Legal Administrative Assistant (Election Law & Government Ethics)

Wiley, a leading Washington, DC law firm, has an opening for a Legal Administrative Assistant in our Election Law & Government Ethics practice group. Based in the heart of the nation and the center of politics, Wiley is a leader in guiding clients through the laws and rules governing campaign finance, lobbying, government ethics, and elections.

Our team has achieved impressive results, successfully challenging laws, clarifying rules, and representing clients in precedent-setting cases and game-changing litigation all the way up to the Supreme Court of the United States.

The Election Law & Government Ethics practice group regularly provides incisive and sophisticated legal counsel on all aspects of political law including campaign finance, lobbying, government ethics, and elections. This practice group advises on regulatory compliance matters and represents clients in regulatory inquiries, government investigations, and federal and state court litigation.

This position is eligible to participate in the firm’s flexible work program. Immediate availability is required.

SUMMARY/OBJECTIVE:

The Legal Administrative Assistant provides high level administrative and business development support to the firm’s attorneys.

RESPONSIBILITIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Enters attorneys’ time daily, releases attorney time entries to Accounting on schedule, and maintain appropriate records
• Promptly processes expenses, reimbursements, and vendor invoices
• Supports monthly billing cycle, including reviewing and processing monthly client bills for assigned attorneys; following up to ensure deadlines are met; tracking invoices, payments, and retainers; and coordinating between attorney and the Accounting & Finance team
• Prepares new business intake forms for new and existing clients, conflict sheets, and engagement letters and assists with resolution of questions that arise during the conflicts process
• Coordinates conferences, meetings, and appointments, often involving internal and external participants, varying locations, and time zones, including catering and audio-visual equipment
• Proactively manages attorneys’ full and active calendars of appointments and ensures that attorneys are prepared for all commitments
• Proofreads and redlines work for accuracy of copy, format, grammar, punctuation, and syntax
• Creates shell documents in Word for use by attorneys, including, if necessary, automatic numbering, schemes and styles through firm’s document automation/formatting tools
• Creates, converts, edits, and compares documents (including letters, memoranda, pleadings, tables, spreadsheets, and presentations) using office productivity software
• Coordinates with firm departments, including Office Services, IT, Conference Services, and Accounting, as well as third-party vendors to ensure attorneys can work efficiently and effectively and client service remains high
• Maintains and updates client contacts and distribution lists in the firm’s client management system
• Coordinates domestic and international travel arrangements in partnership with the firm’s travel agency, securing air and ground transportation, arranging hotel and/or meeting accommodations, preparing detailed itineraries and travel agendas
• Coordinates with Marketing Department to assist with business development, research, and client service-related activities
• Handles projects expeditiously and proactively, and follows-through on projects to successful completion, often with tight and conflicting deadlines

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Position operates in a professional office environment which is usually quiet to moderate
• Position routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets
• Position requires that the employee be able to multi-task in a fast-paced work environment

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• This position is primarily a sedentary position. However, some duties and responsibilities may require the employee to lift files, open filing cabinets, bend or stand, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, occasionally move about to access office equipment, file cabinets, etc.
• May require employee to carry or lift items weighing up to 10 pounds

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to communicate professionally and effectively, both in oral and written form
• Ability to demonstrate attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize/coordinate deadlines, and track progress of tasks
• Ability to think critically and analytically in a deadline-driven environment
• Maintain confidentiality of work-related information and materials
• Ability to organize and prioritize projects and deadlines
• Ability to manage workflows and delegate projects as necessary
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in or out of a team environment
• Proficiency in office productivity tools (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat), law firm timekeeping/billing programs, and document management systems
• Possesses the attitude of collaboration and sharing
• Willingness to learn and adopt new methodologies
• Flexibility to work overtime on an as-needed basis

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• High school diploma required; Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Minimum of two (2) plus years of related experience
• Prior experience in a law firm or professional services environment preferred

This description outlines the basic requirements of this position. It is not intended to be a complete description as other duties may be assigned.

*Wiley is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong commitment to the achievement of excellence, diversity and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

**This Organization Participates in E-Verify. This employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. Employers may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants and may not limit or influence the choice of documents you present for use on the Form I-9.