Legal Secretary

Position Summary

La Follette, Johnson, DeHaas, Fesler & Ames is a dynamic, statewide civil litigation firm with over 60 years of excellence. We are seeking a Legal Secretary to join our team of bold and innovative legal professionals.

At La Follette Johnson, each Legal Secretary supports one to three attorneys and must successfully manage a heavy litigation desk, showcasing strong initiative and the ability to be detail-oriented in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and deadlines. The professional we are seeking must possess integrity, the ability to successfully work under extreme pressure, sound judgement, excellent communication and superior organizational and time management skills. Our high-caliber secretaries take pride in where they work, in their profession, and in providing support for one another.

Position Responsibilities

• Provide a high degree of litigation legal secretarial support to attorneys, paralegals and other administrative personnel.
• Identify, calendar and create shells for documents including discovery, motions, depositions, etc.
• Assist with trial preparation, such as organizing exhibits, preparing witness lists, and ensuring all documents are available for trial.
• Prepare, format, proof, and coordinate legal documents for filing/service with various courts, in various jurisdictions, per local court rules.
• Research local court rules and filing procedures.
• Manage communications, including emails, text, conference calls, etc. to/from other parties, attorneys, clients and staff.
• Identify and save in the electronic file the various pleadings, documents, etc.
• Ensure that case files are organized both physically and electronically, including labeling documents appropriately.
• Prepare and process new client matter reports, timesheets and expense reports.
• Schedule and coordinate travel arrangements, conferences, meetings and appointments.
• Manage and prioritize workflow.
• Support others including visitors, paralegals, summer associates and attorneys whose secretaries are absent.
• Perform other work-related duties as assigned.

Position Requirements

• A minimum of three (3) years’ experience with litigation legal secretarial support.
• Proficient with legal terminology, court rules, and e-filing procedures.
• Strong skills in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint; ProLaw, a plus.
• Excellent understanding of legal calendaring and tracking deadlines.
• Ability to manage priorities, including heavy emails and multiple attorney calendars.
• Experience drafting and filing pleadings ,drafting and serving discovery.
• Experience with trial preparation, including pre-trial deadlines.
• Solid proofreading skills and strong attention to detail.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to meet deadlines and respond to changing priorities.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with everyone on the team, including attorneys, clients, and others outside the Firm.
• Reliable attendance and availability to work occasional overtime.
• Experience in medical malpractice, motions for summary judgment, table of authorities(TOAs) and table of contents(TOCs), a plus.

Work Environment & Physical/Mental Requirements

The work environment is an office setting or home office, and the noise in the work environment is quiet to moderate. This position is regularly required to operate computers, landline and mobile phones, printers, copiers, and other office equipment and machinery.

While performing the duties of this role, the employee is regularly required to sit for long periods of time; to communicate and to receive information; to frequently use hands and arms to handle, to feel, and to reach; and occasionally to lift and/or carry up to 50 pounds. Specific vision requirements of this job include the ability to review communications and documents.

To perform this role successfully, an individual must be able to solve practical problems and deal with variables; to interpret and/or follow a variety of instructions furnished in written or oral form; and to use and to understand computer programs to analyze and to solve business issues.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and requirements. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to apply for the position and to perform the essential functions if hired.

Company Information

La Follette Johnson is a prestigious litigation defense firm, founded by John T. La Follette and Daren T. Johnson. The Firm began practice in Los Angeles in 1965, and specializes in medical malpractice, elder abuse, general liability, employment law and products liability.

Since its inception, the Firm has grown with offices now throughout the State of California. For more than 60 years, the Firm's lawyers have consistently been recognized by their peers and the industry as among the most experienced, trusted and finest trial lawyers in the state.

La Follette Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants who apply for a position are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, marital, or veteran status.