Legal Administrative Assistant

Summary:

Performs a variety of secretarial duties for attorney(s) to whom assigned according to established policies and procedures. Maintains positive contact with clients, attorneys and staff and observes confidentiality of client matters.

Key Responsibilities:

• Solid working knowledge and a demonstrated high acumen in the operation of computer software applications, specifically Word, Outlook, iManage, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe PDF, ChromeRiver, and other firm software as required.

• Prepares legal documents from written and oral drafts and dictation, including creating shell pleadings and discovery in a properly formatted document.

• Creates drafts and standard correspondence to courts, clerks, and opposing counsel, etc. as required.

• Creates, edits, formats, and proofreads documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with the highest level of accuracy and attention to detail. Creates Table of Contents; Table of Authorities; and other formatting items such as, headers, footers, signature blocks, etc.

• Knowledge of e-filing process and is adept at learning local rules for courts in multiple jurisdictions.

• Creates case files electronically and manages appropriately allowing attorneys to locate or pull items from those files efficiently. Circulates file-stamped copies of filings.

• Pull documents and coordinate preparation of binders for items such as depositions, hearings and trial.

• Establishes and maintains attorney calendar and case deadline reminder systems with properly coordinating essential tasks that go along with calendared events (i.e., reserve conference room; making deposition arrangements).

• Scheduling meetings and travel itineraries based on attorney calendar availability.

• Processes bills; proofs billing sheets; reviews and edits bills.

• Processes new business requests by opening new matters; preparing and reviewing conflicts submissions; and closing matters appropriately.

• Manages workflow of assigned tasks and projects, prioritizing incoming tasks to meet deadlines and coordinate with other shared services to complete work.

• Ability to work with little supervision; prioritizes and anticipates work needs; works well under occasional periods of competing priorities and deadlines.

• Collaborates with administrative support staff (office services, word processing, accounting, IT, etc.) as necessary or appropriate to complete tasks.

• Performs legal assistant duties, as required. 16. Other duties as assigned.

The employee must be able to perform all essential job duties and responsibilities satisfactorily and as outlined, with or without reasonable accommodations. Reasonable accommodation requests may be accommodated, absent undue firm hardship.

Qualifications:

• Ability to proofread and perform editing (e.g., punctuation, grammar, spelling) of routine law office correspondence and legal case matters. Perform basic arithmetic calculations when verifying calculations on forms and documents; maintain records and filing systems at a level normally acquired through completion of high school or equivalent.

• Ability to transcribe legal documents, correspondence, and reports from rough draft or dictation with minimal errors.

• Approximately three to five years on the job general litigation experience necessary in order to produce accurate litigation documents and correspondence with minimal supervision.

• Familiar with State Court and Federal Court filing guidelines, judges’ preferences and fees. Ability to learn multiple jurisdiction court e-filing requirements.

• Ability to organize and prioritize tasks, as well as complete them within established time constraints. Consult with attorneys when priorities conflict.

• Interpersonal skills necessary to communicate and follow instructions effectively from a diverse group of clients, attorneys, and staff to provide information with ordinary courtesy and tact. High level of interpersonal skills required to handle sensitive and confidential situations.

• Work occasionally requires a high level of effort while producing a high volume of information and performing other essential duties.

• Must have exceptional technical skills and an advanced-level working knowledge of the MS Office Suite.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Proven proficiency using legal terminology and experience working in various practice area.

• The ability to quickly learn and integrate new technical skills and knowledge; seeks out avenues to enhance technical skills.

• Ability and willingness to cross train across different legal departments within the firm.

• Must exhibit a high degree of initiative in managing multiple priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven and detail-oriented work 4 environment utilizing excellent judgment, initiative, decision-making skills and the ability to work independently.

• Ability to effectively gather and summarize information to complete tasks.

• Ability to adapt to differing and individual styles and administrative tasks applicable to a variety of practice areas.

• Ability to provide outstanding customer service to internal and external clients/contacts.

Working Conditions:

Normal office environment with little exposure to noise, dust, temperature, and the like. The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities, or requirements.

Equal Employment and Opportunity Statement:

Barnes & Thornburg is committed to equal employment opportunity in both principle and as a matter of policy. We will recruit, hire, train, promote, compensate and provide benefits to all applicants and employees without regard to ancestry, sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, religion, religious creed, mental and/or physical disability, medical condition, military and/or veteran’s status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local laws. This policy applies to all recruiting, hiring, promotions, upgrades, layoffs, compensation, benefits, terminations and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment. The firm complies fully with all federal, state and local equal employment opportunity laws.