Litigation Paralegal - Ropes & Gray LLP

About Ropes & Gray:

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:

Participates as a team member and assists attorneys, senior paralegals and litigation technology professionals in various litigation matters by playing a key role in the work required to support the firm's clients.  This hands-on position provides support as an integral part of strategizing case file and process management through all stages of litigation.  Manages and utilizes automated litigation support tools.  Availability for overtime and flexibility for travel are required.  

Responsibilities:

1.     Creates and implements paper and electronic document collection, review and production systems and tracking documents with minimal supervision. 

2.     Assists attorneys in reviewing documents for privilege and drafts privilege logs for production to opposing party.

3.     Understands intermediate e-discovery and computer forensics concepts such as litigation holds, preservation of data and chain of custody.

4.     Creates and implements case file and organizational systems for electronic and paper case files and workrooms.

5.     Prepares for and attends depositions, hearings, trials and arbitrations, as necessary. 

6.     Coordinates automated litigation support projects through utilization of technology, including, but not limited to, database management software (web or in-house) and Case Notebook.  Demonstrates ability to manage utilization of litigation databases by case team. 

7.     Compiles, reviews and analyzes documents as required by attorneys specific to case issues and determines necessary information.

8.     Delegates to, supervises and mentors junior paralegals, case assistants and temporary staff. 

9.     Performs research (factual, legal, internet, and other) to identify issues and relevant matters and prepares compilation of findings.

10.  Assists with preparation of court filings including, but not limited to, fact checking legal briefs and assembling of exhibits and appendices.

11.  Understands mechanics of e-filing and e-files with courts and agencies.

12.  Communicates, corresponds and interacts with clients and outside entities, such as, government entities, expert witnesses, vendors, corporations and other law firms to gather information or data.

13.  Serves as factual resource on cases and demonstrates knowledge of case documents.

14.  Complies with department and firm administrative procedures and policies.

15.  Assists with department projects as needed and performs other work-related duties as assigned by the Legal Services Manager.

16.  Responsible for billing a minimum of 1600 hours of client-related projects and other credited work.

 

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES:

 

• Able to maintain strict confidentiality of the firm's internal and personnel affairs and client information.  Understands ethics of position including ethical rules in   regards to confidentiality, billing and client representation and advocacy.
• Collaborates effectively and professionally with clients and all levels of personnel, including attorneys, coworkers and administrators.
• Willingness to support matters at any level required whether it be as lead paralegal, deputy to a senior paralegal, or as a supporting member of the paralegal team.
• Owns professional development by seeking out feedback and learning new skills.
• Possesses very strong oral and written communication skills to effectively communicate to attorneys and staff.
• Must be a proactive, self-starter who understands the details within a much larger context.
• Must be flexible in order to respond quickly and positively to shifting demands and opportunities.
• Able to work under tight deadlines, handle multiple, detailed tasks simultaneously, prioritize appropriately and delegate to resources available.
• Must be able to anticipate problems and issues and exercise independent judgment to make sound, justifiable decisions and take action in solving problems while   knowing when and to whom to escalate issues.
• Must deliver high quality work product and have the ability to follow up and follow through.
• Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as a team player, in a fast-paced environment.
• Able to work effectively in a multi-office environment and culturally and educationally diverse environment.
• Must take ownership of deliverables and be accountable.
• Able to travel nationally and internationally on short notice.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree and, a minimum of two to five years of solid litigation experience, experience with database management software, and medium case collection, review and production experience.  The candidate must be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the litigation process and e-discovery.  Trial experience is a plus.  The position will have significant collaboration with lawyers, paralegals and litigation technology professionals and requires excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.

Compensation and 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 BOS/DC: $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.