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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Legal Administrative Assistant

💰 $ - $

LegalAdministrationOffice Support

🎯 Role Definition

The Legal Administrative Assistant provides comprehensive administrative and operational support to attorneys and legal teams. This role manages case files, prepares and files court and transactional documents, coordinates schedules and travel, supports client intake and billing, and maintains strict confidentiality and compliance with court rules and firm policies. The ideal candidate combines legal office experience, exceptional written communication, strong technical proficiency (document management, e-filing, timekeeping software), and a proactive approach to problem-solving and workflow optimization.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Administrative Assistant or Receptionist with legal exposure
  • Legal Secretary or Paralegal Assistant
  • Office Coordinator in a legal or corporate environment

Advancement To:

  • Senior Legal Administrative Assistant / Senior Legal Secretary
  • Paralegal or Litigation Paralegal
  • Legal Office Manager or Practice Manager
  • Litigation Coordinator or Case Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Client Intake Specialist
  • Records & Compliance Coordinator
  • Billing & Trust Accounting Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage attorney calendars, including court dates, filing deadlines, client meetings, mediation and deposition schedules; proactively identify conflicts and propose solutions to ensure compliance with statutory and court-imposed deadlines.
  • Prepare, proofread and format legal documents and correspondence (pleadings, motions, discovery requests and responses, subpoenas, contracts, settlement agreements) ensuring adherence to firm templates, style guides and court formatting rules.
  • Coordinate and execute e-filing and paper filing with federal, state and local courts, including preparing cover sheets, filing fees, and delivering stamped copies to attorneys; maintain up-to-date knowledge of e-filing portals and court rules.
  • Maintain and organize physical and electronic case files using document management systems (DMS), ensuring version control, proper naming conventions, metadata tagging, and secure document retention practices.
  • Draft and manage client correspondence and intake communications; gather preliminary case facts, verify contact information, and route new matters to the appropriate attorney or team while maintaining confidentiality and professional client service.
  • Manage discovery logistics: compile and index documents, coordinate document production and privilege logs, prepare Bates-stamping, coordinate vendor and third-party productions, and assist with document review workflows.
  • Serve as primary liaison between clients, opposing counsel, court clerks, witnesses, experts, and internal stakeholders to schedule meetings, hearings, depositions, and case-related travel, providing timely updates to attorneys.
  • Prepare, reconcile and process timekeeping and billing entries in firm billing systems; coordinate bill reviews, collect expense documentation, assist with trust account deposits and billing inquiries, and liaise with accounting for invoice processing.
  • Coordinate trial and hearing logistics including assembling trial binders, exhibits, demonstratives and witness notebooks; arrange jury instructions, order transcripts, coordinate court reporters and manage trial technology and courtroom equipment.
  • Perform legal research and fact-checking for attorneys using online resources (Westlaw, LexisNexis, state court websites) and summarize findings, cases or statutes relevant to ongoing matters.
  • Maintain docketing and deadline systems; input and track statute-of-limitations dates, court-ordered deadlines, and internal milestones, sending timely reminders and escalation notices to attorneys and staff.
  • Prepare, file and track corporate and transactional documents such as UCC filings, corporate filings, real estate closing packages, and client-authorized releases; coordinate with outside counsel and filing agents as needed.
  • Assist with onboarding and offboarding of clients and matters, including setting up matter files, creating billing codes and client accounts, and ensuring retention policies and conflict checks are completed.
  • Manage incoming legal correspondence, calls and electronic inquiries; triage matters, prioritize urgent communications, and ensure attorneys receive concise summaries and actionable items.
  • Conduct vendor and vendor invoice management for court reporting, court filing, process servers, copying services and e-discovery vendors, including obtaining quotes, tracking costs, and maintaining preferred vendor lists.
  • Prepare and process service of process and return of service documentation; coordinate with process servers and verify proper service in accordance with jurisdictional rules.
  • Maintain confidentiality, data privacy and compliance with firm policies, client agreements and applicable regulations such as HIPAA when handling sensitive client information and medical records.
  • Train and mentor junior administrative staff and temporary assistants; provide cross-coverage for front desk duties, mail distribution, and department-level workflows during peak periods.
  • Assist attorneys with complex scheduling of multi-party meetings, international travel arrangements, expense reports and travel reimbursements while anticipating logistical challenges and delivering cost-effective solutions.
