Legal Executive Assistant - Ropes & Gray LLP
Boston, MA 02199
About the Job
Ropes & Gray is a preeminent, global law firm. The firm has been ranked in the top-three on The American Lawyer's prestigious "A-List" for seven years and is ranked #1 on Law.com International's "A-List" in the U.K.—rankings that honor the "Best of the Best" firms.
The firm has approximately 2,500 lawyers and professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology, and government in Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.
The firm has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including asset management, private equity, M&A, finance, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.
Ropes & Gray is an equal opportunity employer.
Overview:JOB SUMMARY:
The Legal Executive Assistant works alongside industry-leading lawyers; to serve as an attorney'srighthandandplayavitalrolemanagingday-to-dayactivities;andtojointhepractice as an integral member of the group, managing the flow of information as they screen, organize and prioritize requests from both internal and external clients.
Responsibilities:ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- SupportsanddemonstratesfluencyintheFirm'sTrustedAdvisorandProactive Assistance programs.
- Demonstrates a professional demeanor in appearance and behavior. Maintains strict confidentialityinallinteractions.Possessesstronginterpersonalskills.Demonstratesa solid ability to communicate with all levels of the organization.
- Possesses exceptional verbal and written communication skills adhering to proper businesswritingstandards.Demonstratesakeeneyefordetailininformalandformal communications.
- Maintainsapositiveandprofessionalattitudeatalltimes.Workseffectivelywithother departments, seeking solutions to business problems. Demonstrates an intellectual curiosity and continuous drive to improve service.
- Demonstratesanopennesstoconstructivefeedbackandaflexibilitytoadjustbehavioror performance as needed.
- Fosters open and frequent communication with teammates to ensure smooth and expeditioussupporttoassignedlawyers.Cross-trainsteammatesensuringsamefirst-class service while away or out of the office.
- Providessuperiorclientservicewithinternalandexternalclientsdisplayingaproactive, "can do" attitude when meeting individuals, answering telephone calls, and acting on behalf of the lawyers.
- Acts as the gatekeeper prioritizing conflicting needs. Handles matters confidentially, expeditiously, proactively and independently and follows through on tasks until successfulcompletion.Suggestsnewprocesses/procedurestoexpediteprojectsandday- to-day workflow.
- Demonstratesintimateknowledgeofassignmentsworkhabitsandpreferences. Anticipates needs and shepherds work forward with limited direction.
- Develops strong understanding of (assigned lawyer's) practice and clients. Maintains a professional relationship with other legal counsel, courts, agencies and professional organizationsonbehalfoftheattorneykeepingup-to-dateclientcontactsinInterAction, as well as, detailed client/matter lists.
- Workscloselywith,andeffectivelymanages,assignedlawyers'practicetokeephim/her well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately.
- BillingManagement
- Efficiently reconciles and processes expenses. Reviews inbox, diary entries, calendar and other items to classify business and personal expenses. Reviews Chrome River and AmericanExpressCardtoallocateexpenseitems.Obtainsoriginalreceiptsfromlawyers in hand or other means, if available. Collaborates with internal or external resources to address all outstanding Chrome River or AMEX items within payment window, running inquiries when necessary.
- Actively manages timekeepers' diaries. Creates draft entries based on knowledge of lawyer activity, review of inbox, diary entries or other knowledge. Edits and reviews entries to ensure conformity to best practices. Proactively manages lawyers to ensure entriesmeetsubmissiondeadlines.Obtainssubjectmatterexpertlevelknowledgeofthe billing process. Proactively communicates and collaborates with assigned billing coordinators.Coordinatestheproperreviewofproformas,tracks,editsandupdates,and facilitates final approval of bill to ensure timely delivery to client. Assists in meeting targets and year-end deadlines.
- Project Management
- Composes,editsandproofreadscorrespondence,presentationsandotherdocuments. Demonstrates exceptional technological/document production skills.
- Proactively coordinates internal/external meetings with limited direction. Arranges properlogisticsbasedonmeetingrequirements(visitoroffices,conferenceroom,video conference and dial-in number, as appropriate).
- Applies best practice when arranging travel, utilizing agent assist and on-line tools appropriately.Monitorslawyer'straveltoensuresmootharrivalanddeparture.Maintains up-to-date travel preferences (frequent flyers, KTN, passport, etc.). Manages airline check-in and boarding passes for assigned lawyers (when appropriate).
- Proactivelycoacheslawyerstodelegatenon-billabletaskstotheirLEAallowingthe lawyer to focus on legal work and engage in their practice. Tasks include, but are not limited to, printing, scanning, copying/binding, filing, notary services, document preparation and package shipment.
- Demonstrates an exceptional understanding of Microsoft Outlook. Utilizes creative problem solving skills to solve challenging scheduling requirements. Manages multiple calendarsandsupportsschedulingrequirementsacrossmultiplelawyers,clients,offices and time zones.
- Monitorsattorney'sinbox.Cleans-up,organizesand/orrespondsperlawyerpreferences. Organizes and cleans up Outlook folder structure. Ensures client/matter related documents and emails are stored in FileSite Workspaces.
- TrainingandProfessionalDevelopment
- Activelycontributesinsecretarialhuddlesandotherteamrelatedactivity.Participates in focus groups, lunch and learns, and other knowledge sharing activity including the mentor program, when necessary.
- MaintainssubjectmatterlevelexpertiseintheFirm'scoreapplications.Understands and adheres to best practices.
Qualifications:
EDUCATION,EXPERIENCE,ANDSKILLSREQUIRED:
· Collegedegreeorequivalent
- ExpertproficiencywiththeMSOffice(Word,Excel,PowerPointandOutlook) applications
- Strongorganizationalskillsthatreflectabilitytoseamlesslyperformandprioritize multiple tasks with excellent attention to detail
- Stronginterpersonalskillsandtheabilitytobuildrelationshipswithinternalandexternal lawyers, staff and clients
- Expertcommunicationskills
- Proactiveapproachtoproblem-solvingandstrongdecision-makingcapability
Boston Comprehensive Total Rewards Package:
Ropes & Gray is proud to offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our business support team members. The firm also offers comprehensive health and well-being benefits, personal and professional development, career growth opportunities and a collegial and supportive culture. The anticipated pay range for this role is $69,000-$103,000, which represents our good faith and reasonable estimate of the starting salary range at the time of posting. In addition, this role is eligible for a discretionary bonus based on performance. The actual offered rate for this position will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors, including qualifications and experience, geographic location, education, external market data and consideration of internal equity.
Working Conditions:This position requires hybrid on-site presence as an essential function of the role. Consistent and predictable on-site presence is required for ongoing business continuity, professional development and effective collaboration with colleagues and management.
For this position, the on-site presence required is four days per week and one day remote.