Legal Secretary | Litigation Practice

Legal Secretary Position

This job is with an international labor and employment law firm and looking for a Legal Secretary to work in our Kansas City office. This position has dual performance function, first supports the delivery of quality legal services to clients by providing secretarial and administrative assistance to attorneys, performing complex and specialized secretarial and clerical tasks, and working collaboratively and cooperative with others in a team-oriented environment. This position supports a set of attorneys as a primary assignment and also provides back-up secretarial assistance to others as assigned.

Position Responsibilities:

• Provides excellent customer service: answer main phone lines and direct calls; greet clients and vendors.
• Ensures that mail is sent out of the office, i.e. regular mail, certified mail, or overnight mail.
• Performs legal research.
• Performs e-filings, prepare pleadings notebooks, update indexes and prepare exhibits.
• Maintain and organize files in an orderly manner.
• Ability to draft standard pleadings, correspondence, memoranda and other documents.
• Timely reviews and ensures accuracy of vendor invoices; prepares accurate check requests and timely submits invoices for payment to client or accounting.
• Possesses knowledge of client-specific billing guidelines and restrictions and consistently applies those guidelines to ensure cost-effective practices.
• Participates in the timely review and submission of prebills and/or client bills.
• Possesses strong clerical skills including typing, transcribing, word processing, mail and contact management, spreadsheets, presentations, and all of the firm's systems and databases.
• Accurately files court documents both electronically and in document form and able to determine and follow any local or judge specific requirements related to same.
• Exhibits good judgment and organizational skills to receive, record and disseminate all information on behalf of the clients and assigned attorneys (e.g., mail, interoffice mail, email, etc.)
• Consistently provides friendly and helpful telephone support and/or receptionist relief.
• Regularly and accurately proofreads all documents to ensure accuracy and completeness prior to distribution or filing.
• Regularly anticipates the needs of assigned attorneys in order to promote timekeeper efficiencies (i.e., drafts correspondence, prepares shell pleading and discovery documents in advance).
• Routinely reviews and follows-up on client deadlines and calendar appointments.
• Coordinates and makes necessary arrangements for meetings (i.e., depositions, mediations, interviews, and vendor and facility reservations).
• Assists assigned attorneys with completing and tracking CLE compliance, presentations and training programs, other business development activities, and organizing all other non-billable activities.
• Accurately prepares and submits client intake forms.
• Follows the standard naming and profiling conventions when scanning, emailing, and saving documents to the document management system.
• Regularly and consistently updates client files, notebooks, and pleading indices.
• Maintains attorney specific case lists, charts, and status of cases and outcomes.
• Understands and accurately manages audit requests.
• Consistently updates all applicable contact records (including attorney's outlook and firm database).
• Timely reviews, follows-up on, and accurately files client-related emails.
• Properly prioritizes work assignments.
• Seeks appropriate assistance (from the office manager or attorneys) when conflicts arise.
• Consistently completes assigned tasks when expected.
• Able to juggle multiple assignments and/or deadlines while maintaining a professional demeanor and timely seeks assistance when needed.
• Willing and capable to offer assistance to others when needed.
• Enter, review and revise timesheets accurately.
• Proofread all documents independently and effectively to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Develop, implement, and maintain systems to promote organization and efficiency.
• Understand and comply with office policies concerning file management, case lists, filing and recordkeeping.
• Effectively manage and monitor calendaring of deadlines and key dates.
• Exhibit knowledge of litigation process.

Key Requirements:

• Minimum of a high school diploma required (College degree is preferred, but not required).
• Must be comfortable to work within Monday to Friday 08:30 AM to 05:00 PM
• Minimum of five years of experience as a legal secretary required.
• Lexis Nexis, Pacer, ECF, DeskSite or document management system, CompuLaw, Concur, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel.
• Demonstrated knowledge of legal terminology, legal documents, and legal processes in the Litigation Department, including the ability to mark and generate a table of contents and table of authorities.
• Accurate typing at a net speed of 65+ wpm (shorthand/speedwriting a plus).
• Strong computer proficiency in the use of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook), Document Management System, Time Entry, e-Filing and database software.

Others:

• Attendance & Punctuality: Be consistently at work and on time; arrive at meetings and appointments on time; ensure work responsibilities are covered when absent.
• Communication: Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Customer Service: Respond promptly to attorney and client requests for service and assistance; meet commitments.
• Dependability: Follow instructions; complete tasks on time; commit to the hours necessary to complete assignments; work independently.
• Professionalism: Approach others in a tactful manner; treat others with respect; react well under pressure.
• Team Work: Contribute to building a positive team spirit; support everyone's efforts to succeed.
• Technical Skills: Possess basic PC skills; ability to use phone system, copier, scanner, fax, and printer.