Legal Secretary

Morrison Foerster LLP, an Am Law 50 law firm with 18 offices worldwide, has an opening for a Legal Secretary within our Legal Secretaries Department in our Washington, D.C. office.

The Opportunity

Guided by department objectives and priorities, performs a variety of secretarial tasks to support assigned attorneys and other timekeepers. Provides a high level of client service and support while producing a high volume of consistently excellent work products. Maintains a general knowledge of the Firm’s practice areas and a specialized knowledge of the assigned attorneys’ practice area(s) and clients in order to enhance and promote communication between attorneys and their clients and to provide excellent, personalized service to support attorney/client relationships. Ensures client service and satisfaction are attained in all areas of position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Secretarial Support

• Provides professional client relationship management with external clients.
• Utilizes Firm provided software to open new matters, prepare engagement letters, and process conflict reports.
• Collaborates with Client Account Manager and assigned timekeepers to manage billing process, including editing prebills, generating reports, and sending out final invoices. May assist with collection efforts. Coordinates client, matter and timekeeper inquiries.
• Creates, edits, and proofreads complex and practice-specific legal documents, forms, and correspondence, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• In conjunction with Paralegals, may prepare or coordinate the preparation of Responses to Auditor Requests. Assists with preparation of Opinion Letters.
• Creates and maintains client/matter lists and communication lists.
• Organizes and accurately maintains physical and electronic documents and files in a timely manner. Creates and maintains working files and binders as requested. Utilizes Firm provided software to accurately store email messages, and maintain and retrieve files.
• Utilizes Outlook to schedule appointments and calendar dates. Maintains contacts in Outlook.
• Assists with timenote entry, including inputting timenotes, editing, proofreading, and closing them on a daily basis.
• Demonstrates working knowledge of internet resources to perform basic legal research and print off cases, as requested.
• Initiates client file transfer requests and assists with client disengagements.
• May facilitate the secure transfer of case/client data in accordance with firm’s data security policy.
• Provides backup support to other attorneys and timekeepers as needed. Volunteers for overflow work assignments when time permits and actively seeks to maximize productivity and promote teamwork. Participates in departmental projects designed to streamline workflow and/or resolve issues.
• Acts and assists as a proactive mentor for junior staff and new employees. Assists with training regarding specific Firm processes and procedures as requested.
• Create and label CDs/DVDs and comprehensive understanding of firm’s privacy policy and encryption tools.

Administrative Support

• Answers telephones and relays messages. Arranges conference calls, video conferences and live meetings.
• Copies, scans, faxes, and prints documents and attachments.
• Prepares materials for mailing and overnight delivery, including printing, assembling, copying, and ensuring appropriate delivery.
• Receives deliveries of items such as faxes, files, and boxes, and routes them appropriately.
• Makes conference room reservations, coordinates meals, multimedia, and other services as requested.
• Coordinates travel arrangements through the Firm’s travel department as requested.
• Prepares expense reimbursements, arranges for payment of invoices, and prepares check requests as needed.
• In conjunction with the Records Department, assists with the organization and preparations of materials for storage. Assists with maintaining high density storage area.
• May participate in the organization and planning of events.
• May assist in the preparation of marketing materials as requested.

Client Service, Confidentiality, and Safety

• Consistently promote and model the Firm's Client Service Principles in leadership, teamwork, work product, and personal interaction.
• Ensure compliance with the Firm's Information Handling Policy, including safeguarding confidential and personal information, and reporting any suspected breach appropriately and immediately.
• Adhere to the Firm's General Safety Practices and any unique safety practices for department and building.

OTHER DUTIES

• Assumes additional Firm responsibilities as requested.

Ideal Candidate

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• High School Diploma required, Associate Degree preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years recent Legal Secretarial experience
• Experience working in working in various practice groups of a large law firm preferred

Teamwork and Applied Skills

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to apply strong attention to detail to all levels of work.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritizes work, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work under pressure and complete job assignments in an accurate and timely manner.

Who We Are

At Morrison Foerster, our culture is defined by our deeds. We’re passionate about what we do. We’re equally passionate about how we do it. We resist hierarchies and operate within a model of respect — for our colleagues, their ideas, and the differences that make us stronger. We encourage you to learn more about who we are, and what we do.

Should you find you’re ready to do the best work of your life, we encourage you to let us know!