Executive Legal Assistant

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP • Washington, DC

84d • $80,000 - $107,000

About The Position

This is an exciting opportunity to work for one of the top law firms in the U.S.! Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is looking for an Executive Legal Assistant to join our team in our Washington D.C. office. We offer a hybrid work engagement with two days of remote work, and three days in-office. In this position, you will provide and coordinate administrative and clerical support to attorneys and paralegals in various practice groups, supporting effective use of their time. This position requires a high ability to work independently as well as in a team environment with timekeepers and staff members. Expertise in practicing the listed responsibilities is required. At Davis Wright Tremaine, you will find challenging assignments, opportunities for professional growth and community involvement, and a culture of inclusion. DWT fosters inclusiveness and authenticity. Regardless of position, everyone here has a voice and the support is unparalleled.

Requirements

• 6+ years’ experience as a legal secretary in a law firm environment is required
• A high school diploma or GED certification is required
• Ability to read and write English
• Ability to understand and follow work directions, manage multiple priorities and respond to urgent requests with minimal supervision
• Ability to take initiative and ownership of projects and follow them through to completion, regardless of who is doing the work
• Expertise in Microsoft Word and Outlook is essential. Must also be proficient in Adobe, Excel and PowerPoint. Experience with Office 2010 and Windows 7 is preferred
• Excellent keyboarding, grammar, spelling and proofreading skills. Transcription skills required
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with clients, firm members, and other business contacts
• Exceptional interpersonal and customer service skills, as well as the ability to handle stressful situations in a calm, composed manner
• Ability to pay close attention to detail and be highly organized and accurate
• Strong time management skills
• Ability to work effectively in a team-oriented, service environment
• Availability and willingness to work overtime as needed or requested
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, with strong word processing and computer skills. Experience with MS365 a plus. Proofreading, NetDocs and PowerPoint skills desired.
• Demonstrate a growth mindset; participate in innovation initiatives
• A highly professional demeanor and appearance – adhere to dress code

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of own success and attorneys’ success
• Welcome challenges and take a proactive approach to problem solving
• Be engaged, interested and curious, offer ideas and solutions to improve service, teamwork and efficiency
• Maintain composure and discretion
• Effectively partner with attorneys and maintain good working relationships with clients, DWT staff and attorneys, and other contacts (agencies, courts, vendors, etc.)
• Sustain a high degree of attorney confidence, minimal backlog and minimal overtime
• Extensive interaction with clients; acts as intermediary with clients and responds to client requests
• Collaborate with team members
• Mentor and share information with others
• Invest in mentoring Administrative Legal Assistants/Secretaries and others
• Utilize resources (administrative staff, practice management, finance department, copy center and services, colleagues, office management)
• Assign appropriate tasks to word processing, file room and other support staff. Follow up on status of all projects to ensure timely completion
• Communicate clearly with all appropriate team members on project status
• Efficiently manage complex and challenging workflow
• Manage client billing process, including review and editing of pre-bills
• Maintain up-to-date forms, including collaboration with word processing on templates
• Docket deadlines
• Type, proofread, run comparisons, and edit correspondence, memoranda, agreements and other legal and business documents from notes, templates, drafts, or dictated text under time sensitive deadlines
• Maintain attorney and client records, including email and other electronic records
• Open new client and new matter files
• Schedule and coordinate appointments, meetings and conference calls and maintain calendars
• Answer, screen, and respond to phone calls
• Open and route mail, attaching appropriate files and documents
• Prepare and submit expense reimbursement reports and check requests
• Make travel arrangements
• Schedule conference rooms using Resource Scheduler and arrange for food service and audio-visual equipment as needed
• Maintain a deep understanding of attorney’s practices and goals, as well as firm objectives, policies, and procedures; proactively seek development opportunities and collaborate with supervisor to meet them; raise concerns or ideas with supervisor, and collaborate on solutions that support team and firm success
• Take initiative to understand attorneys’ client service needs; identify opportunities to contribute to client relationship success by raising concerns and/or opportunities to improve; offers potential solutions and is willing to participate in the agreed upon course of action to reach the desired goals
• Check in regularly with attorneys to ensure all aspects of projects are on track. Prompt as needed. Exercise careful judgment about when to ask for guidance
• Assist fellow secretaries and additional attorneys as priorities dictate
• Maintain regular and consistent attendance and punctuality. Adhere to schedule by being timely on breaks, lunches and meetings

Benefits

• Choice of health and vision insurance plans
• 2 paid volunteer days for qualifying community service work
• Dental plan
• Fertility and adoption benefit
• Paid sabbatical after 13 years of service
• Tuition reimbursement
• Commuter benefits
• Retirement contribution

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees