Litigation Legal Assistant- 3623494

TheLitigation Legal Assistant is a vital contributor to our legal teams. In this role, you will support the delivery of quality legal services to our clients by providing administrative and secretarial assistance to attorneys. Responsibilities range from complex and specialized secretarial tasks to administrative activities, while working with others in the local office and personnel in other locations. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Prepare routine correspondence, memoranda and legal documents including pleadings notebooks, indexes, and exhibits using correct legal form.
• Accurately file court documents electronically and in document form and be able to determine and follow any local or judge specific requirements related to same.
• Anticipates the needs of assigned attorneys to promote timekeeper efficiencies.
• Pay close attention to detail, including excellent proofreading skills to correct grammar and spelling errors prior to distribution or filing.
• Correctly enter appointments on appropriate calendars; calculate deadlines and due dates accurately to ensure all critical dates are properly noted.
• Routinely review and follow-up on client deadlines and calendar appointments.
• Set up and maintain filing systems in an organized, useable fashion.
• Utilize standard naming and profiling conventions when scanning, emailing, and saving documents to the document management system.
• Maintain familiarity with each client’s billing and time entry requirements for lawyers.
• Respond to correspondence as requested.
• Interact with clients, court personnel, other law offices, banks, title companies, government agencies, and the public in a knowledgeable, courteous, and quick manner.
• Prepare expense reports.
• Coordinate details for depositions including scheduling court reporter, setting up and cleaning meeting room, when necessary; schedule court reporter for trial.
• Open new files following standard office procedures.
• Open, scan, and route lawyers’ incoming mail, including making sure all incoming and outgoing mail is scanned into firm’s case management system.
• Answer telephone, take messages, provide information, and receive information concerning matters related to the legal work handled by the assigned attorneys.
• Prepare and send faxes, documents, mail, certified mail, overnight mail, FedEx packages and interoffice mail.
• Must be able to master skills specific to the assigned attorneys including such tasks as correspondence, spreadsheets, minutes, reports, and other documents.
• Assist legal and non-legal personnel as requested.
• Occasionally lift large boxes and/or files.
• Work with runners to ensure timely filings, hand deliveries, etc.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate degree or Legal Secretary Certificate preferred.
• Minimum of three to five years of relevant work experience in litigation; equivalent combination of education and/or experience considered.
• Knowledge of legal terminology and legal document management (e.g., briefs, summonses, complaints, motions, pleadings, and discovery).
• Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and democratic political processes.
• Knowledge of federal and state court rules and e-filing procedures.
• Familiarity with litigation management software systems preferred.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services.
• Effective oral and written communication skills with knowledge of correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation usage.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and Power Point; ability to operate basic office equipment such as a copy machine, fax machine, printer, scanner, and computer; proficient with internet research.
• Excellent organizational skills with an eye for detail.
• Ability to work and maintain patience with diversified individuals of various ethnic backgrounds and professional competencies.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.