Friedman Williams
Legal Administrative Assistant New York NY
Job ID: 20278
Summary: The Legal Administrative Assistant (LAA) provides a wide range of administrative and clerical support to attorneys and legal teams. This role is essential in ensuring the smooth operation of the firm’s administrative functions and requires a high level of organization, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. This position will collaborate regularly with Legal Support Assistants (LSAs), Legal Executive Assistants (LEAs), and attorneys on various tasks and assignments, ensuring work is properly allocated and completed on time. The LAA role requires a high level of flexibility and willingness to work in a fast-paced environment where multiple projects may have to be prioritized for the firm’s attorneys. Projects will often require high-level technical skills with Microsoft Office programs or various types of legal software commonly seen in law firms.
Location
This position can sit in our New York office and offers a hybrid work schedule working at least three days in the office.
Responsibilities
• Provides practice-specific support to multiple associates, partners, and other attorneys, leveraging knowledge about unique practice tasks, requirements, and functions and can prioritize work accordingly.
• Drafts, edits, and proofreads legal documents, communications, files, or presentations to ensure accuracy.
• Oversees the maintenance and organization of electronic and paper filing systems within the firm’s DMS/repositories. Ensures all work product is easily accessible and up to date.
• Collaborates with other LAAs or LEAs to complete more complex projects or provide administrative support for any assigned attorneys. Provides mentorship, guidance, and delegation to LSAs who assist with projects as appropriate. Provides key status updates on projects to any assigned attorneys, offering or delegating direct-action support in the event of escalation.
• Organizes and monitors assignments within the firm’s workflow tool, ensuring that administrative tasks are properly allocated and completed on time. These projects can include but are not limited to time entry and expense reimbursements.
• Oversees billing matters including all approval forms and collaboration correspondence, ensures prebills are processed by the appropriate team accurately and timely; serves as a liaison between attorneys and the Billing Department regarding issues arising throughout the billing process. Ensures final bills are delivered in a timely manner and initiates follow-up at the attorney’s request.
• Serves as a trusted advisor for associates, partners, or other attorneys. LAAs will be expected to handle confidential or sensitive matters using discretion and to promote professionalism and exceptional service in all interactions with attorneys, clients, and other business professionals.
Desired Skills
The below job competencies and skills are required for the Legal Administrative Assistant position in order to perform the job successfully.
The ability to communicate effectively in the native language of the region via e-mail or via voice is essential. Takes initiative to enhance existing and learn additional skills. Prior experience working with Microsoft Office products or legal software such as iManage, Aderant, DocXTools, Innova, etc. Must have the ability to adapt to application upgrades and the use of AI-Powered Tools for document production, review, and case research. Must have ability to demonstrate flexibility and willingness to learn new skills and adapt to evolving needs of the attorney’s practice. Must have the ability to be flexible within a fast-paced environment and ensure that all deliverables and work product adhere to firm best practices, and a willingness to receive constructive feedback from attorneys and managers. Open to collaborating with and supporting Legal Support Assistants (LSAs) as appropriate. Works well under pressure and able to stay positive and productive.
Must have a general familiarity with legal terminology, documentation, and best practices for law firms or similar settings. Exhibits strong attention to detail and excellent problem-solving skills that enable them to make quick decisions. Possesses prior experience in workflow-management related roles. Demonstrates proficiency in virtual firm collaboration tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams to communicate with internal and external resources on behalf of the attorney’s practice.
Minimum Education
• High School or GED
Preferred Education
• Bachelor’s Degree in Legal studies, business administration, or a related field.
Minimum Years of Experience
• 2 years Experience working in a legal setting under the supervision of a licensed attorney or office administrator, or within a similar role.
Essential Job Expectations
While the specific job requirements of a position may vary depending upon scope of the job and area of specialty, there are certain universal requirements that are expected of all employees, which include but are not limited to:
• Business Acumen: Understand the firm’s business model, operations, and strategic goals; work with PG leadership to develop and implement their strategies and initiatives in alignment to the firm’s.
• Relationship Building: Build trust and rapport with leaders and employees at all levels.
• Problem Solving: Identify root causes of issues and develop pragmatic solutions.
• Influence & Impact: Persuade others to support initiatives, balancing stakeholder needs and organizational priorities.
• Change Leadership: Champion change and help others adapt in dynamic environments.
• Analytical Thinking: Use data to drive decisions and measure outcomes.
• Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrate self-awareness, empathy, and strong interpersonal skills.
• Results Orientation: Deliver high-quality outcomes and meet commitments.
• Collaboration: foster positive work relationships with leadership, HR and firm peers.
• Produce deliverables, answer phone calls, and reply to correspondence in an efficient and responsive manner.
• Provide timely, accurate, and quality work product.
• Successfully meet deadlines, expectations, and perform work duties as required.
• Comply with all firm policies and practices.
• Engage in both physical and sedentary activity, such as (a) working at a computer for extended periods of time, including on-screen reading and typing; (b) participating in digital/virtual conference calls; (c) participating in meetings as needed.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Perform all other duties, tasks or projects as assigned.