Legal Secretary

BakerHostetler has an opportunity for a Legal Secretary in the Washington, DC office. This is a non-exempt position that reports to the Human Resources Manager. The ideal candidate will possess excellent people, organizational, and planning skills and the ability to adapt to fast-paced ever-changing priorities. This role requires creativity and the ability to think innovatively and exercise independent judgment when necessary while handling sensitive and confidential information.

Responsibilities:

• Delivers excellent work and superior service to the Firm’s internal stakeholders, attorneys and clients; contributes to the Firm’s reputation for excellence by providing highly efficient and effective secretarial and administrative support to a legal team consisting of six or more timekeepers.
• Assists attorneys with meeting client-service support demands, including but not limited to providing telephone support (receiving calls, answering questions and otherwise being helpful to callers), performing administrative tasks as requested, performing document production, uploading and saving documents, assisting with opening new matters and client intake requests, time entry and billing support, and other related tasks.
• Communicates with attorneys and assists in balancing the team’s workload to ensure completion of projects within established time frames and quality standards; seeks guidance from the Human Resources Manager when workload demands and deadlines dictate. Takes initiative and follows-up with timekeepers for clarification on tasks, outstanding items or upcoming deadlines.
• Prepares mailings and internal paperwork, including expense reimbursements, messenger or courier vouchers and other such forms required by other support departments.
• Schedules various events and meetings. Works with Travel Department regarding business trips, schedules conference rooms using the Conference Room Scheduler, and orders meals and refreshments for meetings as necessary. Legal Secretary should anticipate peripheral needs for meeting requests and be available to welcome guests and clients on behalf of the attorneys.
• Proofreads, prepares and processes legal documents and papers including, but not limited to editing documents, preparing redlines and tables of contents.
• Provides dependable, flexible support. Demonstrates teamwork by providing reception relief as well as back-up secretarial and administrative support to others as requested by the attorneys and/or the Human Resources Manager; contributes to the assimilation of new legal and support staff.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the Firm’s secretarial policies and all applicable administrative procedures.
• Notary services and other duties as requested and assigned.

Requirements:

• Minimum of 5 years of law firm or equivalent experience required, supporting a minimum of six attorneys.
• Advanced skills in Word (using styles, track changes and document comparison programs); proficient in Excel and PowerPoint; Advanced skills with Outlook, Adobe Acrobat.
• Interpersonal communication skills necessary in order to maintain effective relationships with partners, attorneys, clients and staff in person, by e‑mail and telephone.
• Must be detailed oriented, able to work independently and in a team environment and able to implement high priority projects.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and possess strong organizational skills.
• Ability to exercise discretion with confidential and sensitive information.
• Fundamental knowledge of legal terminology.
• Ability to provide a high level of customer service and be able to clearly and effectively communicate both verbally and in writing.
• District of Columbia notary is a plus.