Construction and Design Practice Assistant; Legal Assistant​/Secretary

Stoel Rives LLP has an immediate opening for a Construction and Design Practice Assistant in our Seattle office. This position provides legal and administrative support to attorneys in the Litigation and/or Real Estate/Construction and Design practice groups. This position reports to the Practice Assistant Supervisor or Office Administrator.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES

Legal Document Preparation and Filing

Prepare template/shell pleadings, contracts, and other legal documents; coordinate document production; revise, finalize, file and serve pleadings; and coordinate preparation of attorney and court working notebooks.

Word Processing

Keyboard correspondence and simple to complex legal documents and forms from transcription, handwritten drafts, or notes; apply track changes, formatting, and styles; proofread, format, edit, label and redact documents; transcribe voice mail messages and attorney dictation; and compare documents using document comparison software and produce redline comparison.

Timekeeping and Billing

Enter, proofread, and close timekeepers’ time entries in billing software; review, proofread, distribute, and track proformas and client invoices; manage complex proformas, incorporate edits, and mail out client invoices as needed; research and resolve billing problems and questions from clients and accounting as needed; and process expense reports and invoice disbursement requests.

Client Service

Communicate with clients and outside counsel via phone and email; work with clients to obtain signatures on legal documents; coordinate client travel for in-person meetings and hearings; and coordinate client holiday cards and gifts.

Teamwork

Work with and provide coverage for practice assistant team during times of need, such as heavy workload and unplanned or planned absences; delegate and coordinate projects with support departments; assist coworkers and timekeepers with questions related to technology or firm procedure; and participate in team meetings.

File and Document Management

Scan, copy, fax, print, and organize documents; request and review conflicts reports; open new client/matters using firm’s electronic records system; maintain electronic and physical files; retrieve documents from document management system and hard copy files; prepare and maintain notebooks; and transmit voluminous electronic documents via secure file sharing website.

Other Administrative Support

Maintain timekeepers’ calendars and monitor docketing deadlines; review documents and correspondence for important deadlines and information; maintain Outlook and Interaction contacts and working lists; prepare PowerPoint presentations; distribute internal and external mail electronically and/or by hard copy; schedule meetings and coordinate reservations for conference rooms and lunches;
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit reporting; prepare and submit appropriate request form for business development or professional development expense approval; answer phone calls and relay phone messages; arrange travel; update and maintain practice group page on the firm’s intranet; and comply with firm policies, including confidentiality, insider trading issues, etc.

Other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES

Keep personally identifiable information, personal health information, and attorney/client privileged information confidential; prioritize daily responsibilities and special projects and readjust as priorities change; coordinate resources to meet deadlines; perform multiple tasks in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment; maintain a calm, courteous, and professional demeanor at all times; be a constant-learner, flexible, proactive, efficient and resourceful; take initiative, and follow through; solve problems;

work independently and in an interactive team environment; have prompt, regular, and predictable attendance; have strong organizational, grammar, and proofreading skills; pay attention to detail; have outstanding interpersonal and client service skills; have clear, effective, and professional verbal and written communication skills; and be proficient and fluent in reading, writing, and verbal communication in…