Legal Assistant

POSITION TITLE:  LEGAL ASSISTANT

POSITION SUMMARY:  Under general supervision, supports the delivery of quality legal services to clients by providing secretarial services and administrative assistance to attorneys, performing complex and specialized secretarial and clerical tasks, and working collaboratively and cooperatively with others in a team-oriented environment.  This position supports a set of attorneys as a primary assignment and provides back-up secretarial assistance to other attorneys as assigned.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:  Essential functions include the following responsibilities.  Regular and predictable attendance is an essential function of the job.

1. Prepares Documents:  Using word processing and document management software, the Legal Assistant prepares and processes correspondence and memoranda as well as complex legal documents according to the requirements set by each practice group and firm policy.  Composes and drafts routine cover letters and documents.  Proofreads documents and checks for appropriate formatting, spelling, and grammar.  Prepares revisions and redlines documents as directed.  Prepares documents for e-filing as

required.

1. Processes Mail:  Reviews and routes incoming mail and fax communications.  Prepares and processes outgoing mail, faxes, and email, arranging for specialized mail or messenger services as required.  Ensures that all attachments, exhibits, and enclosures are included.  Coordinates activities with the mailroom as needed.

1. Maintains Calendar:  Maintains and updates the calendars for assigned attorneys and paralegals, including meetings, appointments, due dates, and marketing activities.  Prepares dockets, email reminders and other follow-up methods to keep attorneys and paralegals current on all matters and deadlines.

1. Maintains Files:  Maintains paper and electronic files in compliance with current policies.  Works with the records staff to create and maintain client files and indexes.  Marks case or matter related documents as needed with filing instructions to ensure proper filing.  Prepares files documents with instructions to ensure proper filing and scanning.  Performs routine filing and retrieves files as needed.

1. Coordinates Financial Functions:  Prepares expense reimbursement and disbursement requests.  Prepares billing letters and coordinates client billing matters with the billing staff in the Accounting Department.

1. Provides Administrative Support:  Prepares and processes new matter forms.  Receives and screens phone calls and takes messages as required.  Receives and directs clients and visitors.  Coordinates travel arrangements, prepares itineraries, and prepares travel expense reports.  Schedules meetings and arranges for conference rooms and meals.  Maintains and updates contact names and addresses in the contact database.  Communicates effectively with clients and with others in the firm.  Is proactive in anticipating the business needs of the assigned attorneys; plans and meets deadlines.  Is available as needed during trial.

1. Cooperates with Team Efforts:  Proactively demonstrates effective teamwork and assists other legal assistants as time permits.  Serves as a back-up legal assistant to assigned attorneys as required.  Works cooperatively with other departments and individuals in the firm.

1. Other:  Performs other related secretarial and administrative duties as assigned.  Occasional overtime work may be required.  Accepts re-assignments as deemed necessary by management.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the education, experience, skills, knowledge, and abilities required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

• Experience:  At least two successive years of legal assistance is required; prior experience in civil law is desirable.

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge of legal terminology, documents, and processes.
• Familiarity with court rules and deadlines on local, state, and federal levels.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, and Excel), and database/client relationship management software.
• Experience with e-filing in Oregon for state and federal courts. E-filing experience in Washington desirable.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal; demonstrated understanding of correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

• Strong organizational skills, interpersonal skills, and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to prioritize, manage time, and multitask effectively.
• Ability to work effectively and proactively within a team environment and independently as required.
• Initiative, flexibility, resiliency, and a willingness to adapt to change.

• Physical Demands:  The physical demands described here are representative of the requirements that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a telephone, computer keyboard and mouse; reach with hands and arms; talk and listen.  The employee is frequently required to walk and sit, as well as to lift and carry objects such as books and files weighing up to 15 pounds.  The employee is occasionally required to stand, stoop, or kneel.  Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

• Work Environment:  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job, including moderate noise level, and  indoor temperate environment, and light levels that are bright and conducive to minimal eye strain, typical for an office environment.

SCOPE OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS:  This job description describes the general nature of the job and does not represent that all such duties will be performed by all individuals who hold the job.  This job description does not limit the tasks that an employee may reasonably be requested to perform and in no way alters the firm’s at-will employment policy.  Changes to this job description may be made at the discretion of the firm.  Any substantive revisions to this job description require the approval of the director of human resources.

The Firm's Expectations of Employees:

Cosgrave Vergeer Kester LLP's goals are to provide the highest quality of legal services to our clients, within the area of our expertise, for fair and reasonable compensation; and to earn and maintain the respect of our clients, the courts, our colleagues, and the community.

To accomplish these goals the firms expects that our employees will:

• Be guided by the highest ethical and professional standards;
• Achieve and maintain excellence in their respective fields;
• Operate efficiently, so as to keep the cost to our clients as low as reasonably possible;
• Maintain a congenial atmosphere that encourages cooperative effort;
• Support your self-directed work team’s efforts to coordinate workflow within the office.
• Recognize and fulfill its obligations to the community and to the legal system, as well as to our clients; and

Always keep in mind that, while the firm must be profitable to exist, our ultimate function is service rather than profit.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:  On a day-to-day basis, works under the direction of the attorneys and paralegals to whom the assistant is assigned.