Legal Team Assistant - Milbank LLP

Reporting to the Legal Administrative Support Manager, the Legal Team Assistant will provide client service-related duties as part of an integrated legal support team encompassing a broad range of support tasks.  Legal Team Assistants are expected to have a demonstrated positive and proactive customer service approach to support and work effectively as a member of a broader team. They must coordinate activities with their team as a collective group and work in conjunction with other teams and/or the Coordinators/Manager. The volume and type of requests handled by any team member is determined by the variable workflows of the practice areas. The Legal Team Assistant will work effectively within the legal support team structure as a collaborative team member, including sharing duties and assisting other support teams on other floors as needed.  In general, Legal Team Assistants will consistently contribute in a positive manner to the overall success of the team. Please note this position will be on-site at 55HY in NYC. 

• In collaboration with assigned team, provide & coordinate legal administrative support for attorneys & clients. Receive, acknowledge, review, track & complete incoming requests promptly. If a request should be directed to other resources/departments, then coordinate accordingly while maintaining overall ownership of the request (ensure request is routed to the appropriate team or department in a timely & clear manner; verify the quality of the work product & follow-up with the requestor). Proactively anticipate business needs of attorneys; plan ahead & meet deadlines. Partner effectively with Legal Assistants, WP, Mailroom, Copy Center, IT, Finance, Travel & other departments.
• Identify & maintain accurate & complete records by following the firm’s guidelines & policies. Demonstrate knowledge of firm’s Records Management/Retention & NetDocs Policies to support proper filing & organization of files & documents.
• Prepare & edit documents/spreadsheets. Prepare revisions & blackline documents.  Generate & update Tables of Authorities/Table of Contents using Best Authority; prepare Pleading Backs. Prepare pro-bono audit letter responses.  Assist in the preparation of presentation materials for prospective clients using templates & tools.  Proofread documents & check for appropriate formatting, spelling & grammar.  Coordinate lengthy & complex document preparation with Word Processing & complex proof-reading requests with legal assistants as needed. Prepare documents for filings & notarize documents as needed.
• Conduct research utilizing internal and/or external databases and tools as needed. Demonstrate self-reliance to search, review, analyze & assemble needed information. Assist attorneys in retrieving legal documents & UCC filings. Provide general database support & data entry/flagging including linking information to Business Development & other databases.
• Organize & maintain complex electronic files, including the use of multiple electronic tools/databases, for the practice & individual attorneys. Code & file case/matter documents & emails within NetDocuments. Provide workspace coordinator support for NetDocs to help ensure consistent filing, organization & usage. Communicate NetDocs filing guidance on an ongoing basis. Comply with client-specific security requirements, work with IT security set & maintain legal team security access. Maintain paper & electronic files in compliance with Firm policies. Work with the Records Department to create, maintain & archive client files & indexes. Mark case or matter-related documents as needed with filing instructions to ensure proper archiving. Perform routine filing & retrieve files as needed.
• Validate & process vendor invoices for payment; follow-up with Accounts payable to confirm payment. Prepare & process attorney expense reimbursement & disbursement requests. Prepare & submit New Business Intake forms & on-going updates that include verification, compliance, routing & maintenance of outside counsel guidelines (OCG), engagement letters, pricing/discount levels, updates to billing addresses/contacts & marketing data.
• Assist attorneys & Billing Department with preparation of client bills. Prepare, convert & distribute pro forma(s) with a copy to biller. Review & revise billing narratives as requested. Proactively communicate & collaborate with billers, attorneys, legal assistants & other timekeepers regarding client bills. Based on the Billing Department’s OCG narrative/time audits, review/revise timekeeper billing narratives for OCG compliance. Identify common non-compliance billing errors by matter & work with the billing partner to develop billing guidance communications for timekeepers to mitigate future issues. Work with billing partners, billing & timekeepers to prepare client bills in a timely fashion. Review & track time transfers on unopened matters; communicate with partners & billers regarding same. Assist with client collections communication as requested by partners. Ensure client invoices are promptly dispatched to clients, track outstanding client invoices & follow up with billers & partners. Stay abreast of Accounts Payable, New Business Intake, Billing & OCG updates and best practices.
• Manage, maintain & update attorney calendars & contacts, including meetings, appointments, due dates & client-related activities; arrange for conference rooms & catering for attorney/client meetings, update new & existing contacts. Coordinate specific court dates with the Managing Attorney's Office as needed. Link Calendar entries to appropriate records in Business Development database. Maintain attorney client contacts in Customer Records Management system.
• Provide additional general administrative support. Review, route & prioritize incoming & outgoing correspondence (hard copy & electronic). Arrange for specialized mail or messenger services as required; ensure that all attachments, exhibits & enclosures are included. Coordinate activities with mailroom & messenger personnel as needed.  Prepare & process new case memoranda.  Receive & screen phone calls & take messages. Receive & direct clients & visitors. Coordinate travel arrangements, prepare itineraries & travel expense reports.  
• Commit to continuously learning through available technology and professional development training. Keep informed of new technology updates at the firm; engage in learning & applying new material. Take responsibility for personal growth & development while promoting a learning environment.
• Other responsibilities/duties as they may be assigned from time to time.

            Pay $60K-$85KDOE 

• H.S. Diploma or equivalent with a minimum of three years of previous secretarial experience or relevant legal experience; computer training as to word processing in a legal context.
• Proactive and effective written and oral communication with attorneys, team members and other business services departments at the firm, while demonstrating a strong teamwork mindset with a focus on customer service.
• Familiarity with legal documents and terminology.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs.
• Self-starter with the ability to efficiently manage multiple matters at once while maintaining a strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Able to effectively prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Excellent time-management and strong organizational skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills and works effectively under the pressure of deadlines.
• Demonstrate a courteous and professional demeanor. 
• Responsible and able to maintain confidentiality.
• Must be flexible and available for overtime.