Job Title: Legal Assistant
Job Responsibilities:
The legal assistant at the law firm is responsible for providing high-level administrative support to attorneys focusing on civil litigation matters in New York and surrounding areas. Key responsibilities include:
- Supporting high-volume civil defense matters pending in state and federal courts.
- Creating, editing, formatting, and finalizing various legal documents such as correspondence, memoranda, discovery, pleadings, motions, and briefs.
- Filing and serving legal documents across all New York courts.
- Communicating effectively with courts, opposing counsel, clients, and vendors.
- Processing vendor invoices and preparing check requests.
- Preparing expense reimbursement forms.
- Maintaining attorney calendars and scheduling court appearances, depositions, meetings, and deadlines.
- Opening new files and ensuring proper indexing and filing of original legal documents and electronic files.
- Assisting attorneys in trial preparation, including organizing exhibits, coordinating witness schedules, and drafting trial-related documents.
- Making travel arrangements and appointments for attorneys and coordinating meetings, depositions, etc.
- Entering billable time entries into the firm's timekeeping system accurately and promptly.
- Working collaboratively in a fast-paced team environment, providing assistance to attorneys and supporting colleagues as needed.
- Performing general administrative duties such as filing, photocopying, scanning, managing office supplies, answering phones, and other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Education and Experience Information:
The ideal candidate should have a minimum of 3 years of experience as a legal assistant or secretary in a civil litigation setting. Additional qualifications include:
- Experience with NY State and Federal court procedures and rules.
- Familiarity with filing documents using NYCEF and other electronic filing systems.
- A strong understanding of civil litigation procedures, court rules, and legal terminology.
- Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and work efficiently under pressure.
- Meticulous attention to detail and accuracy in drafting, editing, and proofreading legal documents.
- Proficiency with Microsoft products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Windows Applications, Internet search engines, and electronic court filing and service applications.
- The ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Interpersonal skills necessary for effective communication and instruction-following.
- Independent judgment required to plan, prioritize, and organize a diversified workload.
Salary Information:
The salary for the legal assistant position ranges from $50,000 to $75,000 per year, commensurate with experience.
Benefits:
The law firm offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- 401(k) with match
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Vision insurance
About the Firm:
The law firm, founded in 1986, is a national law firm known for its accomplished trial attorneys. It has grown from a small firm in Chicago to a national presence with offices in various major cities including New York City. The firm counsels and defends clients, including Fortune 500 companies, corporations, and individuals, in complex litigation matters. These matters encompass a wide range of areas such as asbestos, class action, construction, employment, environmental, food and beverage, insurance coverage and bad faith, life sciences, product liability, professional liability, technology and cyber risk, transportation, and warranty.
