Legal Support Senior Assistant

Sidley Austin (DC) LLP; United States; On-site; USD 60,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Sidley Austin LLP in the United States seeks a Legal Support Senior Assistant to provide high-level administrative and practice-specific support within the Global Finance Practice Group. This proactive, organized professional will independently manage priorities, anticipate attorney needs, and deliver exceptional client service in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Responsibilities include supporting partners and associates, managing calendars and travel, preparing documents, and

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of legal administrative support experience.
• Experience supporting partners or senior attorneys.
• Proficiency in MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, and document management systems.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Experience in finance, banking, corporate, or transactional practices preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level administrative support to partners, counsel, and associates.
• Independently manage competing priorities, anticipate attorney needs, and ensure timely completion of assignments.
• Prepare, edit, format, and proofread correspondence, presentations, and other legal and administrative documents.
• Manage complex calendars, coordinate meetings, and facilitate communications with clients and Firm personnel.
• Coordinate domestic and international travel arrangements and process attorney expense reports.
• Assist with attorney time entry, monthly billing, proforma review, and invoice preparation.
• Coordinate client billing arrangements, accruals, and financial reporting requirements.
• Monitor billing deadlines, resolve discrepancies, and collaborate with Accounting to ensure timely processing.
• Coordinate practice group meetings, client events, business development activities, and special projects.
• Serve as a liaison among attorneys, clients, and Business Services departments.
• Collaborate with legal support colleagues to ensure continuity of service and effective workload coverage.
• Identify opportunities to streamline administrative processes and improve service delivery.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Proofreading

Time management

Independent work

Judgment

Microsoft Office

Adobe Acrobat

Document management systems

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Adobe Acrobat

Document management systems

Job description

The Legal Support Senior Assistant provides high-level administrative and practice-specific support to attorneys within the Global Finance Practice Group. This position requires a proactive, highly organized professional who can independently manage competing priorities, anticipate attorney needs, exercise sound judgment, and deliver exceptional client service in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

Attorney & Administrative Support

• Provide high-level administrative support to partners, counsel, and associates.
• Independently manage competing priorities, anticipate attorney needs, and ensure timely completion of assignments.
• Prepare, edit, format, and proofread correspondence, presentations, and other legal and administrative documents.
• Manage complex calendars, coordinate meetings, and facilitate communications with clients and Firm personnel.
• Coordinate domestic and international travel arrangements and process attorney expense reports.

Billing & Financial Support

• Assist with attorney time entry, monthly billing, proforma review, and invoice preparation.
• Coordinate client billing arrangements, accruals, and financial reporting requirements.
• Monitor billing deadlines, resolve discrepancies, and collaborate with Accounting to ensure timely processing.

Practice Group and Team Support

• Coordinate practice group meetings, client events, business development activities, and special projects.
• Serve as a liaison among attorneys, clients, and Business Services departments.
• Collaborate with legal support colleagues to ensure continuity of service and effective workload coverage.
• Identify opportunities to streamline administrative processes and improve service delivery.

Education and/ or Experience

• Required: Minimum of three years of legal administrative support experience in a law firm or professional services environment.
• Experience supporting partners, senior attorneys, or senior-level professionals.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, and document management systems.
• Strong organizational, communication, proofreading, and time-management skills.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and manage multiple priorities.
• Preferred: Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• Experience supporting finance, banking, corporate, or transactional practices.
• Familiarity with transaction closings, legal billing, and matter management.

Other Skills and Abilities

• Initiative and Judgment: Anticipates needs, independently prioritizes assignments, and proactively resolves administrative issues.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of responsibilities and follows assignments through completion.
• Client Service: Demonstrates professionalism, responsiveness, discretion, and adaptability.
• Organization: Effectively manages multiple deadlines and competing demands with accuracy.
• Collaboration: Builds productive relationships with attorneys, clients, and colleagues.
• Technical Proficiency: Effectively utilizes Firm systems and adapts to new technology and processes.

Compensation & Benefits

• The target salary range for this role is: $60,000 - $77,000 if located in North Carolina.
• Benefits information can be found at Sidley.com/Benefits.

Accommodations & Equal Opportunity

Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. If you need such an accommodation, please email [e-mail] (current employees should contact Human Resources).

Sidley Austin LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Sidley is an elite global law firm with a known reputation of deploying innovative strategies to achieve powerful results. Business professionals are essential to the firm’s ability to deliver the highest quality legal services to our clients.

We are always looking for talented, motivated individuals who thrive in a performance-driven culture to join our team.

Sidley employs approximately 2,300 lawyers working with our clients in complex transactional, restructuring, crisis management, investigation, regulatory, and litigation matters. Our 160 years of perspective and reach are truly global, supported by 21 offices strategically situated in key commercial, regulatory, and financial centers across the world. Our lawyers and business professionals, fluent in more than 75 languages, possess the cultural awareness and cross-border legal acumen needed to bring clarity to a dynamic business landscape.