Floater Legal Secretary

Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k)

Job summary

Cox, Castle, Nicolson in Los Angeles seeks a Floater Secretary to provide comprehensive administrative and secretarial support for a team of attorneys and paralegals. The role covers document prep, billing, timekeeping, and calendar management, including travel arrangements and meeting coordination.

The position requires strong MS Word/Outlook skills, 70 wpm typing, and three years of legal experience, with opportunities to handle dictation and complex filings.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent with some word processing/computer training.
• Three years of prior legal experience required.
• Knowledge of legal terminology and procedures is essential.
• Proficiency in MS Word and Outlook is required; Excel/PowerPoint a plus.
• Typing speed of 70 wpm and accurate grammar/spelling.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and secretarial support for a team of attorneys and paralegals.
• Prepare legal documents, correspondence, and filing; handle client billing and timekeeping.
• Schedule meetings, travel, and conferences; manage calendars and communications.
• Assist with dictation, transcription, and document formatting as needed.
• Maintain files, records, and electronic documents per firm standards.
• Coordinate with staff for closings, deposits, and court filings.

Skills

Typing 70 wpm

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Communication Proficiency

Teamwork

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Dictaphones

iManage

Job description

The Floater Secretary is responsible for providing administrative and secretarial support for a team of attorneys/paralegals. Also, responsible for providing administrative and secretarial support for attorneys while their secretaries are absent due to vacation, illness or other types of leave of absences. This includes, but is not limited to, preparation of legal documents and correspondence, client billing, timekeeping, expense reports, closing binders, court filings, client interface, scheduling meetings, conferences, depositions, travel arrangements, answering phones, file maintenance, and a wide variety of other clerical duties as needed.

1. Receives and screens visitors and telephone calls; directs as appropriate.

2. Sorts, opens and distributes incoming mail; prepares, sends and receives emails and faxes.

3. Schedules and arranges meetings and conferences/teleconferences, coordinates travel arrangements, and performs other duties related to maintaining attorneys’ schedule.

4. Performs a wide variety of typing assignments which may require some research to complete; operates personal computer to draft, edit, revise, tabulate and print letters, tables, reports and other materials.

5. Prepares documents and correspondence requiring knowledge of legal terminology and document formats, such as contracts, memos, leases, briefs, pleadings, complaints, and motions from verbal or written instruction, dictation, shorthand notes, rough drafts or other material.

6. Proofreads and corrects material for correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, format, syntax and content.

7. Prepares new client information for opening of new files/matters.

8. Inputs timekeeping information for attorney, paralegal and self; prepares expense reports.

9. Coordinates billing procedures including invoicing as required.

10. Maintains contact and distribution lists, prepares labels and envelopes for large distribution and mailings.

11. Prepares closing binders, legal binders and assembles final client documents.

12. May take or transcribe legal dictation.

13. Establishes, maintains, processes, and oversees files, correspondence, email messages, databases, records and/or other documents in accordance with Records Center filing system.

14. Photocopying and scanning.

15. Interfaces with department personnel, lawyers, secretaries, and other support staff to exchange information (via email, phone and in-person).

16. Attends and participates in departmental meetings and all training opportunities as they are scheduled/offered.

17. In addition to the above, assists with special projects, related essential functions/duties, and assists Overflow Resources when needed.

18. Litigation desks also require the following in addition to above: Logs, dockets, and schedules administrative hearings, serves and files legal papers, prepares and reviews legal documents (discovery, summons, complaints, affidavits, requests, answers, motions, etc.) to ensure they are in proper format and contain all necessary portions of related documents for court appearances; files legal documents with proper courts, e-file knowledge, prepares trial notebooks and exhibit listings for meetings, court appearances and hearings; schedules depositions with multiple parties, including the attorney, clients, opposing counsel, and court reporters; organizes and files case documents; schedules site examinations; tracks deadlines and sends reminders to the legal team; cite-checking and proofreading briefs and legal documents; schedules couriers, court reporters and expert witnesses.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent, with some additional training in word processing and computers preferred.
• Three years prior legal experience required.
• Requires knowledge of modern office practices (e-filing, etc.), principals of record keeping, set-up and maintaining filing systems, and knowledge of legal phrases, terminology, and procedures.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Outlook required.Excel and PowerPoint a plus.
• Knowledge of document management systems such as iManage a plus.
• Typing speed of 70 wpm.
• Ability to file alphabetically and numerically.
• Accuracy in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• May require skill in the use of Dictaphones and other transcribing equipment/software.
• Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, transcription, and other office procedures and terminology.
• Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Communication Proficiency - effectively transfers ideas and information orally and through writing, and effectively listens and asks questions to ensure understanding.
• Collaboration - works cooperatively with others to accomplish objectives.
• Teamwork - develops and uses collaborative relationships to facilitate the accomplishment of collective goals, and builds effective working relationships with others.
• Applied Learning - assimilates and applies new job‑related information in a timely manner.
• Planning and Organizing - develops a systematic course of action for oneself to effectively allocate time and resources to ensure completion of an objective.
• Thoroughness - applies attention to detail and accuracy in completing tasks.
• Quality Orientation - accomplishes tasks by considering all areas involved, and shows concern for all aspects of the job to ensure high‑quality output.
• Tracking/Follow Up - monitors and follows up with the results of assignments or projects at all stages to ensure their completion.
• Time Management - prioritizes and completes tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.
• Initiative - identifies what needs to be done and takes action before being asked, when the situation requires it.
• Problem Solving - identifies alternative solutions to a problem and selects the best option; escalates problems to the attention of the supervisor as needed.
• Discretion - appropriately identifies which information should be disseminated to others inside and outside of the Firm, and maintains confidentiality of information as required.
• Professionalism - uses sound judgment to meet or exceed workplace guidelines, standards and expectations.
• Ethical conduct - demonstrates behaviors that are consistent with standards for professional and ethical conduct.
• Composure – remains calm while working under pressure during challenging situations, occurring as a result of workloads and deadlines.
• Comprehension - reads and understands verbal and written instructions and documents, in order to create, compose and edit written materials.

Compensation

• Salary to be based upon experience; we're targeting between $80,000 and $90,000 annual.
• We offer comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision as well as 401(k), sick and vacation time.
• First 90 days is fully onsite followed by 4 days in office, 1 day at home schedule.

Cox, Castle, & Nicolson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Cox, Castle, & Nicolson provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Cox, Castle, & Nicolson will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO).

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