Bilingual legal assistant, Corporate Law

Bennett Jones LLP; Montreal; Hybrid; CAD 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job description

Ranked a Best Employer in Canada for 23 years, Bennett Jones is one of Canada’s premier business law firms and home to 500 lawyers and business advisors. With deep experience in complex transactions and litigation matters, and offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and New York, the firm is well equipped to advise businesses and investors with Canadian ventures and connect Canadian businesses and investors with opportunities around the world. Serving clients since 1922, we are proud to be the firm that businesses trust with their most complex legal matters.

We are currently recruiting for the following role in our Montréal office:

Bilingual legal assistant, Corporate Law

Job summary :

* Hybrid schedule: three (3) days in the office

We are looking for an experienced bilingual legal assistant to join the Corporate group in our Montreal office. Reporting to the Director, Associates & Student Programs, the candidate will assist our team of lawyers in managing their practice and carrying out mandates in corporate law, namely in mergers and acquisitions and private equity, at both the legal and administrative levels.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Draft correspondence, prepare, revise and compare documents further to handwritten or dictated instructions.
• Revise and proofread documents for spelling and grammar all the while ensuring consistent formatting throughout.
• Transcribe dictations, voice memos and other recordings.
• Oversee and review all incoming mail or fax communications and arrange for specialized mail, courier and messenger services as needed.
• Receive, handle, screen and direct incoming calls according to lawyers’ instructions. Address routine inquires and client requests and take messages when necessary.
• Assist lawyers with business development efforts and maintain the accuracy of the professional contacts database (Interaction).
• Organize client meetings, book boardrooms and arrange for catering or audio-visual equipment as needed.
• Manage deadlines, plan meetings and appointments, including organizing lawyers’ business trips making necessary reservations, and update lawyers’ calendar.
• Conduct conflict checks and open new client matters.
• Prepare and submit expense claims (Aderant) and ensure invoice payment in accordance with the Firm’s accounting policies
• Enter time entries, review pre-bills and ensure billings are processed in a timely manner.
• Manage files, documents and folders using iManage and other storage and archiving applications.
• Offer backup support to other Legal Assistants as needed and collaborate with colleagues to schedule vacations, breaks, and absences, ensuring continuous support for lawyers.
• Perform any related administrative task

Qualifications:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in both English and French. * The successful candidate will interact with English-speaking clients, third parties, and colleagues across our Canadian offices, where English is predominant. Since over 50% of the work will be conducted in English, proficiency in both languages is required.
• Minimum of five to seven years as a legal assistant, supporting multiple corporate law lawyers, preferably at a large national law firm.
• Diploma of legal assistant (A.E.C.) or diploma of collegial studies (D.E.C.) in office administration, or the equivalent.
• Skilled in MS Office, Adobe Pro, digital dictation, and other legal-specific technologies.
• Experience with Aderant or similar billing technologies, with a strong understanding of the billing cycle, expense processing, and bill payment.
• Attention to detail and ability to perform tasks quickly and accurately.
• Self-motivated, highly organized with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced work environment.
• Demonstrate professionalism, confidentiality and discretion, as well as customer-oriented attitude.
• Ability to work as a team and thrive in a dynamic environment.
• Sound judgment, creativity, and independence in resolving administrative issues.
• Willingness to work overtime when necessary.

Apply to:

All offers of employment are conditional upon the satisfactory verification of a Canadian criminal record check. Determination of the factors that constitute satisfactory verification is within the sole discretion of Bennett Jones.

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.