Administrative Workflow Specialist

Katten•Chicago, IL

2d•$65,000 - $85,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Katten is a full-service law firm with approximately 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm’s core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. Administrative Workflow Specialist The Administrative Workflow Specialist is responsible for overarching monitoring of firmwide LEA workflow (in concert with LEAs and management) utilizing the firm’s workflow management tool–Big Hand, and for coordinating and/or providing supplemental support to firmwide LEAs as needed. Provides technical expertise related to formatting documents. Serves as a training resource to LEAs in the area of document production. Maintains professionalism and strict confidentiality in all client and firm matters. Katten offers a hybrid work model, allowing the flexibility to work both on-site and remotely on a regular basis (KattenFlex). Essential Duties and Responsibilities include, but may not be limited to, the following. Other duties may be requested and/or assigned. Essential functions are primary job duties that an individual must be able to perform successfully with or without a reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent and seven or more years related experience preferably in a large legal or professional services firm, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Must possess excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
Computer proficient with advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.). Maintain working knowledge of all firm policies, procedures, and software applications. Receive appropriate training on new applications as required. Keyboarding skills of 65 wpm (with low error rate) preferred.
Customer service-oriented with the ability to foster and maintain high-level service standards.
Ability to learn and maintain in-depth knowledge of various practice areas within the firm, as well as practice area protocols, including standard document styles.
Excellent analytical and technical skills with an aptitude for detail, precision, and logic to analyze complex requests, coordinate and assign work to appropriate individual(s) or department(s), answer questions, monitor workflow, and provide administrative assistance when necessary.
Excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced team environment and coordinate a high volume of work to complete assigned tasks under demanding time limits.
Proactive mindset with excellent troubleshooting, problem-solving, and follow-through skills.
Excellent reading, writing, grammar, spelling, punctuation, proofreading, and formatting skills to interpret source data, prepare and edit standard/legal documentation, and proofread material for grammatical, typographical, and spelling errors.
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills. Consistent ability to communicate with courtesy and diplomacy, efficiently follow written and verbal instructions, provide information, and maintain effective relationships with a diverse group of attorneys, clients, staff, and outside contacts.
Dependable team player who works collaboratively and cooperatively with others in a collaborative environment. Ability to act independently and make decisions within scope of the position’s responsibilities.
Ability to work discreetly with confidential information and situations.
Ability to maintain composure during stressful situations, and calm others/manage stressful situations that may arise from workload demands with sound judgment, tact, and professionalism.
Excellent record keeping, data collection, and system information management skills. Ability to compile and analyze data and furnish information in report format, written correspondence, e-mail, or verbally.
Ability to operate standard office equipment, including computer, laser printer, dictation transcription equipment, scanner, photocopier, facsimile, calculator, etc.
Ability to perform mathematical calculations and apply mathematical concepts when computing, reconciling balances, and verifying numerical data on forms and documents.
Ability to occasionally retrieve and distribute files, written documentation, or office supplies weighing up to 20 (twenty) pounds.

Responsibilities

Provide supplemental oversight of ten (10) firmwide LEA Teaming department inboxes via BigHand and provide overflow support to LEA teams, handling tasks directly as needed such as document edits/formatting, conflicts checks/opening matters, time entry, expenses, etc., and provide technical expertise related to document formatting.
Monitor work/project requests submitted through Big Hand to ensure prompt acknowledgment and handling in line with established protocols, including the best practice of a 15-minute task preview/assessment and LEA task pickup/ acknowledgment.
When handling tasks personally (such as document edits/formatting, conflicts checks/opening matters, time entry, expenses, etc.) review instructions carefully and, when needed, solicit and document verbal or supplemental guidance, including deadlines. Confirm, negotiate, and update deadlines as necessary. Determine the required format and content, and either complete tasks directly or delegate them to the appropriate firm resource (e.g., Word Processing, Copy Center) for accurate and timely processing.
Assist LEA teams and management in prioritizing and monitoring workflow to ensure delivery of high-quality work product within defined deadlines, escalating issues to the Firmwide Legal Executive Support Manager as necessary.
May assist in the generation of workflow reports by department, and help coordinate the preparation, presentation, and communication of same to or for the Legal Executive Support Manager.
Report to Legal Executive Support Manager, periodically or as needed, on process issues, team and individual training accomplishments, progress in mastering tasks and work processes. Assist in determining training needs and make recommendations for improving efficiency and economy of existing operations.
Coach, facilitate, assist in solving workflow problems, and participate in the work of the team.