Paralegal

About the Company

A boutique personal injury civil defense firm in San Juan Capistrano is seeking an experienced Legal Secretary or Paralegal to join its litigation team. This is an on-site role ideal for someone who enjoys working in a close-knit, fast-paced legal environment and has experience supporting attorneys in civil litigation, personal injury defense, insurance defense, or related practice areas. The firm offers a professional, collaborative environment where team members play an important role in keeping cases organized, deadlines on track, and attorneys well-supported.

About the Role

The Legal Secretary / Paralegal will provide hands-on litigation support to attorneys handling personal injury and civil defense matters. Responsibilities may include drafting and formatting legal documents, managing court filings, calendaring deadlines, organizing discovery, communicating with clients and vendors, and helping move cases efficiently through the litigation process. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and comfortable managing multiple priorities in a litigation-focused law firm.

Responsibilities

• Support attorneys in personal injury civil defense and insurance defense matters.
• Draft, revise, format, and proofread pleadings, discovery, correspondence, subpoenas, notices, and other legal documents.
• Prepare and file documents with California state courts, including e-filing when applicable.
• Calendar litigation deadlines, hearings, depositions, discovery responses, and court appearances.
• Maintain case files, pleadings, discovery, medical records, correspondence, and litigation documents.
• Assist with discovery preparation, including interrogatories, requests for production, requests for admission, and responses.
• Coordinate depositions, mediations, court reporters, experts, vendors, and attorney calendars.
• Communicate with clients, insurance carriers, claims representatives, opposing counsel, courts, and vendors.
• Assist with trial preparation, including exhibit binders, witness lists, subpoenas, trial notebooks, and document organization.
• Track deadlines and ensure attorneys are prepared for hearings, depositions, mediations, and case events.
• Provide administrative and litigation support as needed in a boutique firm environment.

Qualifications

• Prior experience as a Legal Secretary, Litigation Secretary, Paralegal, or Legal Assistant.
• Experience in civil litigation required; personal injury defense, insurance defense, or civil defense experience strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with California civil procedure, court rules, litigation deadlines, and e-filing.
• Strong document formatting, proofreading, and organizational skills.
• Experience preparing pleadings, discovery, subpoenas, notices, and correspondence.
• Comfortable managing calendars, deadlines, and multiple active litigation matters.
• Strong communication skills and professional client-service mindset.
• Ability to work independently while supporting attorneys and collaborating with a small team.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, legal calendaring systems, and case management software.
• Paralegal certificate preferred for paralegal candidates, but not required for legal secretary candidates depending on experience.

Required Skills

• Dependable, detail-oriented litigation support professional.
• Understanding of the pace and expectations of a civil defense practice.
• Ownership of deadlines and anticipation of attorney needs.
• Professional communication skills.
• Ability to keep cases organized from intake through resolution.

Preferred Skills

• Enjoyment of responsibility and visibility in a boutique firm.
• Meaningful impact on team dynamics.