LEGAL ASSISTANT

Searcy, Denney, Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley, P.A.•West Palm Beach, FL

21d•Onsite

About The Position

The West Palm Beach office is seeking a service-oriented Legal Assistant to support an assigned attorney or group of attorneys. This position requires a professional, organized self-starter with the ability to interact with staff and clients at all levels in a fast-paced, challenging legal environment. A proactive work ethic, ability to anticipate needs, strong decision-making skills, attention to detail, and flexible schedule are a must.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Three or more years of experience in Personal Injury and/or Medical Malpractice cases.
Experience using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, etc.) required.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s degree preferred.
FileVine experience preferred.
Bi-lingual (Spanish) preferred.

Responsibilities

Interface with clients, colleagues and medical providers, both on the telephone and in-person.
Conduct preliminary client intakes, obtaining basic client information to facilitate attorney interview.
Prepare, revise, format, and finalize a wide variety of documents, including correspondence, memoranda, and legal materials. Responsible for proofreading, correctly formatting and questioning any inconsistencies in all materials.
Transcribes dictation, minutes of meetings or taped records of conferences and meetings.
Provides administrative support, which includes but is not limited to, processing conflict checks and new client/new matter forms; entering time; email and phone communication; scheduling conference calls; coordinating and scheduling travel arrangements; maintaining attorney and senior paralegal/investigator calendars. Conducts internet research as directed by attorneys. Interacts on a daily basis with Departments within the Firm to facilitate highest possible legal support to assignments and clients.
Establishes and maintains paper and electronic files in compliance with current firm policies utilizing the Firm’s document management system
Request, organize and summarize medical records and bills.
Organize medical examinations in terms of scheduling and processing.
Draft basic pleadings.
Provide assistance to other legal assistants, paralegals and senor paralegal/investigators to meet Firm and client needs; organizes and Prioritizes workload so as to most efficiently enable and facilitate team effort to accomplish Firm and client goals. Fosters professional, cooperative and supportive relationships with peers, superiors and clients. Anticipates and identifies clients’/colleagues’ current and future needs. Shares information and offers ideas and solutions in a team environment.
Perform complex activities which may be highly confidential and sensitive and require discretion and diplomacy.
Communicate with insurance carrier and opposing counsel.
Organize depositions.
Prepare basic medical chronologies and medical expense itemizations.
Compile, organize and summarize damages documentation.
Prepare and compile discovery responses for attorney review.
Prepare and review settlement statements.
Assist in trial preparation, including witness organization and exhibit lists.
Schedule expert depositions and pre-deposition meetings.
Compile records for expert, deposition transcripts and errata sheets.
Other general administrative duties and projects as assigned.