Executive Assistant

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer seeks an Executive Assistant to provide efficient administrative support to fee earners, including calendar management, travel arrangements, expenses, and document editing. Typically supports 1-2 partners and 4-5 other fee earners.

Responsibilities cover client engagement, scheduling, document production, billing assistance, and business development support, with a strong emphasis on confidentiality, accuracy and team collaboration.

Qualifications

• Associates degree/Bachelor’s degree required.
• 3–5 years of experience in legal or professional services including partner support.
• Advanced technical skills and excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Complex calendar management with knowledge of workload and priorities.
• Liaise with clients and their support assistants.
• Act as a point of contact for fee earners; obtain key information.
• Proactive diary management; coordinate meetings and provide documentation ahead of meetings.
• Document production: prepare correspondence, amend documents, and proofread.
• Understand internal systems and policies; provide general admin support (photocopying, printing, scanning).
• Communicate confidently and effectively; maintain regular updates with fee earners.
• Support a collaborative team environment; cover colleagues and help meet deadlines.
• Ensure telephones are answered promptly and professionally; contribute to team objectives.
• Work flexibly outside core hours to meet deadlines.
• Track and upload engagement letters/emails; assist with billing and time recording.
• Assist with billing procedures, edit bill narratives, prepare client bills; liaise with Revenue Controllers.
• Handle expense management; submit claims weekly.
• Maintain knowledge of key clients and firm objectives; assist in BD activities; produce pitches and client presentations.
• Assist with client events as required.

Skills

Exceptional communication

Organizational skills

Discretion & confidentiality

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

With over 2,800 lawyers in 27 key business centers around the world, Freshfields combines an unrivalled breadth of expertise across practice areas and borders with tremendous growth opportunities within our US practices. This unique balance defines our work style and culture. On one side, there’s the friendliness, personal attention and lack of hierarchy you find in a small firm; on the other, the comprehensive network, breadth of work and resources of an international organization. We’re a collegial firm - we work, learn and socialize together as one team. We’re also truly international in both outlook and opportunity.

The Executive Assistant will provide an efficient and professional administrative support service to fee earners. The Executive Assistant is principally responsible for ensuring that core tasks such as calendar management, travel arrangements, expenses, editing documents, answering telephones are managed on behalf of stakeholders, and will also undertake a range of other general administrative support tasks or project work. Typically, an Executive Assistant will support 1-2 partners and 4-5 additional fee earners.

Key Responsibilities and Deliverables

Client Engagement

• Complex calendar management including a comprehensive knowledge of fee-earners’ workload and current clients and is aware of priorities and sensitivities in order to assist with arranging client visits / meetings and in meeting deadlines.
• Is able to confidently liaise with clients and their support assistants.
• Act as a point of contact for fee earners, offering assistance and demonstrating an ability to obtain key information.
• Proactive diary management including coordinating and arranging meetings ensuring fee earners have all the necessary documentation and details required ahead of meetings.
• Document production: including preparing correspondence and amending documents. Proof reads work to ensure an accurate and high standard is maintained, demonstrating strong technical skills and a good eye for presentation.
• Demonstrate a full understanding of internal systems and policies
• General administrative support including photocopying, printing and scanning

Communication

• Communicate confidently and effectively in a professional manner at all times.
• Initiate communication on a daily basis with fee earners to ensure a high level of awareness of current priorities and support required.
• Communicate and share knowledge with team and proactively communicates with line manager on issues of workload and any other difficulties.

Team Support

• Support the fostering of a collaborative team environment by providing support when covering for colleagues and willingly offering assistance, prioritizing tasks appropriately in order to assist colleagues for the benefit of the team.
• Ensure telephones are covered and answered promptly and professionally at all times.
• Understand and contribute towards team objectives.
• Work flexibly and outside core hours as and when the need arises to meet deadlines and complete tasks.

Financial Management

• Support fee earners in adhering to the firm’s risk and compliance by tracking and uploading engagement letters/emails and ensuring time recording is completed to meet deadlines.
• Assist with the billing process by developing a knowledge of billing procedures, edit bill narratives, prepare client bills, and liaising with Revenue Controllers on behalf of the fee-earner as required.
• Handle expense management on behalf of fee earners, submitting claims on a weekly basis.

Business Development

• Maintain a good knowledge of key clients and awareness of the firm’s and of their fee earners’ strategic objectives.
• Maintain a good understanding of K/BD (knowledge and business development?) resources and best practices.
• Manage contacts in Outlook and Connect for fee earners and assist in client development outreach
• Assists fee earners and MBD department with the production of marketing, including production of pitches, client presentations and maintaining up-to-date CVs.
• Assist with client events as and when required.

Key Requirements

Essential

• Associates degree/Bachelor’s degree
• 3-5 years of experience in the legal or professional services industry including partner support Advanced technical skills and excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel.

Competencies

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral with an ability to interact at all levels.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships with key stakeholders and clients.
• Ability to demonstrate absolute discretion with sensitive and confidential information.
• Independent self starter able to problem solve and take full ownership of assigned tasks.
• An enthusiastic and committed approach, whilst remaining flexible and proactive at all times.
• An ability to work well in pressured situations while maintaining a professional attitude.
• Able to work fast, accurately and to tight deadlines.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, conflicting demands and deadlines and act on own initiative.
• A strong team player with an ability to form supportive relationships throughout the firm.
• Adaptable and open to change.
• Willingness to broaden experience and develop skills further.

For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in New York and California, Freshfields is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This compensation range is specific to the States of New York and California and takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $75,000 to $125,000.

EEO Statement
Freshfields US LLP is proud to be an equal employment employer. Our policies and practices will be free from unlawful discrimination based upon race, color, ethnicity, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), national origin, citizenship, immigration status, ancestry, age, marital status, protected veteran status, military service, disability, medical condition, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law. We strive to promote an atmosphere that encourages equal opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices, including sexual harassment.

Disability Accommodation for Applicants to Freshfields US LLP Freshfields US LLP is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in job application procedures.