Legal Administrative Assistant

Key Responsibilities

• Operates standard office equipment and technology necessary to perform duties of assigned desk (laptop, phone, Microsoft Suite, etc.)
• Prepares correspondence, memoranda and other legal documents from written and oral drafts; drafts standard correspondence, and other documents.
• Screens telephone calls and records messages.
• Reads, sorts and dates incoming mail. Ensures that outgoing mail is timely delivered. If necessary, routes mail to specific delivery service and follows up on timely delivery.
• Establishes and maintains calendar and deadline reminder systems; utilizes master calendar system.
• Opens new files, requests conflict of interest checks with file room records, and maintains all client and general files. Conducts periodic review for possible storage of older files; prepares files to be closed.
• Receives clients and visitors; maintains good public relations with clients; observes confidentiality of attorney-client relationship.
• Makes appointments for attorney(s).
• Processes bills; proofs billing sheets; reviews and edits bills.
• Works closely with administrative support staff; proofs documents returned from word processing; ensures that attorney time sheets are provided to appropriate person in a timely manner.
• Performs legal assistant duties as requested.
• Performs overload typing, filing, photocopying, or reception relief as time permits and as request.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Ability to read and write in order to proof and perform minor editing (e.g., punctuation, grammar, spelling) of routine law office correspondence and legal case matters.
• Perform non-complex arithmetic calculations when verifying calculations on forms and documents; maintain records and filing systems at a level normally acquired through completion of high school or equivalent.
• About one to two years on the job experience necessary in order to gain an understanding of law office policies and procedures and produce accurate legal documents with minimal supervision.
• Ability to transcribe legal documents, correspondence and reports from rough draft or dictation.
• Ability to organize and prioritize numerous tasks and complete them under time constraints.
• Ability to proofread typed material for grammatical, typographical or spelling errors.
• Interpersonal skills necessary in order to communicate and follow instructions effectively from a diverse group of clients, attorneys and staff to provide information with ordinary courtesy and tact.
• Interpersonal skills necessary in order to communicate in person, by e-mail and telephone to provide information with ordinary courtesy and tact.