  • Conduct periodic file audits and records management activities including archiving, secure destruction and retrieval of closed matter files in accordance with retention schedules and regulatory requirements.
  • Coordinate marketing and business development support for the practice group: prepare bios, maintain attorney CVs, compile RFP materials, and support client events or CLE scheduling as requested.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc case matter analysis, including assembling timelines, creating case summaries, and extracting key facts for attorney review.
  • Assist with eDiscovery intake, including uploading native files to review platforms, organizing load files, and coordinating privilege review workflows with litigation support teams.
  • Maintain and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) for legal administrative tasks, filing processes, and document templates to optimize team efficiency and consistency.
  • Provide backup reception and front office support as needed, including managing the primary office phone line, greeting clients, and coordinating in-person or virtual meeting spaces.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by identifying bottlenecks in administrative workflows and recommending process automation or technology integration opportunities.
  • Support compliance and audit requests by gathering required documentation, preparing affidavits of service or chain-of-custody records, and responding to internal or external audits.
  • Coordinate continuing legal education (CLE) registrations, certificate tracking, and attorney licensing renewals as directed by supervising attorneys or HR.
  • Maintain subscriptions and access for legal research platforms and docketing services; troubleshoot access issues and liaise with IT for system or software upgrades.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficiency with legal document management systems (e.g., iManage, NetDocuments, Worldox) and experience enforcing document naming and metadata standards.
  • Experience with court e-filing platforms and docketing software (e.g., PACER, CM/ECF, Odyssey, Tyler Technologies) and understanding of jurisdictional filing rules.
  • Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) with advanced Word skills for formatting pleadings, templates and macros.
  • Familiarity with timekeeping and billing systems (e.g., Elite, Aderant, Clio, Timeslips) including invoice preparation and expense reconciliation.
  • Experience with legal research tools (e.g., Westlaw, LexisNexis) and online court record databases for case law, docket checks and statutory research.
  • Competence using PDF editors and redaction tools (Adobe Acrobat Pro), Bates-stamping utilities, OCR tools and basic document conversion workflows.
  • Exposure to eDiscovery and review platforms (e.g., Relativity, Everlaw, Logikcull) including uploading, tagging, and basic review protocols.
  • Knowledge of records management, secure file transfer protocols, and confidentiality best practices for client data protection.
  • Familiarity with CRM and practice management systems for client intake and matter lifecycle tracking (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot, PracticePanther).
  • Ability to prepare trial exhibits and demonstratives using PowerPoint, trial presentation software (e.g., TrialDirector, OnCue) and basic multimedia handling.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for drafting clear legal correspondence and interacting professionally with clients, opposing counsel and court personnel.
  • Strong organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple matters and competing deadlines with poise.
  • High level of discretion, integrity and commitment to confidentiality when handling privileged or sensitive legal information.
  • Proactive problem-solver with initiative to anticipate attorney needs, escalate issues appropriately and follow through until resolution.
  • Collaborative team player who can coordinate effectively across practice groups, paralegals, litigation support and external vendors.
  • Client-focused mindset with empathy and professional demeanour when managing urgent client requests or stressful litigation timelines.
  • Adaptability and resilience in a fast-paced legal environment; comfortable with shifting priorities and last-minute changes to schedules or filings.
  • Strong time-management skills and ability to prioritize tasks using sound judgment and critical thinking.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent required; associate degree or post-secondary certificate in legal studies, paralegal technology, or office administration preferred.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Paralegal Studies, Legal Studies, Business Administration, or related field; paralegal certificate or court/legal assistant certification a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Paralegal Studies
  • Legal Administration
  • Business Administration
  • Office Technology / Records Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years of experience in a law firm or corporate legal department supporting litigation or transactional practices.

Preferred: 3+ years supporting litigation teams or a mix of litigation and transactional matters; demonstrated experience with docketing, e-filing, discovery support, billing systems, and document management platforms. Prior exposure to federal and state court procedures, trial preparation, and client intake preferred.

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