Legal practice assistant - litigation

Job description

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide.

Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimize your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.

Department purpose and structure
With a deep bench, our U.S. litigation practice provides clients with a full-service offering counselling on matters, including complex commercial disputes, financial institutions litigation, regulatory and white-collar defense, antitrust, internal investigations and special investigations for boards, securities litigation, corruption investigations and litigation related to issues of regulatory compliance, intellectual property and professional liability.

Our distinguished U.S. litigation and investigations team is comprised of expert professionals with a wealth of government experience, as well as experience litigating and trying cases in a wide variety of areas, with a special emphasis on federal criminal and regulatory matters. Many of our enforcement partners have served in senior positions in the government or regulatory agencies, giving us a unique perspective on how best to navigate regulatory and enforcement activity across a variety of sectors. We also have broad experience in corporate risk and conflict management, advising senior level board members and executives of substantial corporates and financial institutions.

One of our key differentiators in the U.S. is the truly integrated nature of the advice we give, and our U.S. litigation and investigations team is at the forefront of the cross-border expertise that makes A&O Shearman stand out from its global competitors. One of the biggest challenges facing clients in the U.S. is that multiple regulators are often involved in parallel regulatory investigations and enforcement actions. Successfully managing risks arising from this scrutiny requires a deep understanding of both the technical legal requirements of multiple jurisdictions, the investigative methods used by government regulators and criminal prosecutors, and the practical concerns of our clients. Our U.S. team, working with colleagues across the globe, has the skills and experience to help clients resolve problems that arise within the context of cross-border and domestic regulatory and criminal investigations.

Role purpose
The legal PA - litigation role is a fantastic opportunity to gain global experience working for one of the largest law firms in the world. The legal PA will provide administrative and secretarial support to litigation partners, associates, and other legal and business services staff in the Austin office.

Key relationships

• Litigation partners and associates
• Legal and business services staff

Role and responsibilities

General PA Duties- PA support, calendar management, management of calls, emails and mail etc.

• Act as concierge for partner - daily maintenance of calendar events and organization of the day-to-day schedule of fee earners, to include the identification and resolution of potential issues
• Coordination of meetings, to include the consideration of and responsibility for ensuring all necessary arrangements are made
• Proactive management of attorneys to ensure that they attend meetings on time and with the appropriate documents/presentations
• Respond to telephone calls in a professional manner, acting as a filter to manage and control calls
• Proactive management of emails, voicemail and general mail, using initiative to route emails to the appropriate individuals for swift response and action, ensuring that tasks are followed up
• Planning and coordination of comprehensive travel programs, to include booking flights, hotels, car transfers, and preparation of itineraries etc. in conjunction with the firm's designated travel management company
• Preparation of holiday/absence handover notes and liaison with team with regard to covering fee earner absences
• Deal/Matter Support - coordination of file opening, client care, and end of matter details

Document support - preparation of client documentation and correspondence

• Type letters, correspondence, presentations, reports and legal documentation, including digital dictation if
• applicable
• Proofread all work to ensure that completed documents are delivered accurately and to the appropriate high
• standard
• Prepare and/or ensure availability of necessary agendas, presentations and meeting papers, including printing and
• timely distribution

Finance - coordination and preparation of invoices and all expense claims

• Demonstrate an understanding of the end-to-end billing process
• Take responsibility for submission of expense claims on behalf of fee earners and maintenance of copies, ensuring cross-check against credit card expenditure if appropriate
• Routinely update lntapp Time; complete and close timesheets where appropriate and prompt fee earners where necessary
• Attend wip meeting (if appropriate) and liaise with billing team to ensure that any write-offs are actioned before production of all relevant documentation
• Edit time narratives within 3E
• Use 3E to view time on matters and print billing guides for partner/matter manager review
• Work alongside the Working Capital Controller and Credit Control team in all aspects in relation to billing, ensuring disbursement invoices are authorized and added to the file in preparation for billing

Business development

• Coordinate/organize small client events and ensure all details, post-event, are followed up or liaise with business
• Development team to coordinate larger client events
• Maintain/update dynamics experience records and events calendar; liaise with fee earners and business development to ensure all information is collated
• Monitor contact with key clients and prompt for a call, lunch, or meeting. Advise partner of key activities of client (e.g., birthdays, maternity leave etc.)
• Understand and appreciate key client contacts and build relationships with PAs at key clients
• Ensure A&O Shearman databases are kept up to date, e.g., EPiC, CVs, and aoshearman.com
• Undertake research on clients or potential clients, including putting together briefing packs as and when required

Key requirements

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in a secretarial position at a global firm
• Experience in litigation preferred
• Familiarity with Federal and Texas State Court rules and ability to support attorneys with court filings
• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Bachelor's degree preferred
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft 365
• Experience with iManage and 3E preferred
• Flexible schedule
• Ability to work on-site 4 days/week
• Strong organizational skills required
• High accuracy rate and strong attention to detail
• Show a proactive approach to tasks and situations
• Demonstrate a positive attitude in all aspects of the role, taking personal responsibility and ownership and behaving professionally at all times
• Ability to master new technology using on-line training tools (iManage, Dynamics, 3E, lntapp or other diary apps, Concur or other expense apps)
• Maintain tact and diplomacy, trust and confidentiality
• Exhibit strong professional communication skills, both oral and written
• Build successful relationships with fee earners to identify individual requirements
• Have an enthusiastic approach to change and adapt to an ever-evolving role
• Ensure flexibility around contracted working hours, taking full responsibility for meeting the requirements of the role
• Take responsibility with regard to team building and providing a supportive environment to colleagues
• Take responsibility for ensuring personal development and IT skills are maintained and improved

Equal employment opportunity, including Veterans and Disability

A&O Shearman is an equal opportunity employer, including Veterans and Disability. Every individual has the right to work in a professional environment that promotes equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all aspects of an individual’s relationship with A&O Shearman, including, without limitation, recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

If you are vision-impaired or have another disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law and wish to discuss accommodations related to applying for employment at A&O Shearman, please contact US HR Transactions at US-HRTransactions@aoshearman.com or call +1 212 610 6300 and ask for HR Transactions. This role is open to our Austin office. For individuals assigned to or hired for this opportunity in Austin, the estimated annualized base salary range for this position is $85,000-$95,000. The actual base salary offered will depend on the overall qualifications of the individual applicant for the position and other job-related factors permitted by law. We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package which includes a discretionary bonus, paid leave, life, health, accident, and disability insurance; and a 401(k) plan.