Legal Secretary

Legal Secretary

Onsite in Kansas City, MO

This position has dual performance functions, first supporting 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 cooperatively 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 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.)
• 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.
• Able to juggle multiple assignments and/or deadlines while maintaining a professional demeanor and timely seeks assistance when needed.
• Enter, review and revise timesheets accurately.
• 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.

Requirements

• Minimum of a high school diploma required (College degree is preferred, but not required).
• 3+ years of experience as a legal secretary.
• Lexis Nexis, Pacer, ECF, Desksite or document management system, CompuLaw, Concur, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel.
• 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.
• Technical Skills: Possess basic PC skills; ability to use phone system, copier, scanner, fax, and printer.
• 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.