General Description:
Practice Assistants provide high quality administrative support to a group of lawyers and professionals in a team environment, effectively and efficiently meeting Firm/client needs. The practice assistant position is currently a hybrid role with designated days required to be in the office, which may change depending on future needs of the firm or industry standards.
Key Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions:
- Communicate effectively and professionally with clients, lawyers, and co-workers via email, by telephone and in person; answer telephone providing responses to routine questions from clients and staff members and/or route calls to appropriate lawyer or staff member; arrange conference calls and greet clients.
- Create, draft, format, edit, proofread, and manage Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations; draft routine business correspondence, forms, and documents under the supervision of an appropriate lawyer/professional.
- Schedule domestic and foreign travel through firm travel system, including flights, hotels and/or car rentals.
- Prepare, organize, and process reimbursements, invoices, and check requests in a timely manner.
- Collect and prepare information to run conflict checks, open new client matters, and draft engagement letters, scope letters, and other required documents; provide guidance to lawyers to ensure completed forms are prepared and submitted properly.
- Learn client-specific billing guidelines or restrictions and consistently apply them to client invoices to ensure compliance and cost-effective practices.
- Open, prioritize and distribute mail (both paper and electronic); coordinate mailings, deliveries, and copying, scanning, and printing, when appropriate.
- Enter and manage work requests from lawyers in the firm’s workflow tool and complete according to provided deadline(s).
- Perform routine electronic and paper filing in an organized manner for easy access; photocopy, scan, compile, and distribute documents; identify and coordinate available services provided by administrative departments such as office services, the IT Help Desk, document services, accounting, billing, and records.
- Perform all file maintenance, including saving documents to the document management system.
- Assist lawyers with time entry, billing, and collection, as needed.
- Operate independently to ensure completion of assignments, which may be complex in nature or require high-level production, in an accurate and timely manner. Produce a high volume of work assignments in an accurate and timely manner.
- Perform clerical duties for non-legal departments, as needed.
- Special project and duties as assigned.
Required Skills:
- Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe.
- Experience with document management systems.
- Experience with electronic signature software programs.
- Proficiency in core legal administrative assistant functions and advanced technical and communications skills.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple competing tasks and demands.
- Superb attention to detail, grammar, and punctuation, and the ability to articulate thoughts and effectively present innovative ideas and findings.
- Ability to take direction and work independently with little supervision.
- Ability to effectively work well with others.
- Effective and professional interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to write clearly and professionally, with excellent proofing skills.
- Strong work ethic with ability and commitment to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 30 pounds.
Required Qualifications & Education:
- Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- 4 to 5 years supporting lawyers and paralegal with administrative or client-related tasks, preferred.
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time.
- Moderate or advanced keyboard usage
