Litigation Practice Assistant

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP•San Francisco, CA

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

Join Orrick’s award-winning Team Support team and play a hands-on role in reshaping how legal services are delivered. Orrick has been ranked among the world’s Top 20 Most Innovative Law Firms by the Financial Times for 20 consecutive years and is consistently recognized as a leader in legal technology and innovation, including placement in Vault’s Top 10 for Tech & Innovation. This role sits within Team Support in our San Francisco office, a team recently recognized by the Financial Times for Innovation in People Strategy—highlighting the firm’s reimagined approach to legal support, talent models, and operational excellence. As a Litigation Practice Assistant, you will work directly with attorneys and operations leaders to provide high-impact administrative, operational, and legal practice support while helping modernize how legal support services function at scale. You’ll gain hands-on experience with emerging technologies, earn digital fluency certifications, and receive structured training in AI, automation, and legal operations. This is a rare opportunity to be embedded in a team that is actively redefining legal support—offering real responsibility, steep learning, and exposure to both the business and practice sides of a top-tier global law firm.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience).
Minimum 3 years of experience as a litigation legal assistant in a law firm.
At least 3 years of civil litigation calendaring and court filing experience.
Knowledge of e-filing in State Courts, Federal, and Appellate Courts required.
Exceptional organizational and project management skills; proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver under tight deadlines.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365; ability to quickly master new tools and technologies.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to produce concise, high-quality deliverables.
Independently manages workload, meets deadlines, and exercises sound judgment in prioritizing urgent vs. non-urgent matters.
Responds with urgency and effectiveness in fast-paced, high-stakes situations - solving problems decisively while seeking guidance when appropriate.
Consistently demonstrates professionalism, discretion, and composure under pressure.
Ability to work in the office at least three days a week, and the ability to work overtime when required.
Strong knowledge of litigation practices and procedures, including motions, discovery, evidence, and litigation documentation.
Knowledge of court systems, court rules, procedures, and deadlines, including where to find Local Rules of Court and Judge's Standing Orders.
Expertise with PACER and other electronic filing systems in state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
Experience with docketing and calendaring of all case events and filing deadlines using a centralized docketing system or software.
Experience processing summonses, subpoenas, and discovery requests.
Experience preparing legal documents, including pleadings, discovery, document production materials, and memoranda.
Experience with Bates labeling and redacting documents for trial preparation.

Nice To Haves

2+ years experience mentoring others.
Operations management, business operations, or executive office support experience.
Experience with GenAI (ChatGPT, Copilot), Power BI, or other automation/data analytics platforms.
Analytical mindset and ability to interpret data.
Track record of full project ownership with exceptional follow-through and attention to detail.
Proactive, solutions-oriented, and adaptable.

Responsibilities

Act as a trusted operational partner to assigned attorneys, managing priorities, workflows, and day-to-day execution on their behalf.
Manage complex calendars, including scheduling meetings and travel arrangements across multiple time zones, with a focus on prioritization and sequencing of work.
Prepare and coordinate logistics for meetings and events, including agenda creation, materials preparation, and follow-up actions.
Draft, proofread, and edit correspondence, presentations, and reports, often synthesizing information into executive-level summaries and briefs.
Conduct research and prepare background materials to support legal, client, and internal initiatives.
Plan and run small to medium events, team meetings, and external engagements.
Exercise sound judgment in communications and decision-making, escalating thoughtfully and acting independently where appropriate.
Ensure assigned attorneys’ practices and workflows run smoothly.
Liaise with Billing, IT, HR, New Business & Conflicts, and other firm departments, often serving as the primary point of coordination.
Communicate effectively and professionally with clients, attorneys, co-counsel, opposing counsel, courts, and staff via email, telephone, and in person; answer telephone calls, respond to routine inquiries, and route calls to the appropriate attorney or staff member; arrange conference calls and greet clients.
Organize and maintain case files, ensuring all documents are properly saved to the document management system for easy access and retrieval.
Calendar all deadlines, hearings, and court appearances, and monitor compliance with applicable rules of civil procedure and court-imposed deadlines.
Draft, proofread, format, and edit legal correspondence, pleadings, motions, discovery documents, and other court filings under the supervision of the assigned attorney(s).
File documents with state and federal courts, including via electronic filing systems such as CM/ECF and state e-filing platforms.
Coordinate and communicate with courts, opposing counsel, co-counsel, clients, and witnesses to facilitate the smooth progression of cases.
Prepare trial materials, including exhibit binders, witness files, and demonstrative aids, and support attorneys during trial as needed.
Schedule meetings, depositions, hearings, and other appointments as determined by the attorney(s).
Manage end-to-end client billing processes for assigned attorneys, ensuring accuracy and timely completion.
Prepare reports, track spend, and assist with billing follow-up, building familiarity with matter economics and client financial requirements.
Serve as a digital fluency expert and coach for attorneys and peers, mastering firm technology and training others on tools such as Microsoft 365, Copilot, PowerAutomate, PowerBI, and emerging AI/automation platforms.
Troubleshoot technology issues and collaborate with IT and support teams to enhance workflows.
Stay current on new technologies and recommend solutions to improve efficiency.
Participate in firm initiatives and special projects, contributing to process improvements and adoption of new technologies.
Coordinate and track ongoing workstreams and projects, ensuring deliverables and deadlines are met, owning follow-through and deadline management.
Promote a teaming culture, assist colleagues during peak workloads, and contribute to a supportive work environment.
Actively participate in team meetings and professional development opportunities.