Labor & Employment Legal Administrative Assistant

barnes; Chicago (IL); Sur place; USD 55 000 - 75 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Barnes is seeking a senior legal administrative assistant to support a dynamic practice in Chicago. You will handle client relations, calendar management, document drafting, and billing while maintaining strict confidentiality.

The role requires at least 5 years of litigation support experience, proficiency in Word/Excel, and strong proofreading skills. Office hours are on-site with opportunities to coordinate travel and assist audit responses.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years' experience as legal administrative assistant or paralegal in litigation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel; PowerPoint helpful.
• Strong proofreading/editing and attention to detail; client-ready documents.

Responsabilités

• Provide organizational support to a large legal practice and meet deadlines.
• Interact regularly with clients and team members.
• Prepare and proofread legal documents; transcribe as needed.
• Manage mail, file openings, conflicts checks, and client files in iManage.
• Maintain calendars and reminders for attorneys.
• Process bills and invoices; track time submissions.
• Coordinate travel arrangements for attorneys.
• Assist with audit responses and marketing tasks.
• Handle overflow duties as requested by attorneys or Office Administrator.

Connaissances

Organizational skills

Client interaction

Initiative & judgment

Interpersonal skills

Dictation transcription

Outils

iManage

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Description du poste

SUMMARY: Supports key senior partner team in helping to manage dynamic practice, including maintaining positive and routine contact with clients, attorneys and staff. Performs a variety of secretarial duties for attorney(s) to whom assigned according to established policies and procedures and observes confidentiality of client matters.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Excellent organizational and multitasking skills to support large legal practices, manage competing priorities, and meet deadlines.
2. Dynamic, outgoing personality for regular and repeated interaction with clients and fellow team members.
3. Excellent initiative and decision-making skills as well as confidence in working independently.
4. Favorable interpersonal or leadership skills given anticipated interactions with team members and facilitating the completion of projects.
5. Confidence in skills and experience. Operates a computer and other standard office equipment.
6. Prepares correspondence, memoranda and other legal documents from written and oral drafts; drafts standard correspondence and other documents. Proofreads and edits materials for accuracy, grammar, spelling and formatting to ensure documents are polished and client ready. Transcribes dictation as needed.
7. Answers telephone calls as needed.
8. Reads, sorts and dates incoming mail. Ensures that outgoing mail is timely delivered. If necessary, routes mail to specific delivery service and follows up on timely delivery.
9. Opens new files, requests conflict of interest checks with Accounting (and, if applicable, assists attorney(s) regarding clearing same). Maintains complete, accurate and organized client and general files, including promptly saving and organizing all incoming documents and relevant correspondence in iManage. Conducts periodic review for possible storage of older files and prepares files to be closed.
10. Receives clients and visitors; maintains good public relations with clients; observes confidentiality of attorney-client relationship.
11. Makes appointments for attorney(s) and maintains calendar and deadline reminders for attorney(s). Maintains familiarity with calendars to help support completion of tasks and ensure attorney(s) have what they need that day/week.
12. Assist attorney(s) with tracking various items to ensure smooth flow of work and meeting of internal/external deadlines (engagement letters, client contracts, billings, diary, etc.)
13. Process bills. Proof/edit billing sheets (both narrative and expenses; if applicable, ensure client billing guidelines are met); review and edit invoices to ensure Accounting properly made corrections.
14. Process expense reports and invoices (i.e. hearing transcripts, fees, etc.) to Accounting.
15. Work with travel agency to look up flight/car rental/hotel options; reserve and calendar same.
16. Assists attorney(s) and the Audit Team with collecting and organizing information for audit responses, as requested.
17. Assist attorney(s) with various marketing issues (tickets/gifts to clients, etc.)
18. Prioritizes accurate and timely entry of attorney time for assigned attorney(s) who require assistance, including processing daily time submissions and meeting firm deadlines. Works closely with administrative support teams, including word processing, accounting, reprographics and reception.
19. Performs overflow work as requested by other attorneys, the Human Resource Director or the Office Administrator.
20. Other duties as assigned.

The employee must be able to perform all essential job duties and responsibilities of this position satisfactorily and as outlined, with or without reasonable accommodations. Reasonable accommodation requests may be accommodated, absent undue firm hardship.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

1. Superior attention to detail, including strong proofreading and editing abilities to ensure materials are accurate, polished and client ready. Willingness to suggest additional modifications if believed to strengthen content.
2. Minimum of 5 years' experience as legal administrative assistant or paralegal in a field involving litigation, with the following preferred but not necessary: (a) experience as executive assistant (helping to manage significant projects, practices and/or client relationships preferred; (b) specific job experience in Labor & Employment legal work is helpful in order to gain an understanding of law office policies and procedures and produce accurate legal documents with minimal supervision.
3. Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel is required. Experience with Microsoft PowerPoint is important.
4. Experience with iManage or a comparable document management system is preferred; prior iManage experience is a strong plus.
5. Genuine willingness / desire to learn new skills as needed.
6. Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a fast-paced environment supporting important, dynamic legal practices.
7. Ability to transcribe legal documents, corr