Senior Litigation Legal Secretary

Roseland, NJ

Summary

The Senior Litigation Legal Secretary is a key member of the legal team, who puts clients first while helping attorneys maximize the amount of time they devote to client matters to ensure extraordinary client satisfaction. The Secretary performs an extensive variety of administrative tasks, maintains a general knowledge of the practice areas/groups of the firm, a specialized knowledge of the attorneys’ practice area, while consistently producing an excellent work product. This position will sit in our client’s Roseland, NJ office and currently offers a hybrid work opportunity.

Responsibilities

Practice Group Support

• Drafts complex correspondence and documents (e.g., court forms, pleadings, e-mails responding to client inquiries) and anticipate attorneys’ need for same.
• Demonstrates expertise in department-specific topics, procedures, and software (e.g., draft simple estate plan instruments, perform federal court filings, create closing binders, etc.).
• Accurately transcribes from tapes, handwritten materials and/or dictation.
• May assist with ensuring attorney e-mails and documents are properly filed in iManage.
• Prints and organizes a variety of documents received in a range of formats.
• Assumes responsibility for maintaining the highest level of confidentiality of all Firm and client information, records and files, both within and outside of the Firm.

Administrative

• Following the Firm’s established document processing methods and procedures, creates, edits, and proofreads work product to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Interacts directly with a wide variety of clients in a friendly, helpful, and professional manner.
• Schedules and maintains timekeepers’ calendars, where appropriate.  Maintains lawyer-client contact information and other pertinent information in the Firm’s client contact database program.
• Inputs, reviews, edits, and closes time entries through the Firm’s web-based time entry program using Firm standards.
• Handles monthly client billing (paper and e-billing). Reviews billing pre-bills for accuracy and completeness. Performs client, matter and timekeeper inquiries, and narrative edits.
• Prepares attorneys’ expense reports in a timely manner. Arranges for payment of vendor invoices or checks to be drawn and charged to appropriate client/matter numbers.
• Coordinates travel arrangements through in-house Travel Department.
• Generates client conflict checks, opens new matters, and drafts and maintains client engagement letters.
• Coordinates file retention and retrieval with Records Department for file retrieval. Sets up and maintains timekeeper’s work files, including daily and regular filing.  Indexes and prepares files for off-site storage.
• Answers telephones and accurately takes and relays messages, as requested.
• Arranges for video conferencing and sets up conference calls.
• Volunteers for overflow work and ad-hoc projects as assigned.
• Actively seeks to maximize productivity and promote teamwork.

Client Service

• Puts clients first.
• Interacts directly with a wide variety of clients in a friendly, helpful, and professional manner.
• Responds to customer/client requests, identifies issues/problems in a timely manner, and seeks feedback/follow-up as appropriate.
• Builds effective working relationships with clients and colleagues.

Initiative

• Takes initiative beyond routine responsibility.
• Seeks out and accepts new responsibilities.
• Seeks development opportunities to enhance skills.
• Participates in firm training opportunities; participates in training of other employees and staff members in order to promote cross-training of all employees, assists colleagues in learning new skills/tasks in order to integrate them into the team.

Accountability

• Consistently delivers high level client service.
• Owns mistakes and takes corrective action.
• Meets work deadlines as assigned.
• Meets firm standards for attendance and punctuality.
• Meets deadlines for all required firm processes.

Work Management

• Works well independently.
• Demonstrates dedication to producing quality work product.
• Detailed oriented when completing work assignments.
• Organizes and prioritizes workload appropriately.
• Utilizes resources appropriately to complete work in the most efficient manner.
• Cooperates and demonstrates flexibility when facing change.

Firm Knowledge

• Demonstrates knowledge of the culture, practices, business, and structure of the firm.
• Demonstrates knowledge and adherence to basic firm policies, procedures and processes.

Communication

• Interacts effectively and courteously, in person, by telephone, and in writing with clients, attorneys, supervisors, co-workers, and other business professionals.
• Proactively communicates the status of work.
• Asks for help. Understands the need to ask questions and seek guidance.
• Expresses thoughts clearly, accurately, and concisely, both verbally and in writing.

Teamwork

• Builds effective relationships with coworkers.
• Participates and contributes fully as a team member.

Technology

• Utilizes available technology to carry out job responsibilities.
• Determines most appropriate technology to accomplish a given task.
• Seeks ways to utilize technology to improve efficiency.

Qualifications

• Five (5)+ years of legal secretarial experience in a large law firm preferred.
• Litigation background needed.
• Keeps abreast of practice area processes as appropriate to the position.
• Thorough knowledge of office organization, workflow and procedures.
• Thorough knowledge and use of firm technology tools; share knowledge with colleagues.
• Demonstrates ability to multi-task and handle competing priorities without sacrificing attention to detail.
• Demonstrates ability to communicate with finesse, use tact, diplomacy and discretion with firm contacts and clients.
• Takes initiative to learn new skills that will contribute to enhanced performance of the role.
• Demonstrates ability to work independently as well as part of a team, as needed.
• Excellent organizational skills
• Creative and efficient problem-solver
• “Can do” attitude
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• 60 wpm typing speed
• Excellent grammar, spelling, punctuation, and communication skills
• Attention to detail and good organizational and analytical skills
• Flexible attitude and the ability to deal well with changing assignments and priorities
• Ability to multi-task

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $75,000 – $90,000, nonexempt.

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