Careers at On-Call Legal
On-Call Legal has handled process serving, court filing and messenger work for California attorneys since 1999. This page describes the kind of work we do and how to send an application.
A note on openings
On-Call Legal does not advertise positions on this page. Applications are welcome at any time; however, submitting one does not indicate that a position is currently available, nor does it guarantee a response.
Should a suitable opening arise, we may contact applicants whose experience aligns with the role.
The kind of work we do
Process server
A process server delivers summonses, complaints, subpoenas and other court papers to the people named in them, at homes, workplaces and gated communities. When nobody answers, the server comes back at a different hour and writes down every attempt: the time, who came to the door and what was seen at the address.
Those notes end up on a signed proof of service that the attorney files with the court, so they have to be accurate.
Court runner and messenger
Runners take filings to clerk windows, pick up conformed copies and move documents between law offices, courthouses and recorder’s offices. Plenty of runs have to happen the same day, and some have to beat a filing deadline.
Knowing which courthouse handles which case type saves a second trip.
Court filing and eFiling
Filing staff prepare documents for state and federal courts, submit them electronically and follow each one until the court accepts it. When the clerk rejects a filing, the reason has to be found, fixed and the filing sent back in.
Every court has its own rules, so attention to detail matters more here than speed.
Records retrieval
Retrieval work means pulling court files, recorded documents and other public records for attorneys, sometimes from a counter and sometimes from an archive. A request might name a case number, or just a party and a rough date.
Patience with old indexes and microfilm helps.
Office and client support
Law firms send us jobs all day. The office takes those orders in, sends each one to the right person in the field, and keeps attorneys updated until the job is closed.
Serving papers in California
Anyone who is at least 18 and not a party to the case can serve a summons under Code of Civil Procedure section 414.10. Once a person serves more than ten papers in a calendar year, though, they have to be registered as a process server with the county clerk where they live or work (Business and Professions Code section 22350). Registration requires a $2,000 bond (section 22353) and is valid for two years.
Where we work
We have offices in Los Angeles, Glendale and Sacramento, and our work covers all 58 California counties.
How to apply
- Fill in your name and email.
- Under “Position You’re Interested In”, name the type of work from the list above.
- Under “Tell Us About Your Experience”, mention the counties you can cover and any legal, courier or office work you have done.
- Upload your resume and submit.
Applications are reviewed as positions become available.