Senior Practice Assistant

Job Description

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us. Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

The global law firm of K&L Gates LLP is seeking a Senior Practice Assistant to join the New York office. Senior Practice Assistants work directly with multiple partners and senior associates to manage lawyers' practices and complete complex administrative tasks. Those in this role are key representatives and thought partners for their supported lawyers, their practice areas, and teams. They possess and utilize knowledge of practice area-specific processes, legal terminology, and client requirements to identify and resolve issues.

They work with lawyers, other timekeepers, and Firm departments to achieve continuity of client service. The hallmarks of a Senior Practice Assistant are exceptional organizational skills, sound judgment and decision-making abilities, effective multi-tasking, prioritizing, and meeting deadlines.

Senior Practice Assistants must be able to work independently and / or within a team with minimal supervision, maintain a positive attitude, and treat others with respect. Confidentiality with Firm and client matters must be observed at all times, and adherence to all Firm policies and procedures is required.

• Creating, editing, and proofreading correspondence and practice area-specific legal documents, generating document comparison reports, document and binder assembly, mailings
• Creating and editing charts and spreadsheets containing basic formulas
• Creating and editing PowerPoint presentations
• Responding to general client inquires, which may be billable or non-billable, and meeting client requests and expectations in a timely and consistent manner (e.g., document revisions, scanning records to PDF, applying naming conventions to file, photocopying, etc.)
• Preparing and coordinating court and other legal filings (physical and ECF)
• Providing trial and hearing support
• Assisting with new business intake process (submitting conflict checks, drafting file opening requests, drafting engagement letters)
• Maintaining an organized system for electronic files, including scanning files and running critical checks to ensure files and records are saved properly to the Firm's document management system
• Maintaining an organized system for physical files including intake, retention, retrieval, and transfer of records
• Coordinating, entering, and editing daily time recording for timekeepers
• Preparing monthly client invoices (including reviewing bill narratives and making edits, critical attention to pertinent details such as billing rates, client billing requirements, applicable discounts, etc., forwarding to and following-up with reviewers, submission, status tracking, and transmittal to clients)
• Understanding and drafting alternative fee arrangements
• Working with lawyers to produce client and matter budgets, track payments received and status of collections, assisting with collection efforts
• Preparing and submitting expense reimbursement reports
• Coding and submitting vendor invoices for payment
• Utilizing other Firm resources, such as internal library, Internet, etc. to perform research
• Assisting with administrative support such as Continuing Legal Education tracking, attorney licensing renewals, etc.
• Coordinating arrangements, logistics and obtaining required approvals for domestic and international travel utilizing the Firm's travel provider
• Answering and placing telephone calls, maintaining timekeeper calendars and client contact lists, scheduling meetings and coordinating logistic
• Assisting with training and providing orientation for new and / or less experienced staff members
• Assisting other Practice Assistants and Senior Practice Assistants with overflow work, providing back-up legal and / or reception support, providing support at client services functions and events
• Providing occasional marketing and business development support
• Performing other relevant administrative duties as directed by manager, lawyers, practice area leaders, coordinators or department heads to assist with practice development initiatives and project work

• Excellent client service skills
• Positive attitude and team synergy
• Developing and maintaining effective relationships with internal and external clients
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written), with a concentration on spelling and grammar, including being able to listen, remind, suggest, offer assistance to colleagues and lawyers and to share information clearly and professionally and coordinate across teams and departments to improve and achieve business results (Billing, Accounting, Marketing, New Business Intake, Records, IT, Global Support Teams)
• Using reliable judgment and analytical skills and demonstrating flexibility in approach to decision-making and problem resolution to achieve…