Legal Practice Assistant - Land Use/Environmental - DTLA
About The Position
The Legal Practice Assistant is a full-time, non-exempt position based in Meyers Nave’s Downtown Los Angeles office. The role provides administrative support and high-quality service to internal and external clients, requiring knowledge of firm and practice-specific administrative procedures, technology systems, research tools, and the clients and matters the practice supports. The position reports to the Director of Administration and has no direct reports. The assistant manages multiple projects and communicates professionally with clients, attorneys, staff, and peers. Responsibilities include preparing and filing legal documents, supporting attorneys’ calendars and billing, maintaining case files, coordinating meetings and travel, and helping manage business development activities. The role may involve client-site travel and overtime as needed.
Requirements
- High school diploma.
- At least five years of legal secretary or legal assistant experience.
- Prior litigation experience.
- Superior customer service skills.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to contribute to streamlining processes.
- Accuracy in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Ability to work under pressure and multitask in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Proactive self-starter able to work independently and as part of a team.
- Experience using Microsoft Office, including strong knowledge of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree or paralegal certificate.
- Appellate experience.
- Experience using Office 365.
- Prior experience with iManage, Best Authority, CCC Macros, time and billing systems, and Adobe Professional.
Responsibilities
- Draft, review, revise, and proofread legal and non-legal documents, including correspondence, memoranda, pleadings, presentations, and budgets.
- Format court pleadings according to applicable rules and generate tables of authorities and tables of contents using firm software.
- Apply local court rules and municipal, state, and federal rules of procedure.
- File documents with courts and administrative bodies, including electronically where applicable.
- Arrange service of pleadings and subpoenas.
- Assist with preparing for and scheduling meetings, teleconferences, conferences, and travel.
- Organize documents and prepare binders and files for legal and non-legal materials.
- Review incoming mail and route it to attorneys, the Firm’s Calendaring Department, and others.
- Maintain shared office calendars and individual attorney and director calendars in Outlook, coordinating with the Firm’s Calendar Group when needed.
- Maintain electronic and physical case files and partner with the Firm’s Records Group to create, review, and maintain them.
- Demonstrate understanding of municipal law documents, including staff reports, resolutions, ordinances, agendas, and notices.
- Assist with tracking and managing projects.
- Enter attorneys’ billable time as requested and coordinate with billing personnel to facilitate timely review of monthly billing statements.
- Prepare expense reports and check requests, book travel, and coordinate vendor payments when necessary.
- Attend work regularly, reliably, and punctually; back up secretaries during planned and unplanned absences.
- Apply direction and corrections to future revisions.
- Partner with attorneys to proactively manage business development activities.
- Maintain composure and work efficiently and accurately in stressful circumstances.
- Provide excellent customer service and build relationships with key staff in client offices, including periodically traveling to client sites.
- Work cordially, cooperatively, and productively with Firm employees.
- Work overtime as needed to complete essential functions.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Education Level
High school or GED
