Legal Executive Assistant

Job Description:

Perkins Coie is seeking a qualified, dynamic candidate to take on the role of the Legal Executive Assistant (“LEA”) that will provide assigned attorneys with high level executive, administrative, and legal support with minimal supervision. This role will proactively support the firm’s strategic objective to deepen and expand client relationships by consistently delivering exceptional service and anticipating the needs of attorneys and clients. The LEA will partner with firm departments and shared-services programs to produce legal work of outstanding quality, consistently and efficiently.

Legal support provided by LEAs will differ by practice group, with certain LEA positions performing a higher degree of specialized legal assistance over executive-level support.

In addition, as a member of the Perkins Coie LLP Business Professionals team, this position is responsible for promoting and maintaining the goodwill and reputation of the firm. In this capacity, the LEA 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.

Executive Assistance

• Proactively engage partners to meticulously manage calendars and scheduling while prioritizing effectively, sending timely reminders for deadlines, and ensuring precise handling of all travel and meeting arrangements.
• As needed, manage attorneys’ emails and coordinate appropriate action and/or distribution; assist in client communications as directed.
• Assist in the 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, engage with and delegate tasks to the travel department to ensure seamless coordination, and adhere to firm policies.

Legal Support 

• Provide specialized legal support leading to exceptional client service and work product.
• Proactively maintain oversight of attorneys’ 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 attorneys’ clients, ensuring timely and accurate communication regarding matter statuses.
• Occasionally create, edit, revise, redline, and proofread documents, and 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 the success of the attorneys’ client-growth goals.
• Maintain and update the firm’s Customer Relationship Management system with accurate client information, including 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, attorney bio updates, materials for Continuing Legal Education, and conference presentations.
• As needed, 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 

• Assist with the integration of new partners and senior counsel to the firm.
• Work independently and collaboratively; contribute as a highly effective member of the practice group 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 utilizing 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 Business Service Center to delegate and fulfill requests, optimizing the use of legal and executive expertise and the firm’s resources.
• Complete Perkins Legal Practice Assistant Certifications and professional development within expected timeline.
• Reception Desk and Hospitality assistance in designated office.

This position may require travel.

SPECIFIC SKILLS REQUIRED

Individuals must have a thorough understanding of legal terminology and procedures pertinent to the practice group or industry group. Have an understanding of SRA rules and procedures and administrative agency rules, procedures, and deadlines. Individuals must 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. Must 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 is necessary. Impeccable attendance and punctuality and a strong work ethic. Must be able to exercise discretion and maintain a high level of confidentiality. Familiarity with various technology programs and learning programs that are client specific (i.e., if a client uses Google Docs).

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Qualified candidates will have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred and a minimum of five years of administrative and legal experience at a law firm, legal department, or other professional service environment. Candidates must have three years of previous experience supporting “C-level” executives, senior level partners, or equivalent as well. 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT

• UK Work Authorization required.
• This position requires on-site presence at our London office. Remote work is not an option for this position.

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