Legal Secretary /Administrative Assistant

Goodwin•New York, NY

2d•$85,000 - $105,000

About The Position

Join Goodwin’s Global Operations Team, and make a real impact on a global scale. At Goodwin, we work with some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. As part of the Global Operations Team – all business professionals at the firm – you’ll collaborate with colleagues from varied backgrounds and experiences, fostering an environment where cross-functional learning, networking, and collaboration are at the core of what we do. Here, we’re not just supporting a law firm; we’re partnering with attorneys and clients to deliver cutting-edge solutions in high-stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world-class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions. Our commitment to integrity, ingenuity, agility, and ambition drives us, and we’re proud to have been recognised as the “Best Business Team” by The American Lawyer. This is your opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic, global environment, surrounded by forward-thinking peers. Are you a proactive and detail-oriented professional looking to make a significant impact in the legal field? As a Legal Secretary at our firm, you will be at the heart of our operations, providing essential administrative and executive support to our attorneys, paralegals and business leaders. This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment and possesses strong organizational, communication, and up-to-date technical skills. You will be instrumental in ensuring we deliver on our core principles including a firm first mentality, client-centricity, collaboration and excellence. We offer a supportive and inclusive work environment where you can develop your skills and grow your career. This is a challenging and rewarding role that offers the opportunity to make a real difference. The Legal Secretary provides essential administrative and executive support to attorneys, paralegals and business leaders. This role is essential to ensuring we deliver on our core principles including a firm first mentality, client-centricity, collaboration and excellence. The Legal Secretary must thrive in a fast-paced team environment and demonstrate strong organizational, communication and up-to-date technical skills.

Requirements

High school diploma/GED required
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Exceptional organizational skills, allowing you to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously with efficiency and precision.
Ability to prioritize and handle a variety of responsibilities ensures that deadlines are met and operations run smoothly, even in a fast-paced environment.
Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal, enabling you to convey information clearly and effectively.
Professional and articulate communication, fostering strong working relationships and ensuring accurate information exchange.
Understanding of the importance of confidentiality in the legal field and commitment to maintaining the highest standards of privacy and discretion.
Handling sensitive information with care, ensuring that all client and firm data is protected and only shared with authorized individuals.
Commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.
Actively seek out opportunities to enhance your skills and knowledge.
Value collaboration, working effectively with colleagues to achieve common goals and improve team performance.
Thorough understanding of the firm’s structure and the resources available to you.
Proactive in identifying areas for improvement within existing processes and procedures.
Innovative mindset drives you to suggest and implement changes that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and overall effectiveness.
Strong analytical skills, enabling you to find solutions to various administrative challenges.
Ability to assess situations, accurately identify issues, and prioritize workloads effectively, ensuring that problems are resolved promptly, and operations continue with minimal disruption.

Nice To Haves

College degree preferred but not required

Responsibilities

Managing complex calendars, arranging meetings, and coordinating travel arrangements for attorneys, paralegals and business leaders.
Managing all aspects of meeting logistics, e.g., booking conference rooms, registering guests, securing equipment, and arranging catering services.
Efficiently managing all communication modalities including calls, emails and hard copy mail, ensuring communications are handled appropriately and in a timely manner.
Preparing and processing expense reports and check requests, ensuring accurate documentation for timely reimbursement/payment.
Providing backup support to other secretaries, including absence coverage and overflow tasks as needed.
Proofreading and editing legal documents, correspondence, memos, and other communications to ensure accuracy and clarity.
Assisting with the preparation, management, and distribution of audit response letters.
Maintaining organized, up-to-date client and administrative files in the firm’s electronic document management system, ensuring quick document retrieval and compliance with firm policies.
Opening new client and/or matter numbers, maintaining and editing matters, performing conflict checks, and preparing engagement letters, coordinating their signing through DocuSign.
Facilitating time entry for assigned attorneys and paralegals including input, review, edit and release of time.
Supporting the billing process e.g., track billing deadlines, circulate prebills to attorneys for review, etc.