Legal Secretary (Litigation)

Legal Secretary (Litigation)

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. We are currently seeking a Legal Secretary to support the Litigation practice, reporting to assigned attorneys and the Office Administrator.

The role will reside in the Los Angeles office with hybrid work capabilities and will be responsible for providing secretarial and administrative support to attorneys, advisors and other administrative personnel as assigned. Legal Secretaries are expected to perform all job duties with a commitment to providing superior service to clients, producing quality work products, and maintaining an atmosphere of teamwork and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities of this position include:

• Proficiency in eFiling in State and Federal Courts and all court procedures, including filing under seal, monitoring filing requirements, deadlines, confirmations and rejected filings.
• Type, edit and format legal and other documents (including pleadings, discovery documents, correspondence, memoranda, bills, timesheets and project work) from handwritten and typed materials.
• Maintain litigation calendars including court dates, filing deadlines, discovery deadlines, hearings, depositions, and attorney schedules.
• Copy, distribute, send (electronically and/or via mail, courier or express service), file and otherwise handle completed work.
• Ability to produce TOCs and TOAs (whether manually or with Best Authority) accurately.
• Proofread and redline work for accuracy of copy, format, grammar, punctuation and syntax.
• Prepare form response templates for discovery and form pleading templates ("shells") formatted correctly for the court and chambers.
• Partner with case teams on key court filings.
• Receive, screen and transmit telephone calls, conference calls and messages to/from attorneys, clients and staff.
• Handle incoming and outgoing mail and e-mail.
• Perform secretarial functions associated with firm administrative tasks, including processing new client/matter requests, client bills, time reports and expense reports.
• Organize and maintain electronic and physical case files, pleadings, exhibits, correspondence, discovery materials, and closing binders.
• Coordinate conferences, meetings, depositions, trial arrangements and appointments.
• Coordinate travel arrangements, securing air and ground transportation and hotel accommodations.
• Coordinate work as needed with office, firm and third-party service departments, including Document Services, IT, Office Services, Conference Services, and Finance.
• Provide secretarial assistance to visitors, summer associates and attorneys whose secretaries are absent, including cross-office support.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications (Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities):

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum of five years of litigation secretarial experience supporting partner level attorneys.
• Specialized secretarial and/or paralegal degree, associate and/or bachelor's degree desirable but not required.
• Understanding of legal terms.
• Ability to type at least 70 words per minute with accuracy.
• Ability to prioritize multiple assignments, meet deadlines, and work under pressure.
• Thorough knowledge of MS Office applications including Word and Outlook, Adobe Professional, document management systems as well as time-entry/billing software.
• Thorough knowledge of the proper preparation of time records, expense reports, client bills and New Business Intake forms (if applicable to position).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Excellent telephone manner.
• Proficiency with all legal filings.
• Familiarity with record-keeping practices.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to perform clerical tasks with a high degree of accuracy.
• Proficiency on office equipment used on a regular basis including computers, printers, copy machines and telephones.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team, take initiative, set priorities and see projects through completion.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, meet deadlines, handle multiple tasks, and respond to changing priorities.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships within the office and firm, and with clients, vendors and others outside the firm.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality of client and office information, and adhering to the Firm's Core Values.
• Commitment to professional growth.

The anticipated base salary range for this position in Los Angeles is $95,000 to $125,000. The actual salary offered will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, years of relevant experience, certifications or other professional licenses held, job-related knowledge and skills, business needs, and the location from which the work will be performed. Additionally, salary or hourly wages may be only part of the total compensation package, which may also include a full range of health and other insurance benefits, financial and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility), a discretionary bonus, and various paid time off benefits.