Legal Secretary

Palmer Legal Staffing; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading legal staffing agency is seeking a highly organized Legal Secretary in Washington, D.C. The position involves managing calendars, handling client communications, and performing various administrative tasks. Candidates should have 3-5 years of secretarial experience in a law firm, a customer service focus, and strong technical and organizational skills. This is a direct hire position with a fully in-office schedule from Monday to Friday, with overtime expectations in the evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• 3 - 5 years of secretarial experience in a law firm or professional services firm.
• Ability to manage emails and scheduling efficiently.
• Proactive and capable of handling multiple tasks under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Manage emails, handle telephones, and communicate effectively with clients.
• Arrange video conferences and manage mail processes.
• Maintain confidentiality of all firm and client information.
• Open and sort mail, prepare mailing materials, photocopying duties.
• Maintain confidentiality of all firm and client information.

Skills

Customer service orientation

Strong organizational skills

Technical skills

Calendaring

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

High school diploma with 5 years of experience

Tools

Firm time-entry system

Video conferencing setup (Teams/Zoom)

Job description

A well-known D.C. law firm is seeking a highly energetic, organized, and positive individual who has the ability to think ahead and deliver customer service with a smile. The position requires very heavy calendaring, dealing with multiple time zones, and includes responsibilities such as entering receipts, arranging travel, recording time, opening matters & requesting conflict checks & making copies of large documents for attorney review. The position is fully in office Monday through Friday. Hours are from 7am-4pm with overtime expected in the evenings and on weekends.

Under direct supervision of the Chief Operating Officer (Administrator), the Legal Secretary provides clerical and administrative support to assigned attorneys in a busy practice.

This includes performing a wide variety of administrative tasks such as reading and managing emails, scheduling appointments, managing travel demands, being the key initial contact with clients, other attorneys, and staff within the firm. Strong technical skills are required as well as the ability to be proactive and think ahead.

Status: Direct Hire

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Read and manage emails, print client emails and attachments.
• Answer telephones, accurately take, and relay messages.
• Arrange for video conferencing meetings (Teams/Zoom) and conference calls.
• Open and sort mail, prepare material for mailing, handle photocopying projects.
• Assume responsibility for maintaining the highest level of confidentiality of all firm and client information, records, and files, both within and outside of the firm.
• Create daily and travel itineraries, provide updates accordingly.
• Create, edit, and proofread work product to ensure accuracy in emails and other work product.
• Input, review, edit and finalize timekeepers' time entries through the firm's web-based time entry program using firm standards.
• Arrange all travel, CLE reporting and professional memberships.
• Process reimbursements, expense reports and check requests.
• Handles monthly client billing, reviews billing proformas for accuracy and completeness, performs client, matter and timekeeper inquiries and narrative edits.
• Create engagement letters, open new matters, and generate client conflict checks.
• Effectively manage projects by meeting deadlines and conducting follow-up as needed.
• Assist with meeting planning, coordination, and support, including internal and external meetings, booking conference rooms in other offices, and arranging catering for lunch/dinner client meetings.
• Heavy communication with clients and internal attorneys on a regular basis.
• Assist with document conversion, clean-up, and formatting of complex documents.
• Perform all other duties as necessary for the efficient functioning to support the Director.
• Works with other secretaries to ensure that support is available to all attorneys during the workday.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred. Will consider High school diploma with 5 years of secretarial experience in a law firm setting.
• 3 - 5 years of secretarial experience in a law firm or professional services firm.

How To Apply:

Please respond with your resume for consideration. We welcome all candidates that meet the required qualifications with recent relevant experience. Palmer Legal Staffing is an equal opportunity employer.

About Us:

Palmer is an award winning staffing agency offering direct hire, temp-to-hire, and temporary placements for administrative, management, executive, legal and more. We represent more than 500 of the finest law firms and legal departments in the D.C. area.