Legal Secretary

With eleven offices across the United States, 450+ professionals and 350+ staff professionals, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is a multidisciplinary, integrated national professional services firm known for quality and an extraordinary commitment to clients. The Firm's groundbreaking approach-bringing together legal services, advocacy and business strategy-differentiates Manatt from its competitors and positions the Firm to provide a unique and compelling value proposition.

Our prestigious national professional services firm has an immediate opportunity for two experienced Legal Secretaries with strong litigation and administrative skills to join our growing San Diego office. As office demand continues to expand, we are actively building out our support team to meet increasing client and practice needs. This is a five days in-office position.

In addition to legal secretarial responsibilities, this position may assist with light office operations and hospitality needs in the San Diego office, including welcoming visitors, supporting conference room and meeting coordination, assisting with office events or catering needs, preparing materials for meetings or filings, and providing general backup support when Office Services or other administrative staff as necessary.

The ideal candidate is a bright, detail-oriented professional with strong proofreading skills, excellent spelling and grammar, and familiarity with both state and federal court filings, including e-filing. A successful candidate will bring a positive attitude, strong initiative, and a high degree of flexibility in supporting a dynamic and fast-paced environment. They will be comfortable working independently, highly self-motivated, and take ownership of their work while also contributing to a collaborative team culture.

This is a strong opportunity to join an expanding office where your contributions will directly support continued growth and operational excellence.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Daily interface with attorneys, visiting attorneys and teams to manage requested administrative support tasks and act as a liaison between billing partner and team members including paralegals.
  
  
• Coordinate and submit state, federal, and appellate court filings, including complex filings requiring careful attention to court rules, formatting requirements, deadlines, exhibits, appendices, and supporting documentation.
  
• Back up Reception duties, including greeting incoming visitors for client meetings, depositions and team meetings, hospitality and conference room scheduling assistance.
  
• Oversees meeting set ups and catering requirements with Office Services staff.
  
• Occasionally duplicates, organizes and prepares documents for court filings when Office Services staff are not available.
  
• Organizes, prepares client documents obtained directly from the professionals during office hours and during client meetings.
  
• Receives original travel & expense related receipts and documentation directly from attorneys and prepares for reimbursement.
  
• Organize, maintain, and update client files, records, pleadings, and case materials using the Firm's document management and related legal technology platforms.
  
• Edit and proofread all legal documents.
  
• Maintain attorney calendars by scheduling conferences, depositions, and meetings.
  
• Welcome clients and assist in coordinating meetings, depositions, hearings.
  
• Serve as a professional point of contact for attorneys, clients, visitors, and internal teams, exercising discretion, diplomacy, and sound judgment.
  
• Assist with light office hospitality and operational support, including greeting visitors, coordinating conference room needs, supporting meetings or office events, and helping with document production or filing preparation.
  
• Monitor and track filing deadlines, court rules, hearing dates, and other matter-related timelines to ensure all documents are filed timely and accurately.
  
• Answer emails and phone calls, and when necessary, redirect calls.
  
• Research and authenticate important case information.
  
• Prepare different legal documents including appeals, motions, and petitions
  
• Familiarity with, eFiling and knowledge of state court rules and deadlines
  
• Act as a backup to other secretaries/attorney shares in the office.
  

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of 5 years' experience as a Litigation Secretary required
  
• Candidates should have 5+ years of previous experience supporting multiple professionals, including ability to keep team members on track with processes, policies and deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Reliable, friendly and positive, can-do attitude is essential.
  
• Must have knowledge of Federal, State court filing rules
  
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, iManage and various legal software applications; heavy knowledge of Word, plus strong Outlook knowledge
  
• Writes clearly and informatively; edits work for spelling and grammar, varies writing style to meet needs, able to read and interpret written information
  
• Must be skilled at typing correspondence and pleadings for attorneys
  
• Must be extremely detail oriented, organized and have great follow through skills
  
• Must be able to coordinate complex scheduling for multiple individuals in a fast paced environment
  
• Must have the ability to prioritize, work well under pressure, and multitask to meet deadlines and be able to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner
  
  
• This position will have extensive contact with others (including clients) requiring discretion and will need to maintain a professional and courteous when dealing with others.
  
• Must have strong writing and research skills.
  
• Accuracy, and professionalism a must
  
• Has the ability to use diplomacy and maintain strict confidentiality
  
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  
• BA Degree highly preferred.
  

The base annual pay range for this role is between $75,000-$100,000. The base pay to be offered will vary and depend on skills and qualifications, experience, location and will also take into account internal equity. A full range of medical, financial and/or other benefits dependent on the position will also be offered.

EEO/AA EMPLOYER/Veterans/Disabled

Manatt is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, physical or mental disability, religion, creed, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex or gender (including gender identity, gender expression, status as a transgender or transsexual individual, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age (over 40), genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, sexual orientation, political activity or affiliation, genetic or and any other protected classes or characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the American Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.

This employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.
IMPORTANT: If the Government cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to provide you written instructions and an opportunity to contact SSA and/or DHS before taking adverse action against you, including terminating your employment.

Employers may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants or to re-verify current employees and may not limit or influence the choice of documents presented for use on the Form I-9. In order to determine whether Form I-9 documentation is valid, this employer uses E-Verify's photo screening tool to match the photograph appearing on some permanent resident and employment authorization cards with the official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' (USCIS) photograph. If you believe that your employer has violated its responsibilities under this program or has discriminated against you during the verification process based upon your national origin or citizenship status, please call the Office of Special Counsel at View phone number on click.appcast.io (TDD: View phone number on click.appcast.io).