Litigation - Legal Secretary

Hanson Bridgett LLP; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Hanson Bridgett LLP is seeking a seasoned legal secretary to provide comprehensive administrative and legal support across active litigation matters in a flexible hybrid setting. The role requires coordinating meetings, managing calendars, and ensuring timely filings, with a strong emphasis on accuracy and confidentiality.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of litigation-focused legal secretarial experience, advanced knowledge of legal terminology, and proficiency in Microsoft Office and billing

Qualifications

• 5+ years of legal secretarial experience, preferably in litigation.
• Expert knowledge of legal terminology, court rules, and procedures.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and legal tech platforms.
• Strong teamwork, communication, and deadline-driven abilities.
• Discretion, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Ability to work overtime during deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive administrative and legal support to attorneys and paralegals across active litigation matters.
• Prepare, proofread, format, and finalize legal documents with strict deadlines.
• Manage attorney calendars and coordinate meetings, deposits, hearings, and travel.
• Handle filing and e-filing of documents in federal and state courts.
• Maintain and organize case files in the firm’s document management system.
• Monitor deadlines and ensure attorneys are prepared for court appearances.

Skills

Legal secretarial experience

California law knowledge

Microsoft Office proficiency

E-filing familiarity

Time management

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Tools

Document management systems

E-filing platforms

Billing software

Job description

This role offers a flexible hybrid schedule, with 1 to 3 days in the office per week, depending on your location and assigned practice group. Remote workdays are coordinated with your direct supervisor and assigned attorneys to ensure team needs are consistently met. Employees must be available for in-person meetings, court deadlines, professional development sessions, and other critical business needs as they arise.

To support a seamless remote work experience, Hanson Bridgett will provide all necessary IT equipment for working remotely, ensuring you have the tools you need to perform at your best wherever you are working.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

• Provide comprehensive administrative and legal support to attorneys and paralegals across active litigation matters.
• Prepare, proofread, format, and finalize legal documents, including pleadings, discovery materials, motions, and correspondence, ensuring accuracy and strict adherence to deadlines.
• Manage attorney calendars efficiently; schedule client meetings, court appearances, depositions, and hearings; and coordinate complex travel arrangements.
• Handle the filing and e-filing of legal documents in federal and state courts, ensuring full compliance with applicable court rules and local requirements.
• Maintain, organize, and update case files, ensuring all documents are properly categorized, indexed, and filed in a timely manner within the firm’s document management system.
• Monitor and track critical deadlines, ensuring attorneys are fully prepared for court appearances, hearings, depositions, and client meetings.
• Assist with billing processes, including time entry, tracking attorney hours, and timely submission to billing software.
• Serve as a professional and responsive primary point of contact for incoming calls, emails, and correspondence on behalf of attorneys.
• Manage client interactions with care and discretion, maintaining strict confidentiality and delivering exceptional, white-glove client service.
• Prepare high-quality PowerPoint presentations, Excel reports, and other materials for client meetings and internal use.
• Collaborate actively with team members across departments to support firm initiatives, special projects, and research assignments as requested.

Required Skills, Abilities, and Qualifications

• Minimum of 5+ years of legal secretarial experience, with a strong preference for litigation-focused backgrounds.
• Expert knowledge of legal terminology, court rules, and procedures, with particular emphasis on California law, including local, state, and federal courts.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and legal technology platforms, including document management systems, e-filing platforms, and billing software.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a collaborative team player in a professional setting, contributing positively to team dynamics, communicating proactively, and supporting colleagues to achieve shared goals.
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills, capable of managing multiple priorities, tasks, and deadlines in a demanding, deadline-driven environment.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills, with excellent grammar, sharp attention to detail, and the ability to craft clear, concise legal correspondence and documents.
• A deep commitment to attention to detail and following instructions in litigation support; precision is not optional; it is the standard by which all work is measured.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while also thriving as a contributing member of a close-knit legal team.
• Strong problem-solving abilities and adaptability, with a high degree of initiative when handling complex or unexpected tasks.
• Unwavering professionalism, confidentiality, and discretion when handling sensitive information or high-profile matters.
• Flexibility to work overtime or adjust hours as necessary to meet firm needs, particularly during critical deadlines or intensive case preparation.

Compensation

Hanson Bridgett offers a competitive salary and benefits package. The annual salary for this California-based role is anticipated to be in the area of $85,000.00 – $100,000.00, and represents the firm’s good faith and reasonable estimate of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual compensation is negotiable and will depend upon several factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s years of experience, qualifications, and skill set.