Legal Assistant

Reporting to the office Human Resources Manager/Office Administrator, Legal Assistants (Legal Secretaries) provide secretarial and administrative support to assigned attorneys of the Firm. Position requires advanced secretarial skills, extensive experience, superior judgment and requires minimal supervision and assistance.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Prepares and proofreads legal documents and correspondence from handwritten material, rough copy or machine dictation. When appropriate, edits documents for proper phrasing, and grammar to improve the flow of the message without altering the meaning. May reformat, spell check, and finalize attorney work product.

Composes correspondence, memoranda, and drafts of routine documents for attorney’s review and signature as directed by the attorney and occasionally on own initiative.

Operates computer equipment in performance of daily duties; effectively uses various software applications necessary to perform required job duties. Actively seeks out technological resource solutions to maximize efficiency. Properly manages electronic documents for easy retrieval.

Handles telephone inquiries independently, providing information to clients or other callers or routing them to the appropriate person; is able to assess the urgency of calls and respect the confidentially of each matter; maintains log and/or prepares accountability for long distance charges.

Sorts, reads and annotates daily incoming mail; attaches appropriate file to facilitate action; determines routing and required signatures; independently prepares routine correspondence for attorney’s signature and maintains attorney’s docket; coordinates outgoing mail and/or deliveries; maintains records pertaining to all aspects of attorney’s work.

Schedules appointments and maintains attorney’s calendar; receives and assists clients and refers them to attorney or other appropriate person as circumstances warrant; arranges business itineraries and makes travel arrangements; independently prepares travel/entertainment expense reports based on attorney’s receipts and itinerary.

Maintains client and administrative files in an organized manner and in accordance with Firm procedures; maintains current lists of files, account numbers, client names and addresses and other information as required. Preserves and protects the confidences and privileged communications of all clients.

Enters attorney timesheets on a timely basis. May prepare, edit, and revise client bills and arrange for timely mailing of invoices.

Coordinates administrative support for trials, arbitrations or client meetings

Performs such other duties that may be assigned.

SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Researches and abstracts information and supporting data as requested; performs basic cite checking and document review; may be required to do legal research at attorney’s request.

Makes written and oral contacts as necessary to obtain information or to clarify, crosscheck or verify the information needed.

Independently takes action during attorney’s absence and uses initiative and judgment to see that matters requiring attention are referred to another attorney or handled in a manner so as to minimize the effect of the attorney’s absence.

Volunteers to assist other legal assistants (secretaries) as needed or to provide coverage for other attorneys as needed.

Duplicates correspondence and other printed material, sends faxes or arranges for duplicating and/or faxing to be performed; may be asked to cover reception duties.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily and maintain a high standard of ethical conduct. Excellent interpersonal skills are required for interactions with all levels of Firm personnel, clients and vendors. The successful legal assistant (legal secretary) must be organized, detail-oriented and have the ability to multitask. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION AND /OR EXPERIENCE:

Associate’s degree (A.A.) or equivalent from a two-year college or technical school and at least three years legal secretarial experience, with at least two years litigation preferably in a law firm or other comparable combination of experience and education.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, documents containing legal terminology or governmental regulations. Ability to multitask. Ability to draft business correspondence, and reports as assigned, demonstrating excellent English language skills and attention to detail. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from lawyers, clients and employees of the Firm.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common factors, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Proficiency with MS Word, 70 wpm typing speed. Basic knowledge of PC and Microsoft Office products such as PowerPoint and Excel; thorough knowledge of preparation and editing Table of Contents and Table of Authorities. Knowledge of Westlaw and Lexis helpful.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and exhibit finger and hand dexterity. The employee frequently is required to talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.

AVAILABILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Attendance Requirement

Must maintain regular and acceptable attendance at such level as is determined in the Firm’s sole discretion.

Regular Hours Requirement

Must be regularly available and willing to work at least 7.5 hours per day, 37.5 hours per week as the Firm determines are necessary or desirable to meet its business needs.

Overtime Requirement

Must be available and willing to work such overtime per day or per week as the Firm determines is necessary or desirable to meet its business needs.

Weekend and Holiday Requirement

Must be available and willing to work such weekends and holidays as the Firm determines are necessary or desirable to meet its business needs.

Travel Requirement

Must be available and willing to travel to such locations and with such frequency as the Firm determines is necessary or desirable to meet its business needs.

Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP is an equal opportunity employer, which does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin or ancestry, religion, age, sex, disability, medical condition, sexual preference or orientation, marital or familial status, veteran's status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations. The Firm's policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment. It is the Firm’s policy to recruit, hire, train, promote and compensate the best qualified individuals based only upon relevant factors such as experience, work quality and professional attitude.