What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Practice Assistant position at K&L Gates?
Job Description
At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us. Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.
The global law firm of K&L Gates LLP is seeking a Senior Practice Assistant to join the Boston office. Senior Practice Assistants work directly with multiple partners and senior associates to manage lawyers' practices and complete complex administrative tasks. Those in this role are key representatives and thought partners for their supported lawyers, their practice areas, and teams. They possess and utilize knowledge of practice area-specific processes, legal terminology, and client requirements to identify and resolve issues. They work with lawyers, other timekeepers, and Firm departments to achieve continuity of client service. The hallmarks of a Senior Practice Assistant are exceptional organizational skills, sound judgment and decision-making abilities, effective multi-tasking, prioritizing, and meeting deadlines.
Senior Practice Assistants must be able to work independently and / or within a team with minimal supervision, maintain a positive attitude, and treat others with respect. Confidentiality with Firm and client matters must be observed at all times, and adherence to all Firm policies and procedures is required.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
- Creating, editing, and proofreading correspondence and practice area-specific legal documents, generating document comparison reports, document and binder assembly, mailings
- Creating and editing charts and spreadsheets containing basic formulas
- Creating and editing PowerPoint presentations
- Responding to general client inquires, which may be billable or non-billable, and meeting client requests and expectations in a timely and consistent manner (e.g., document revisions, scanning records to PDF, applying naming conventions to file, photocopying, etc.)
- Preparing and coordinating court and other legal filings (physical and ECF)
- Providing trial and hearing support
- Assisting with new business intake process (submitting conflict checks, drafting file opening requests, drafting engagement letters)
- Maintaining an organized system for electronic files, including scanning files and running critical checks to ensure files and records are saved properly to the Firm's document management system
- Maintaining an organized system for physical files including intake, retention, retrieval, and transfer of records
- Coordinating, entering, and editing daily time recording for timekeepers
- Preparing monthly client invoices (including reviewing bill narratives and making edits, critical attention to pertinent details such as billing rates, client billing requirements, applicable discounts, etc., forwarding to and following-up with reviewers, submission, status tracking, and transmittal to clients)
- Understanding and drafting alternative fee arrangements
- Working with lawyers to produce client and matter budgets, track payments received and status of collections, assisting with collection efforts
- Preparing and submitting expense reimbursement reports
- Coding and submitting vendor invoices for payment
- Utilizing other Firm resources, such as internal library, Internet, etc. to perform research
- Assisting with administrative support such as Continuing Legal Education tracking, attorney licensing renewals, etc.
- Coordinating arrangements, logistics and obtaining required approvals for domestic and international travel utilizing the Firm's travel provider
- Answering and placing telephone calls, maintaining timekeeper calendars and client contact lists, scheduling meetings and coordinating logistic
- Assisting with training and providing orientation for new and / or less experienced staff members
- Assisting other Practice Assistants and Senior Practice Assistants with overflow work, providing back-up legal and / or reception support, providing support at client services functions and events
- Providing occasional marketing and business development support
- Performing other relevant administrative duties as directed by manager, lawyers, practice area leaders, coordinators or department heads to assist with practice development initiatives and project work
EXPERIENCE & SKILLS REQUIRED
ADDITIONAL ABILITIES REQUIRED
Compensation Salary $79,000 - $132,000
The compensation salary for this position will be determined during the interview process and will vary based on multiple factors, including but not limited to prior experience, relevant expertise, current business needs, and market factors.
ABOUT THE FIRM
K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located across five continents in more than 40 offices. We have experienced dramatic growth in the past decade and now rank among the largest U.S. based law firms in the world. We take pride in constantly striving for innovation, imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit. We come up with big ideas and then roll up our sleeves to get the job done, guiding our clients through their most complex issues in a variety of industry sectors and across multiple regions of the world.
The industry recognition the firm has garnered emanates from the foundation of a global community aligned on behalf of our clients. The people at K&L Gates are committed to working together to create a legacy for each other, the firm, our clients, and the communities in which we serve. We thrive in an inclusive and socially conscious environment that embraces diversity and takes a holistic approach to the career evolution of all our professionals.
For more information or to view other job opportunities, please click here to go back to our careers page.
Notice : We participate in E-Verify in certain Firm locations for purposes of verifying employment eligibility.
BENEFITS
K&L Gates offers our personnel a comprehensive suite of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future. Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time personnel include :
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The Firm is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Firm that employment decisions shall be based on merit, qualifications and competence. Employment practices will not be influenced or affected by virtue of a person's race (including traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, locks, and twists), religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, gender, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, familial status, domestic violence victim status, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This policy governs all aspects of employment including, without limitation, recruiting, hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, assignment, and dismissal. In addition, it is the Firm's policy to provide an environment that is free of prohibited harassment of any kind including, without limitation, that which is based on sex, race, age, disability, ethnic background, or any other category protected by law (including the categories listed above). The Firm complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact askHR@klgates.com.
Salary : $79,000 - $132,000
