Practice Assistant / Legal Secretary

About the Role

We’re looking for a proactive Practice Assistant in our New York office to support a dynamic group of attorneys. This is an exciting opportunity for someone early in their legal support career who is eager to contribute, grow, and be part of a high-performing, client-focused environment. As a Practice Assistant, you will play a key role in ensuring the smooth day-to-day management of attorney workflows. You’ll serve as a trusted administrative resource, assisting with document preparation, client communications, and coordination of legal support tasks that keep our legal teams operating at the highest level.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, format, revise, and finalize a variety of legal documents, correspondence, spreadsheets, and presentations using Microsoft Office and document management tools.
• Handle administrative tasks such as processing conflict checks, submitting expense reports, managing attorney time entries, scheduling meetings and travel, and maintaining calendars.
• Conduct research, coordinate conference calls, and support document filing through the Firm’s systems.
• Foster strong working relationships across teams, collaborating with departments like Accounting, General Services, and Reprographics to ensure seamless support.
• Maintain paper and electronic files in compliance with firm policies, ensuring information is accurate and accessible.
• Anticipate attorney and team needs, proactively offering support to help achieve client service excellence.

Requirements

• A minimum of 3-5 years of legal administrative support experience.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, and basic Excel; familiarity with Adobe Acrobat and PowerPoint is a plus.
• Experience supporting litigation is a plus.
• Excellent attention to detail, organization, and time management skills.
• A client service mindset with strong communication skills—both written and verbal.
• A professional, flexible, and positive approach to working with colleagues and clients.

Pay

The base salary range for this position in New York City is $68,000 - $120,000. This range may differ based on your geographic location and cost of living considerations.

Benefits

At Kirkland & Ellis, we offer an exceptional range of flexible benefits including:

• Comprehensive healthcare
• Paid time off
• Retirement plans
• Personal support and tailored learning and development opportunities