Legal Administrative Assistant ¦ Litigation

Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP is seeking a full-time Legal Administrative Assistant (LAA) for our Clearwater office. The Candidate must have a minimum of three (3) years of Litigation experience in a law firm setting. The LAA will perform a wide variety of legal administrative duties and provide comprehensive and efficient administrative and secretarial support.

Why Join Johnson Pope?

At Johnson Pope, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and professional environment where your skills are valued, and your contributions make a difference. As one of Florida’s leading regional law firms, we offer our team members the opportunity to work alongside some of the most respected attorneys in the state, in a firm that supports a strong team environment and actively builds community within the organization.

Position Overview

Candidates must be able to efficiently and accurately manage the administrative responsibilities associated with complex litigation in various forums including, but not limited to, federal and state court and arbitration while also ensuring smooth operations and effective coordination of tasks across the team. The LAA will play a key role in assisting with discovery and document management, hearing and trial preparation, e-filing, scheduling, and maintaining organized workflows for the Firm's litigation team. 

Who Will Succeed in This Role

The ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented, dependable, and comfortable managing litigation deadlines for multiple attorneys with minimal supervision. This role requires precision, consistency, and the ability to independently track and execute time-sensitive tasks. This position also requires clear communication, follow-through, and openness to feedback. Attention to detail and reliability are essential to the success of the attorneys and clients supported by this role. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Prepare, proofread, and edit legal documents and correspondence with a high degree of accuracy, ensuring compliance with court rules, formatting standards, and internal firm preferences.
• Independently manage and maintain accurate litigation calendars, including court deadlines, hearings, depositions, and internal reminders.
• E-file documents with federal and Florida state courts and other government and arbitral forums.
• Assist attorneys with preparation for hearings and other litigation-related events, including ensuring that all materials are timely submitted in accordance with the court’s specific preferences. 
• Manage client and discovery-related documents, including properly organizing client materials and work product within our document management system.
• Accurately enter attorney time for client billing.
• Review and edit pre-bills, ensuring they are ready for attorneys’ review and approval.
• Submit new business intake and conflicts checks and open/clos of client matters.
• Answer telephone calls and routine questions from clients and team members, and/or routing calls to appropriate staff.
• Perform administrative duties such as client file management, general correspondence, expense reports, CLE tracking, check requests, and other administrative tasks.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), with the ability to quickly learn other programs. Experience in iManage and Aderant is a plus.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to work independently, anticipate next steps, and follow established procedures without continuous supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously with accuracy and accountability in a fast-paced litigation environment.
• Strong organizational and administrative skills.
• Attention to detail with strong organizational and time management abilities.
• Client service-oriented with the ability to effectively communicate with clients and team members.
• Ability to prioritize competing litigation deadlines, manage interruptions, and maintain accuracy under time pressure.
• Confidentiality and professionalism in handling sensitive information.
• Ability to work extra hours as needed.
• Self-motivated with a willingness to learn.

Educational/Job Experience Requirements:

• High school diploma from an accredited institution.
• A minimum of three (3) years experience with federal and state litigation in a law firm setting is required. 
• Experience with employment law or employment-related litigation is preferred. 
• Selected candidates may be asked to complete a skills-based assessment relevant to calendaring, proofreading, and document management.

Office Location: Clearwater, FL (On-site)

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as required to meet the ongoing needs of the Firm.

Equal Opportunity Employment:

Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment and do not discriminate on the basis of an applicant’s or employee’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, citizenship, ancestry, pregnancy, familial status, actual or perceived status as a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, or any other legally protected status entitled to protection under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws, including applicable laws in Florida. We also provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).