Litigation Group Legal Administrative Assistant

Position Summary
This role supports the members of the Litigation Practice Group and coordinates all aspects of litigation matters from initial intake through final disposition. This position is based in the Portland, Maine office.

Responsibilities

• Assist with presentations at trials, depositions, hearings, and other court proceedings.
• Attend client meetings and phone calls and prepare summaries
• Prepare exhibits for depositions, court filings, and trials.
• Assess and review documents, prepare deposition summaries or digests, prepare chronologies and fact summaries, and otherwise manage both incoming and outgoing document productions and other case information.
• Assist in preparing graphics and other demonstrative exhibits.
• Draft pleadings, proofreading and editing documents for grammatical, typographical and spelling errors. Must be able to create a Table of Contents and/or Table of Authorities as needed.
• Review Local Rules of Courts in order to properly prepare and file/e-file pleadings in a particular state/district.
• Manage schedules, including maintaining calendar of meetings and business trips, gathering and preparing necessary materials in advance of commitments, and otherwise coordinating schedule commitments.
• Receive, screen, and route incoming telephone calls, conference calls, and messages to attorneys, clients, and staff promptly. Assist callers as appropriate in attorney’s absence. Refer callers to other attorneys and respond to inquiries when appropriate.
• Sort, scan, and distribute incoming and outgoing mail promptly upon receipt. Open, review, and calendar pleadings and materials as directed.
• Draft and edit correspondence, documents, memoranda, and project work in the production of legal documents. Draft routine correspondence and pleadings for attorney review and signature.
• Coordinate conferences, meetings, appointments, and depositions for attorneys and clients including conference room scheduling, meals, beverages, preparing materials, and greeting clients. Coordinate seminar registration and travel arrangements, securing air, hotel, and car reservations for attorneys (and possibly clients).
• Prepare bills monthly and distribute to other attorneys for review as needed. Edit and finalize bills to ensure accuracy.
• Submit conflict checks through the automated system for review by attorneys, to ensure attorney and firm ability to represent potential client.
• Set up, organize, and maintain firm files in electronic and/or paper form. Read and review material to be filed, filing documents in proper locations, and retrieving documents and files when requested. Designate disposition of files to either form files, attorney files, or finish files as appropriate. Enter closed files on firm’s finish file database.
• Perform a variety of administrative functions, including processing new matter reports, drafting engagement letters, calendaring deadlines on firm’s electronic database, preparing attorney expense reimbursements, tracking attorney CLE credits and bar registrations, etc.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Bachelor’s degree and/or associate’s degree with relevant work experience.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to be a team player. A can-do attitude.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and interpersonal skills, including, maintaining positive contact with clients, attorneys, and coworkers.
• Ability to pay close attention to detail to ensure the highest quality work product for the client.
• Strong technical aptitude. Intermediate Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe, Teams, and PowerPoint skills required, with advanced skills preferred.
• Strong multitasking skills. Ability to organize and prioritize numerous tasks and complete them under time constraints.
• Flexibility to work extended hours as needed.

• Ability to perform online research (for the background of a case, parties involved, individuals’ addresses, etc.).

To apply, please submit your cover letter and resume to Maria Gaetani at mgaetani@pierceatwood.com.