at least five (5) years in the role of a legal assistant and consistently demonstrates the highest levels of professionalism, positivity, and competence in all aspects of the position. Individuals must be fully cross-trained in all legal assistant roles within the juvenile court and must maintain ongoing training and development; consistently demonstrates the ability to provide training, mentor, and/or coach employees, other agencies, and the public; consistently demonstrates initiative to seek out innovative ways to assist and support all other positions within the juvenile court; actively identifies process or procedural issues and proposes resolutions; consistently demonstrates initiative in learning new software or other systems; must also have developed leadership skills and may coordinate teams of people for projects and tasks. May be assigned as a site coordinator for the Administrative Office of the Courts software applications. May be assigned to train other employees and provide progress updates to management. May be assigned to coordinate other legal assistants for office coverage and coverage of daily duties in the event that management is unavailable. EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS: Associate’s Degree in Legal Assistant studies; AND two (2) year’s legal clerical experience; OR a High School Diploma or GED and four (4) years legal clerical experience. Transferrable skills considered in standards. Successful candidate must successfully complete a criminal history background investigation including a psychological and polygraph examination. A valid Driver’s License is required at hiring and employee must be bondable to be a Notary Public, which is required upon hiring. KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS: Knowledge of: • County and Juvenile Court operations, policies, and procedures. • Legal terminology and documentation. • State of Washington Court Rules. • The Judicial Information System and related databases. • Records management principles and standards. • General office practices and equipment. • Standard computer software applications. • Customer service standards and protocols. Skills in: • Coordinating and performing a variety of legal administrative functions. • Responding to inquiries and providing customer service to outside agencies and the public. • Preparing, maintaining and distributing legal documents and case files; including documentation and statistics. • Preparing, filing, and distributing various types of legal documents. • Collecting and receipting payments for Court authorized UAs. • Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other staff, court and law enforcement personnel, outside agencies, service providers, community organizations, juveniles, guardians and the general public. • Communicating effectively verbally and in writing; to include deescalating hostile or emotional members of the public.