Executive Assistant (Los Angeles)

Position summary

This executive assistant role is responsible for providing high-level, executive and confidential administrative support. This role will deliver value in the following ways: central support resource for the leader and the practice team; an integrator connecting work streams that would otherwise remain siloed; a communicator linking the practice team, clients and the broader organization.

Job duties and responsibilities

• Specialized legal support leading to exceptional client service.
• Calendar management and scheduling with meticulous attention to detail, including proactively identifying and monitoring matter-related deadlines, and organizing and creating invitations for internal and external events to include all pertinent details (Zoom links, locations, contact information), often across time zones and multiple busy calendars.
• Liaise with internal and external clients and support services (e.g., IT, travel, and office services as well as external vendors) on behalf of the attorney and the practice team as it pertains to scheduling of meetings, events and travel.
• Leveraging the firm's travel department while overseeing all aspects of travel planning, logistics, details and execution, to attorney's preferences, aiming to be efficient with the attorney's time during business trips, and keeping client-related components of business trips at the forefront.
• Track all follow-up requests (meetings, materials, deliverables).
• Approach all client interactions, either in writing, by telephone or in person, with professionalism, discretion and diplomacy, as a representative of the attorney, the practice team and the firm.
• Prepare and/or disseminate schedules, notifications, agendas, minutes and meeting materials. Proactively prepare or coordinate preparation of background materials and due diligence for meetings to ensure attorney is prepared for meetings, events and interactions.
• Prepare/draft legal documents as required, including exhibits for trial or closings, trial/closing binders, correspondence, notices, pleadings and memoranda.
• Build and maintain an effective working relationship with personnel at all levels. Effectively manage communications with high-level internal and external constituents.
• Process matter opening forms promptly, ensuring timely follow up and assignment and communication of matter numbers. Maintain an ongoing status list of MOFs and new matters opened.
• Contribute to success of the attorney's financial and client growth goals.
• Independently prioritize, research and follow up on multiple incoming issues and concerns addressed to the attorney, including those of sensitive and/or confidential nature; recommend appropriate course of action, referral and/or response.
• Maintain Outlook contact lists, promptly adding new contacts upon introduction to the attorney and keeping up to date as contact information changes.
• Work in conjunction with the firm's business center to ensure prompt processing of all expenses.
• Process timesheets daily, drafting entries and following up as appropriate.
• Onsite responsibilities may include meeting clients in a professional manner; use of standard office equipment, including copiers and scanners; maintaining physical files; reviewing jobs for quality assurance; and providing support to attorneys outside of team assignments.
• Provide support outside of standard working hours, including during evenings and weekends as needed.
• Additional duties as assigned.
• Westlaw/research: perform internet research. Request UCC lien/litigation/bankruptcy searches from various entities (both state and county). Request certified copies of formation documents from various entities (both state and county); file formation documents with various entities (both state and county).
• Maintain paper and electronic filings. Maintain paper files for certain estate accounts (i.e., for purposes of tax filings); retrieve documents from files as needed.
• Maintain client minute books.
• E-filings: federal, state and appellate court filings. Scheduling remote court appearances.
• Schedule messengers and other vendors for pick-up of documents for errands such as filings with court, delivery of documents to counsel and other types of errands.
• Depositions: schedule court reporter for hearing and/or depositions, download transcript and/or send to client for review.
• Corporate tasks as required.
• Litigation tasks as required.
• Job duties and responsibilities included are not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary. Reed Smith reserves the right to revise or modify job duties and responsibilities at any time.

Requirements

Education: Two years of college or equivalent experience required. College degree or equivalent experience is preferred.

Experience: Five plus years' experience in a high-level administrative support position. Experience in a law firm or other professional services firm preferred.

Skills

• Expert organizational skills; top-notch time management skills; streamlined and polished communication style; problem-solving orientation; ownership of the role and the responsibilities; meticulous attention to detail; ability to remain calm and poised in times of high stress.
• Additionally: mastery of Microsoft Office suite, including ability to create PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets and Word documents.
• Advanced Outlook skills including the calendaring and task functions. Facility with Zoom and MS Teams.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters professionally and with discretion.
• Ability to resolve issues quickly, effectively and diplomatically and to make appropriate recommendations.
• Good decision maker, strategic thinker and proven ability to manage time, people and resources in order to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, manage projects and handle multiple competing priorities.
• Flexibility and ability to adapt to constantly changing priorities. Ability to deal with stress associated with a fast-paced work environment, including handling the demands of multiple tasks on a daily basis.
• Ability to work well as a member of a team and make judgment decisions and handle daily responsibilities with little or no supervision.
• Project management skills/training, a plus.

Other

Supervisory responsibilities: None

Equipment to be used: Personal computer and other office equipment such as telephone, calculator, fax machine, copier, scanner, etc.

Essential job functions

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods and perform tasks requiring prolonged and/or extensive computer use.
• Ability to use computers, telecommunications and digital collaboration tools to perform core job responsibilities.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to maintain attention to detail while analyzing complex information, managing multiple priorities and applying sound judgment to decisions.
• Ability to access, use and safeguard confidential and sensitive information while performing job responsibilities in work environments that support confidentiality, privacy and information security requirements.
• Ability to work extended hours as required to meet project, clien]]>