Legal Assistant - Civil Litigation

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 35,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Short-term Disability

Long-term Disability

HRA

FSA

401K

Pet Insurance

Paid Holidays

Job summary

Hedrick Gardner in the Carolinas seeks a Legal Assistant to provide administrative support for three or more attorneys. Core duties include handling incoming mail, managing electronic documents, answering calls, calendar management, and drafting routine correspondence.

Additional responsibilities cover scheduling mediations and depositions, requesting information from parties, and assisting other staff while prioritizing deadlines.

Qualifications

• HS diploma required.
• Associate degree or paralegal certificate preferred.
• Experience in civil defense litigation helpful.
• Proficiency in MS Word and MS Outlook essential.
• Experience with Aderant, NetDocs, and PDF tools beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support for three or more attorneys.
• Manage incoming mail and electronic documents; answer calls and maintain calendars.
• Draft correspondence and pleadings; schedule mediations and depositions.
• Request information from parties and assist other staff as needed.
• Communicate and resolve competing priorities in a timely manner.

Skills

MS Word

MS Outlook

Adobe Acrobat

Proofreading

Deadline management

Education

HS diploma

Paralegal/assistant certificate

Tools

Aderant

NetDocs

Aderant

NetDocs

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

For 70 years, our firm has been a trusted legal partner throughout North and South Carolina— delivering strategic defense, practical counsel, and results that matter. Across our five offices, we combine knowledge and experience with the resources and insight to manage complex claims and litigation efficiently.

We believe the strongest defense is built on solid relationships and client engagement. Our attorneys are more than counsel. We stand beside clients at every stage of a dispute by offering clear guidance, focused strategy, and relentless advocacy. Clients trust us to protect their interests and show up when it matters most.

What sets us apart is our commitment to true partnership. We invest deeply in understanding each client’s unique perspective, challenges they are facing, and their priorities, ensuring our counsel is practical and aligned with your business goals.

We blend a legacy of steady, dependable advocacy with a collaborative multi-generational approach — where experience meets innovation and grit meets adaptability. This balance allows us to navigate complex claims with precision that enhances efficiency and outcomes.

Our five offices across the Carolinas give us unmatched perspective. We understand the nuances of state and regional regulations and court practices, enabling us to craft defense strategies grounded in real-world environments.

Job Description

The Legal Assistant will provide administrative support for 3 or more attorneys.

Core Duties and Responsibilities:

This position will support attorneys by providing administrative support such as handling incoming mail, managing electronic documents, answering and responding to phone calls, managing each attorney’s calendar, drafting correspondence and pleadings, scheduling mediations and depositions, requesting necessary information from parties involved in litigated cases and assisting other support staff as needed. The legal assistant communicates and resolves competing priorities when appropriate and any other tasks that may be assigned by supervising attorneys or 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 position. Activities, duties, and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

• Required – HS diploma
• Preferred– Associate degree, certificate or similar course of study in the area of administrative support, legal secretarial assistance or paralegal studies
• Qualified candidates will exhibit knowledge of and experience in civil defense litigation including knowledge of deadlines, requirements and court filing procedures.
• Prior success in a professional office environment, preferably a law firm or legal department.
• Proficiency in MS Word and MS Outlook
• Proficiency in Aderant for case management
• Proficiency in NetDocs for document management
• Proficiency using Adobe Acrobat for PDF creation and manipulation
• Ability to complete tasks assigned in a timely fashion
• Ability to manage/meet deadlines
• Exceptional proofreading skills
• Knowledge of case management software preferred
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology

Additional Information

This position is a 37.5 hour work week, full-time position.

• Medical
• Vision
• Life
• Short-term Disability
• Long-term Disability
• HRA
• FSA
• 401K
• Pet Insurance
• Paid Holidays

Benefit Conditions:

• Waiting period may apply
• Only full-time employees eligible

Ability to commute/relocate:

Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work.

Hedrick Gardner is committed to the equal employment opportunity of all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal law.