Legal Administrative Assistant - Litigation

Barnes & Thornburg LLP•Grand Rapids, MI

About The Position

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

Requirements

Highly motivated professional with no less than four (4) years of experience in a law firm setting in the litigation practice.
Strong technical knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Ability to support varying practice groups, i.e., Litigation, IP, Corporate using technology such as Best Authority, Legal Numbering, and Styles.
Ability to read and write in order to proof and perform minor editing (e.g., punctuation, grammar, spelling) of routine law office correspondence and legal case matters.
Perform non-complex 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.
Approximately four to six years on the job law firm experience necessary in order to produce accurate legal documents with minimal supervision with quick turnaround.
Ability to produce legal documents, correspondence and reports from rough draft or dictation at a minimum of 55 wpm.
Ability to organize and prioritize numerous tasks and complete them under time constraints including proofreading and quality checking with attention to detail.
Ability to proofread typed material for grammatical, typographical or spelling errors.
Interpersonal skills necessary in order to communicate and follow instructions effectively from a diverse group of clients, attorneys and staff to provide information with ordinary courtesy and tact.
Communication skills necessary to communicate in person, by e-mail and telephone to provide information with ordinary courtesy and tact.
Work occasionally requires a high level of mental effort and attention to detail while producing a high volume of information and performing other essential duties.
Work occasionally requires more than 40 hours per week to perform the essential duties of the position.

Responsibilities

Operates a computer, transcribes dictation, performs, e-filings, as needed.
Prepares correspondence, memoranda and other legal documents from written and oral drafts; drafts correspondence, and other legal documents. Screens telephone calls and records messages.
Files time-sensitive legal documents with minimal instruction and produces litigation-specific work such as briefs, e-filings, Tables of Authorities/Contents, legal numbering, discovery binders, proofreads, researches court rules, etc.
Reads, sorts and dates incoming mail. Ensures that outgoing mail is timely delivered. If necessary, routes mail to specific delivery service and follows up on timely delivery.
Establishes and maintains calendar and deadline reminder systems; utilizes master calendar system.
Opens new files, requests conflict of interest checks with file room records, and maintains all client and general files. Conducts periodic review for possible storage of older files; prepares files to be closed.
Receives clients and visitors; maintains good public relations with clients; observes confidentiality of attorney-client relationship.
Makes appointments for attorney(s).
Processes bills; proofs billing sheets; reviews and edits bills.
Works closely with administrative staff (word processing, office services, receptionist, etc.); ensures that attorney timesheets are provided to appropriate person in a timely manner.
Performs overflow typing, filing, photocopying, or reception relief as time permits and as requested.
Other duties as assigned.