Legal Secretary

ArentFox Schiff•Los Angeles, CA

4d•$92,000 - $126,500

About The Position

The Legal Secretary provides administrative and clerical support to a team of attorneys and/or paralegals. The role prepares and formats legal correspondence and documents, supports court filings and case administration, manages billing and time-entry tasks, coordinates schedules and travel, and maintains paper and electronic records. The secretary also provides coverage for colleagues, assists with overflow work, drafts standard documents for team approval, and maintains client and contact databases. This is an hourly, non-exempt position eligible for an overtime plan that exceeds minimum legal requirements. The anticipated good-faith base salary range for the Los Angeles position is $92,000 to $126,500 per year. Certain positions are eligible for performance-based bonuses, payable monthly or annually.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent; a college degree is not required.
At least 5 years of legal secretarial experience in a relevant practice area, including at least 2 years supporting a billing attorney.
At least 4 years of heavy litigation experience.
State and federal court filing experience, including e-filing.
Proficiency with current office technology, including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), iManage, Adobe PDF, Workshare Compare, and time-and-billing software.
Expertise in state and federal court filing, including e-filing.
Ability to type at least 60 words per minute with a high degree of accuracy.
Ability to work in a team environment with attorneys and other colleagues.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
Flexibility to meet firm needs during periods of heavy workload or special projects, including availability for scheduled or unscheduled overtime as needed.

Nice To Haves

A college degree.
Complex litigation and labor and employment experience.
Experience with Elite/3E time-and-billing software.

Responsibilities

Prepare properly formatted correspondence, memoranda, and other legal documents from handwritten drafts and transcription software.
Prepare court filings, government documentation, and closing materials as appropriate for the team’s practice.
Create shell documents from firm-approved templates, including automatic numbering when needed.
Prepare court filings, follow up with attorney services regarding filing status, and file documents with state and district courts and courts of appeal.
Create tables of contents and tables of authorities; maintain current proofs of service and service lists.
Prepare check requests and new case reports, run conflict checks, and open new files.
Enter time daily as directed by individual team members.
Prepare client bills, review and edit pro formas as directed by the billing attorney, prepare cover letters, and copy, scan, and send finalized bills to clients and the Accounting Department.
Organize, scan, copy, fax, and file legal documents in paper files and document-management systems.
Schedule depositions, hearings, and meetings; coordinate court reporters, conference rooms, catering, and schedules as appropriate.
Maintain multiple agendas and calendars, provide timely reminders, and help ensure deadlines are met.
Answer telephone calls, take notes and messages, and redirect calls as appropriate.
Coordinate attorneys’ travel arrangements.
Process reimbursements and vendor invoices.
Provide coverage for secretarial absences and assist with overflow work within the assigned team.
Draft standard correspondence and other documents for team approval and use.
Maintain client lists, contact lists, and other electronic databases.