Legal Support Specialist (Hybrid Paralegal/LEA)

The Legal Support Specialist provides both substantive and administrative support to a group of lawyers and/or practice group. This role involves comprehensive legal and administrative support, including managing court documents, conducting research, drafting legal documents, and monitoring cases. The role also assists with trial preparation and execution, client communication, conflict analysis, and business development activities. Additionally, it entails internal collaboration with various firm departments, administrative tasks, and coordination with the accounting department for billing procedures.

Essential Functions

• Paralegal Tasks: Manages court document filings, service of filings, downloads docket sheets, conducts research on court rules, drafts pleadings, acquires records from courts, categorizes case documents, and monitors cases.
• Trial Preparation: Assists in document preparation, coordinates hotel, vendor, and travel for trial, oversees support staff, coordinates courtroom activities, and manages trial logistics.
• Client Communication: Attends client and business development meetings, creates business development reports, monitors relevant articles for business opportunities, communicates with clients and external personnel, and hosts business development events.
• Client Intake: Assists in conflict analysis, performs tasks related to opening matters, drafts engagement letters.
• Internal Collaboration: Interacts with other departments to ensure work completeness, assists in opening and closing matters, trains team members, and provides secretarial backup.
• Administrative Tasks: Creates drafts of firm committee, practice group documents, drafts and edits correspondence, legal documents, and memoranda, monitors project coordination chart, processes expense reports.
• Billing: Works with accounting to prepare bills, prepares and secures approvals for accounting forms, corresponds with the pricing department.

Non-Essential Functions

• Provide general assistance for practice area and/or office as required
• Perform other duties as assigned

  Minimum Qualification

• Minimum of 10 years' legal secretarial and/or paralegal experience required
• Litigation Paralegal experience and/or certification preferred
• College degree

  Success Factors

• Attention to detail: avoid common and frequent mistakes; complete complex projects and tasks without error
• Customer service: is highly responsive to initial requests and follows through on all commitments, both stated and implied; works diligently to ensure that everyone seeking services receives the highest level of service; manages own work to meet or exceed service level expectations [staff]
• Excellent work ethic ensures that all work is completed on a timely basis, maintains attendance and punctuality at a high level, available for work outside of normal business hours as needed
• Exceptional interpersonal skills: interact professionally with partners and staff at all levels of the organization as well as clients
• Excellent computer skills: Full facility with Microsoft Office and all other software packages that are part of the Firm's core suite.
• Impeccable communication and organizational skills: excellence in both written and oral communications whether in person, on the phone, or email; able to prioritize and multitask in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines; able to organize self and work environment for efficiency and ready access to critical information
• Teamwork: able to work well with others on projects, initiatives, and tasks that require their input and cooperation.

  Work Environment

• Position may be partially hybrid with four days per week required days in the office
• Must be available to work beyond regular hours
• Must be able to work under tight deadlines and in stressful situations
• Non-smoking environment

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $96,000 to $101,000. The actual base salary offered will be dependent upon the applicant's experience and qualifications, as well as other job-related factors, including but not limited to, relevant skills, education, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, geographic location.

Steptoe offers a full range of benefits for you and your eligible dependents. Benefits currently include: medical, dental, vision, life, disability, dependent care, health care flexible spending accounts, 401K Plan, Profit-Sharing, Paid Time-Off and a robust Wellness Program.

Steptoe LLP is an equal opportunity employer EOE/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, or any basis proscribed by applicable statutes.