Job Title: Legal Practice Assistant Float
Job Responsibilities:
The Legal Practice Assistant Float at the law firm is responsible for providing legal assistant support to attorneys in situations of overflow or absence. Key responsibilities include:
- Proofreading, editing, and drafting correspondence, memos, and legal documents to produce court-ready or client-ready finals for attorney review.
- Coordinating document production for court submissions.
- Ensuring timely delivery of legal work through effective coordination with word processing, editing, communications, and messenger services.
- Managing large mailings or deliveries to meet deadlines and requirements for state and federal courts and governmental agencies.
- Depending on the practice area, managing docketing calendars and ensuring adherence to deadlines.
- Editing attorney time records using established firm systems for accuracy.
- Assisting attorneys with calendar management, coordinating in advance of commitments and deadlines using automated tools.
- Updating pleading files and assembling notebooks and binders.
- Planning and coordinating travel arrangements.
- Developing an understanding of the firm's practice groups.
- Maintaining electronic and paper filing according to firm standards.
- Preparing credit card vouchers, check requests, and other accounting forms.
- Staying current with industry trends relevant to the position and legal profession.
- Ensuring expertise in relevant technology to enhance teamwork, client service, and efficiency.
- Performing additional duties as assigned.
Education and Experience Information:
- A Bachelor's degree is preferred, while a high school diploma is required.
- A minimum of 4 years of experience as a legal secretary in a law firm is required.
- Notary certification is desired.
Job Requirements:
Candidates must possess:
- Highly effective communication skills with the ability to communicate credibly and diplomatically at all organization levels.
- Strong sense of accountability and ownership over projects and responsibilities, with proactive issue resolution.
- Ability to take assignments from inception to completion with minimal supervision or broad guidelines.
- Analytical skills to determine priorities based on business objectives.
- High accuracy, attention to detail, and excellent proofreading skills.
- Strong client service ethic with a proven record of exemplary client satisfaction.
- Effective independent judgment and proactive, solution-oriented work approach.
- Ability to manage multiple requests, assess priorities, and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Strong organizational skills and creativity in problem-solving.
- Reliability, dependability, and motivation to quickly respond to requests.
- Strong team player skills and ability to work collaboratively with diverse individuals.
- Professionalism under pressure and strong knowledge of MS Office and other relevant software.
- Ability to conduct basic research and operate standard office equipment.
- Familiarity with court and procedural rules relevant to the practice area.
- Knowledge of records management and legal terminology pertinent to the area of assignment.
- Excellent verbal and written skills.
- Consistent attendance and ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- Additional skills may be required based on the practice group assigned.
Job Conditions:
The position requires availability for overtime as workload demands or as expected by attorneys to meet deadlines. Flexibility in daily work schedule around breaks and lunch periods due to client needs is usually necessary. The role operates in an office environment with open corridor spaces, artificial lighting, and moderate noise.
Physical Requirements:
- Manual dexterity for keyboarding and file organization.
- Writing and intensive reading of small or fine print.
- Frequent use of a computer, telephone, and standard office equipment.
- Frequent light lifting, bending, and reaching.
- Ability to hear through phone and transcription equipment.
- Frequent sitting and moving about the office.
- Considerable use of cognitive processes.
- Ability to lift at least 20 pounds.
Salary Information:
The pay range for this position is $75,000-$95,000 annually. Actual pay may vary depending on the candidate’s education, training, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.
Other Compensation and Benefits:
The law firm offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- 401(k) retirement plan with match and profit-sharing.
- Commuter allowance.
- Paid time off plus paid holidays throughout the calendar year.
- Disability and life insurance.
- Parental leave.
- Community service leave.
- Annual discretionary bonus, and more.
The provision of benefits is contingent on an employee's ability to meet eligibility requirements as outlined in benefit plan documents and firm policies.
Pre-Employment Screening:
Any job offer will be contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background screening.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The law firm is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, citizenship, sex, marital status, military or veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.
