Legal Practice Assistant

Job Description:

The Litigation Legal Practice Assistant (LPA) will provide lawyers with high-level administrative and legal support with minimal supervision. This role will support the firm's strategic objective to deepen and expand client relationships by consistently delivering exceptional service and anticipating the needs of lawyers and clients. The Litigation LPA will partner with firm departments and Shared Services programs to produce legal work of outstanding quality, consistently and efficiently.

In addition, as a member of the Perkins Coie Business Professionals team, this position is responsible for promoting and maintaining the goodwill and reputation of the firm. In this capacity, the LPA is expected to maintain the highest level of professional conduct and confidentiality.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

These essential functions are primary job duties that incumbents must be able to perform unassisted or with some reasonable accommodation.

Administrative Assistance

• Proactively engage partners to meticulously manage calendars and scheduling. Prioritize effectively, send timely reminders for deadlines, and ensure precise handling of all travel and meeting arrangements.
• As needed, manage lawyers' emails and coordinate appropriate action and/or distribution; assist in client communications as directed.
• Assist in preparation of documents for client meetings, process mail, and coordinate deliveries to meet deadlines.
• Provide technical guidance and stay informed about new software and updates to frequently used software applications.
• Approach all client interactions with the utmost professionalism, as a representative of the partner, the practice group team, and the firm.
• Oversee travel arrangements, engaging with and delegating tasks to the travel department to ensure seamless coordination, and adhering to firm policies.

Legal Support

• Provide specialized litigation legal support leading to exceptional client service and work product.
• Proactively maintain oversight of lawyers' workloads and caseloads. Anticipate upcoming tasks and implement follow-up procedures to ensure thorough tracking and successful completion of each task.
• Collaborate with teams including lawyers, paralegals, and other business professionals to provide comprehensive support for client matters. Efficiently oversee the status of reporting processes for lawyers' clients, ensuring timely and accurate communication regarding status of cases.
• Create, edit, revise, redline, and proofread documents. Draft/format legal documents and correspondence.
• Maintain accurate and organized files in document management systems and records management platforms.
• Refer to the leveling documents for specific practice group legal support responsibilities.

Business Development

• Contribute to success of the lawyers' client growth goals.
• Maintain and update the firm's customer relationship management (CRM) system with accurate client information. This includes monitoring touchpoints with current and prospective clients, key contacts, and significant developments.
• Assist with the organization and coordination of events, such as client dinners, conferences, round tables, internal and external events, and networking functions, and proactively support follow-up efforts to enhance the firm's visibility, as directed.
• Coordinate client gift giving and holiday cards.
• Assist with client proposals and pitches, Perkins Coie Foundation grant requests, lawyer bio updates, materials for continuing legal education (CLE), and conference presentations.

Work to Cash

• As needed and if not otherwise delegated as required, responsible for work-to-cash processes including client intake, daily time entry, proofreading and editing proformas, coordination of client invoices, processing incoming invoices and receivables, and knowledge of the client billing rules and outside counsel guidelines.
• Prepare and process accounting documents as required, including check requests, expense reports, and professional corporation and trust documents in a timely manner.

General

• Maintain up-to-date and accurate desk references for all assigned lawyers.
• Assist with integration of new partners and senior counsel into the firm.
• Work independently and collaboratively; contribute as a highly effective member of the LPA team, including active team participation, cross-training, knowledge sharing, and maintaining effective working relationships with personnel at all levels.
• Effectively manage work using a workflow tool, including utilization of the workflow tool timers, and communicating through the workflow tool email mechanism.
• Maintain an advanced knowledge of firm resources to facilitate problem-solving; apply critical thinking to ask pertinent questions and offer recommendations for enhancing efficiency.
• Proactively identify best practices for optimizing processes and coordinating workloads.
• Work with the firm's Shared Services teams to delegate and fulfill requests, optimizing the use of legal and administrative expertise and the firm's resources.
• Proactively embrace the firm's service values, prioritizing impact, simplicity, and reliability to support the firm's growth and vision while ensuring seamless operations and delivering exceptional client experiences.
• Be familiar with, and adhere to, all firm policies.
• Keep supervisor informed of activities and of any significant problems and/or all personal schedule changes; provide timely and accurate timecards regarding hours worked and days missed.
• Adhere to the principles of client and firm confidentiality, as outlined in the confidentiality agreement signed at the time of hire.
• Maintain a clean and uncluttered work area, being sure that confidential materials, computer access, and valuable items are secure.
• Provide reception desk and hospitality assistance in designated office.
• Perform other duties, as assigned.
• Be present at work during regularly scheduled working hours and as needed in the position, consistent with the firm's attendance expectations.

SPECIFIC SKILLS REQUIRED

• Have a thorough understanding of legal terminology and procedures pertinent to the practice group or industry group and working knowledge of state and federal court and administrative agency rules, procedures, and deadlines.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal and writing skills, along with exceptional attention to detail.
• Effectively prioritize work, manage multiple deadlines, and independently triage emails.
• Proficiency of the English language including excellent spelling, grammar, punctuation, form, and style is required.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, and establish successful working relationships throughout operational groups.
• Exhibit initiative; adept problem-solving capabilities; the ability to organize, prioritize, and delegate tasks, good judgment, and work with little or no supervision in a fast-paced, high-pressured environment.
• Ability to accurately type 75 wpm. Proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications.
• Impeccable attendance and punctuality as well as a strong work ethic.
• Ability to exercise discretion and maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Familiarity with various technology programs and ability to learn programs that are client specific (e.g., if a client uses Google docs).

EDUCATION, LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• A minimum of five years of administrative and legal experience in a law firm, legal department, or other professional service environment, including three years of previous experience supporting executives, senior-level partners, or equivalent required.
• Serve as certified notary public in designated office.
• Complete Perkins Coie Legal Practice Assistant Certifications and Professional Development within expected timeline.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• A minimum of five years of administrative and legal experience in a law firm, legal department, or other professional service environment, including three years of previous experience supporting executives, senior-level partners, or equivalent required.
• Serve as certified notary public in designated office.
• Complete Perkins Coie Legal Practice Assistant Certifications and Professional Development within expected timeline.

At Perkins Coie, we look for self-motivated individuals dedicated to providing value and superior service and who have a high degree of integrity and enthusiasm for their work. We have created a company culture based on collaboration, devotion to serving our clients, and mutual respect. Perkins Coie is committed to advancing