Litigation Legal Secretaries are business partners to our attorneys and streamline administrative processes to support the practice.
In this role, you’ll own non-billable work. This includes including typing, editing and/or formatting legal documents and correspondence, filing documents with various courts, both electronically and via messenger, arranging for service of documents on opposing counsel, telephone communications with clients and business contacts, inputting attorney time, paper and electronic file maintenance, calendar and contacts maintenance, coordinating travel arrangements, preparing reimbursement forms and other tasks as assigned.
On a typical day you will:
- Type, proofread, format and edit correspondence, pleadings, memoranda, agreements and other legal documents under time-sensitive deadlines; some pleading drafting; conversion of both paper and electronic files to pdf format
- Heavy court filings including service of pleadings on opposing and associated counsel, at state, federal, and appellate level and in many different venues
- Run conflicts and open new client and new matter files
- Maintain attorney and client files, both paper and electronic formats.
- Maintain email and case management system electronic files
- Organize and maintain binders for trial, working papers, and business development purposes
- Schedule remote hearing and deposition appearances, in-person depositions, appointments, meetings; maintain calendars; make travel arrangements; set up conference calls
- Open and route mail and email, attaching files and documents; save to case management system
- Track litigation deadlines, provide deadlines to docketing and confirm deadlines are docketed correctly
- Answer, screen and respond to phone calls
- Enter attorney time into time-keeping program
- Maintain and track CLE records for attorneys
- Prepare and submit expense/reimbursement reports and vendor invoices
- Process and edit prebills
- Assist fellow secretaries and additional attorneys as needed
Join us if you have:
- 5+ years’ experience as a litigation secretary
- Strong skills in word processing and computer use: ability to type 85 wpm with high accuracy; proficiency in MS Office Products (Word, Outlook, Excel) and Power PDF/Adobe Acrobat required; some knowledge of PowerPoint, time keeping programs, NetDocs preferred; ability to perform internet research
- Demonstrated experience filing documents with State and Federal Courts, including electronic filing. Ability to read and understand court rules, including rules for courts you have not worked with before, and to ensure compliance with assigned judge’s Individual Rules and Practices
- Demonstrated experience with 9th Circuit and California Appellate Courts, preferred
- High attention to detail and sensitivity to confidential and sensitive materials
- High level of energy
- Very fast paced desk and attorneys; ability to prioritize on a constant and high-level basis and to handle multiple demands from multiple people
- Ability and willingness to learn new programs and program updates
- Excellent transcription, grammar, proofreading and organizational skills
- Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with all levels of a professional services organization, including interpersonal skills. Ability to work in a team-oriented, service focused environment and to handle stressful situations in a calm, composed manner
- Ability to communicate by telephone in a professional, courteous manner with clients, firm members, and other business contacts
- Ability to understand and follow work instructions with minimal supervision
- Ability to follow client confidentiality guidelines
- Ability to read and write in English
- High School Diploma or GED, Bachelor’s degree preferred