Docketing Specialist

O'Hagan Meyer; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 39,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid schedule

Mentorship & training

Competitive pay + bonuses

Robust benefits package

401(k) with employer contribution

Job summary

O’Hagan Meyer seeks a full-time Docketing Specialist in Chicago, IL. You will calendar court dates, track deadlines, and maintain dockets across multiple jurisdictions, supporting attorneys and staff with timely reports and research.

You’ll analyze pleadings, apply procedural rules, and manage high-volume requests with precision. Collaboration with legal teams and participation in system enhancements are essential in this role.

Qualifications

• 4–6 years progressive docketing experience in a high-volume setting.
• Strong understanding of the litigation process and federal, state, and local court rules and procedures.
• Strong understanding of docketing software.
• Proficiency in Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office, including Outlook and Excel.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and time management.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.

Responsibilities

• Perform litigation docketing for state, federal, appellate, bankruptcy, and administrative matters.
• Docket matters in the Circuit Court of Cook County and collar county courts and federal districts.
• Apply relevant court rules and deadlines when calculating timelines.
• Support docketing for other offices, states, and practice areas.
• Independently analyze pleadings and court orders to determine deadlines.
• Monitor court queues for updates requiring action.
• Manage high-volume docket requests with accuracy.
• Prepare case records, docket history, and deadline summaries.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on court rules and deadlines.
• Coordinate with attorneys and staff on procedural issues.
• Participate in testing of docketing software and SOPs.

Skills

Docketing experience

Attention to detail

Time management

Communication skills

Independent worker

Team collaboration

Education

Paralegal certificate or legal education

Tools

Adobe Acrobat

Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel)

CourtAlert

eFileIL

Job description

O’Hagan Meyer, a national insurance defense litigation firm with more than 400 attorneys across 26 offices, is seeking a full-time Docketing Specialist to join its Chicago, IL office. We’re looking for resourceful, detail-oriented candidates who care about the little things, communicate clearly, follow established procedures, and ask questions when unsure. The Docketing Specialist is responsible for calendaring court dates, tracking deadlines, and maintaining dockets across multiple jurisdictions, as well as providing regular reports of response dates and supporting special projects and research assignments in collaboration with legal support staff and other firm docket specialists.

Primary duties include, but are not limited to:

• Perform litigation docketing for state, federal, appellate, bankruptcy, and administrative matters.
• Docket matters in the Circuit Court of Cook County and collar county courts (DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, and McHenry), the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of Illinois, the Illinois Appellate and Supreme Courts, and the Seventh Circuit.
• Apply the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure, Illinois Supreme Court Rules, Cook County Circuit Court rules and General Orders, and N.D. Ill. Local Rules when calculating deadlines.
• Support docketing for other offices, states, and practice areas (e.g., trademark, IP, federal court nationwide), applying each jurisdiction’s rules for service, response periods, and court holidays.
• Independently analyze pleadings and court orders to determine all applicable deadlines.
• Calculate deadlines involving multiple service methods, continuances, and stipulations, and research procedural rules, statutes, and local rules when deadlines are unclear.
• Monitor court queues for updates requiring immediate action.
• Manage high-volume docket requests, including expedited and high-priority (“RUSH”) requests, with exceptional accuracy.
• Perform quality control review of docket entries in collaboration with legal support staff
• Process complex case transfers, consolidations, removals, remands, appeals, and related proceedings.
• Maintain accurate case records and docket history, and prepare reports and deadline summaries.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on court rules and procedural deadlines for attorneys and legal staff.
• Coordinate with attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, and litigation teams on procedural issues.
• Participate in testing and implementing docketing software, system enhancements, SOPs and workflow improvements.
• Stay current on rule changes affecting litigation deadlines.

• 4–6 years of progressive docketing experience, with a background in docketing or litigation support and administration in a high-volume setting.
• Strong understanding of the litigation process and federal, state, and local court rules and procedures.
• Strong understanding of docketing software
• Proficiency in Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office, including Outlook and Excel.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and time management.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.

Preferred:

• Knowledge of Illinois state and federal court rules and procedures (strongly preferred).
• Multi-state docketing experience.
• Experience with CourtAlert
• Familiarity with eFileIL and the Cook County Clerk’s online case search.
• Paralegal certificate or other legal education.

• Flexible hybrid schedule.
• Low turnover, collegial and collaborative environment.
• Direct client interaction and significant responsibility on complex and sophisticated legal matters.
• Formal mentorship, training and development programs for associates.
• Competitive compensation and several annual bonus programs.
• Robust benefits package, including 401(k) plan with employer contribution, health insurance (medical, dental and vision coverage), life insurance, flexible spending accounts to help offset the cost of dependent care and/or health care expenses, and a paid parental leave program.

O’Hagan Meyer is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. O'Hagan Meyer participates in E-Verify.

Salary Range: $28.00 to $38.50 per Hour