Legal Administrative Assistant (Legal Secretary Trainee)

Allen Matkins; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a motivated Legal Administrative Assistant to join their dynamic team in a hybrid role. This position offers the opportunity to learn and perform essential secretarial tasks while supporting attorneys and enhancing client relations. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating strong organizational skills and a commitment to quality service. You will engage in various responsibilities, from drafting legal documents to managing client communications. If you are detail-oriented, adaptable, and eager to contribute to a collaborative team, this is a fantastic opportunity to grow your career in a reputable firm.

Qualifications

• 1-2 years of law firm experience preferred.
• Ability to learn and work through complex document markups.

Responsibilities

• Perform general secretarial duties including correspondence and scheduling.
• Draft, edit, and proofread legal documents and assist with closings.

Skills

Document Markup

Interpersonal Skills

Typing Speed (70 wpm)

Proofreading

Time Management

Customer Satisfaction

Flexibility

Attention to Detail

Education

High School Diploma

College Degree

Tools

Adobe

MS Word

Excel

DocuSign

Aderant

Time Entry Software

Job description

Legal Administrative Assistant (Legal Secretary Trainee)

Job Category: Secretary

Requisition Number: LEGAL001190

Posted: March 14, 2025

Employment Type: Full-Time

Work Arrangement: Hybrid

Location

San Francisco, CA 94111, USA

Description

For more than 45 years, Allen Matkins has worked with clients drawn to us by our reputation for market-leading solutions, pragmatism, exemplary quality, approachability, and our unparalleled network of contacts and connections in business and government. Founded with deep roots in real estate, the firm has leveraged that foundation to grow and build prominent environmental and natural resources, land use, litigation, corporate, tax, labor and employment, and bankruptcy/restructuring practices which allow us to partner with clients across myriad industries and markets. Our firm’s success is driven by our commitment to hiring and developing top talent, ensuring a team that delivers exceptional work and service to our clients. We are guided by our core values: our people are our most important resource; we have a commitment to quality work, all the time; and we work as a team with each other and with our clients - we foster camaraderie.

About the Position

Under general supervision, the Legal Administrative Assistant learns and performs secretarial tasks related to the specific work and function of attorneys, secretaries, and other timekeepers. The Legal Administrative Assistant learns and maintains a general knowledge of the Firm’s practice areas and a specialized knowledge of the attorneys’ practice area(s) and clients. The Legal Administrative Assistant ensures client relations and satisfaction are attained in all areas of position. This position is currently a hybrid role.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Perform general secretarial duties, including, but not limited to: correspondence, coordinating and scheduling meetings and appointments as requested.
• Draft, edit, and proofread practice-specific legal documents and redline comparisons.
• Assist with various parts of closings, including, but not limited to: reviews, signature packets, signature pages, finalizing documents, organization, and distribution.
• Assist with preparing closing binders and indexes upon closing of transactions.
• Assist with preparing, filing, and/or ordering corporate documentation.
• Prepare and ensure client intake information follows conflict procedures.
• Prepare expense reports, timesheets and make travel arrangements.
• Calendar administrative dates as requested.
• Direct attorney billing and collection efforts and handle invoice correspondence as instructed.
• Maintain attorney files.
• Maintain updated calendar and current client contact lists.
• Multi-task, manage and process desk work flow.
• Ensure work is complete, accurate and timely.
• Provide knowledge and procedural mentorship for new attorneys.
• Provide professional client relationship management and high level client service.
• Utilize required software, including firmwide workflow program, BigHand.
• Attend training sessions offered by the Firm as required or requested.
• Professionally cross-collaborate and provide support on a daily basis with legal secretaries as well as other departments within the Firm to facilitate highest possible legal support.
• Retain a notary commission and perform notarial acts for Firm business, as requested.

Education and/or Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent; college degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum 1-2 years of law firm experience preferred.

Qualifications:

• Ability to learn and work through complex document markups and instructions in an accurate and timely manner.
• Ability to handle various assignments simultaneously and prioritize tasks in a high-pressure environment while being responsive and meeting deadlines.
• Ability to learn and troubleshoot documents quickly.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written and grammar communication skills.
• Strong commitment to producing quality results and fostering a culture of customer satisfaction.
• Minimum typing speed of 70 wpm with high level of accuracy.
• Strong proofreading and word processing skills.
• Strong technology skills and proven ability to learn new technology and software quickly.
• Advanced proficiency to learn in Adobe, MS Word, Excel, DocuSign, Aderant, and time entry software.
• Must be proactive team player, flexible, organized and attentive to detail in all levels of work.
• Positive, no-task-too-small attitude and willingness to adapt to changing business demands.
• Ability to work core business hours with flexibility for overtime, as required.
• Ability to interact effectively with clients, attorneys, staff and management.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

EEO Statement

Allen Matkins is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, veteran status, all other characteristics prohibited by law, or gender identity and/or expression.

We will collect the personal information you provide in connection with this application as well as information included with any other document(s) you provide us. We may use this information to evaluate your application and consider you for employment with Allen Matkins. We may share this information with third parties for any of the following purposes: (i) to confirm the accuracy of the information provided; (ii) to conduct a background check; (iii) to confirm or evaluate potential conflicts of interest; and/or (iv) to check references. If you accept an offer with Allen Matkins, we may use this information to provide you with the benefits of your employment. Our employees' personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, available at Privacy Policy.

Compensation

Allen Matkins is an Equal Opportunity Employer and offers a competitive compensation & benefits package. The anticipated base salary range for this full-time role is $50,000 - $75,000 per year. Actual salary will depend upon a number of factors, including, but not limited to, relevant experience, job-related skills, qualifications, and location.

The base salary range displayed on the job posting reflects the estimated range for new hire salaries for the position. The actual offered base salary will be determined by work location and additional factors, including, but not limited to, relevant experience, job-related skills and qualifications. The pay range is subject to change at any time dependent on a variety of internal and external business factors.