Legal Practice Specialist for Appellate Team

Title: Legal Practice Specialist for Appellate Team

Location: Houston, TX

– Hybrid

Job Description:

A large international law firm is seeking a Legal Practice Specialist for their Litigation Department in the Houston, TX, office. This position will be part of their team of attorneys and paralegals, and support staff providing a high level of service to both internal and external clients. This is one team where each person plays an integral role in serving the needs of our clients. The firm is dedicated to its employees, values, and commitment.

As a member of a legal practice support team, the Legal Practice Specialist is responsible for coordinating the work of team memberswho provide support to multiple timekeepers, including Partners, Counsel, Associates, Team Attorneys,and Patent Agents.  This position coordinates and provides advanced legal and administrative support, requiring in-depth knowledge of legal practice processes with appellate courts.

The Legal Practice Specialist is also expected to provide support as needed to other teams and attorneys when the need arises.  This position works closely with other Legal Practice Specialists and Legal Practice Coordinators to provide enhanced legal administrative support coverage and to balance the tasks and assignments among the team members.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Manage case workflow and case support


• Prioritize, coordinate, and manage work assignments, working very closely with the team, to meet the support needs of the timekeepers


• Utilize available firm resources, including the Resource Center, Research and Information Services, Marketing, Records, Mail and Copy Services, New Business Intake and Finance


• Provide quality control and deadline management


• Initiate and monitor docketing with CompuLaw system and monitor trial calendars


• Assist other support members on the team to complete timekeeper requests


• Research facts, court rules, and case law


• Draft pleadings, file court documents


• Create, revise, transcribe, format and edit pleadings, legal documents, briefs and correspondence to requested specifications


• Assist in the preparation of motions


• Prepare Table of Authority and Table of Contents


• Coordinate logistics and prepare documents for depositions, mediations and arbitrations


• Proofread and redline documents, correspondence and memoranda to ensure accuracy and quality control of copy, grammar, spelling, and punctuation


• Prepare binders and hard copy materials as requested


• Manage mailings, client contacts and update appropriate databases


• Prepare reports, PowerPoint presentations, tables and Excel documents as requested


• Assist with calendar coordination as needed, including availability of attendees and conference rooms, meeting notification and reminders, and preparation of meeting materials


• Coordinate travel arrangements, including air, hotel, and car plans for timekeeper off-site meetings and events as needed


• Process expense reimbursements and credit card statement reconciliations in accounting system


• Open new clients and matters following New Business Intake and Records Departments' procedures as needed


• Perform routine filing, photocopying, scanning, faxing, compiling and distributing of documents.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Bachelor’s degree and/or Certificate from an ABA-approved program preferred


• Experience filing in New York, Washington DC, Georgia and Texas


• Minimum of five (5) years of appellate experience, including filings in state and federal courts


• Appellate court knowledge, including rules and procedures, formatting briefs, deadlines, preparing paper briefs to court specifications


• Minimum of ten (10) years of litigation experience, including trial prep and filing in various courts


• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and in docketing software (Compulaw, preferred)


• Extensive experience with various Appellate Court systems and filing requirements


• Well versed in legal terminology, processes and definitions and of all phases of discovery and trial


• Effectively work with hyperlinks


• Review, edit, compare and redline briefs


• Extensive knowledge of available legal resources and references materials


• Ability to work with a variety of software and to quickly learn new programs such as Relativity, Concordance, Lexis/Nexis, e-mail and internet


• Ability to work on a team while displaying excellent client service acumen and supporting multiple legal professionals


• Ability to accept multiple assignments, work on a team to complete the assignments, and coordinate various resources as needed


• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills


• Excellent service orientation and teamwork skills


• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines


• Strong organizational skills with the ability to effectively time-manage, prioritize, and complete simultaneous assignments


• Ability to meet the demands of trial work


• Ability to read and understand legal documents


• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to draft, format, and proofread legal documents


• Maintain confidentiality of client information


• Ability to work with limited supervision