Description

Cranfill Sumner LLP is looking for a Litigation Legal Assistant to join the team in our Charlotte, NC office. This position will start as a fully administrative role, growing into a hybrid administrative/paralegal role as the candidate and team have need. A Litigation Legal Assistant assists attorneys and legal staff in their day-to-day work, enhances attorney effectiveness by providing administrative and legal knowledge and support, and represents the attorney and firm to clients, legal professionals and other matter related individuals. A Litigation Legal Assistant further supports the attorney by drafting legal documents, maintaining files, performing research and preparing for upcoming events, including hearings, depositions, mediations and trials.

• Set up new files, including preparation of conflict worksheet (including review of new file contents for names and relationships of parties and communication with attorney(s)); organize file contents; prepare Contact Sheet; docket all answer/response/client guideline dates; maintain Client Portal; review Client Guidelines and Reporting Forms;
• Setup any templates for reports, answers and/or discovery in document management software;
• Maintain attorney client list, deadlines and calendar;
• General file maintenance and management, with focus on creating systems to help identify location of documents and what documents have been received and/or produced;
• File general correspondence, e-mails and/or other legal documents in document management software;
• Prepare and edit general correspondence, pleadings and/or discovery from attorney dictation, with same day turnaround time desirable; otherwise, next day turnaround time;
• Draft form or enclosure letters to court personnel, opposing counsel, employer, etc.;
• Related copying, scanning, faxing, etc.;
• Prepare documents for filing with Courthouse; sending filed copies to proper parties;
• Request files from the Courthouse;
• Field and handle phone calls that may come in for attorney in attorney’s absence;
• Review and process incoming and outgoing mail; scan and save to document management software;
• Possible scheduling of meetings, hearings, depositions, mediations, etc., and calendar same;
• Prepare and update indices of pleadings, discovery, and other file materials (including medical records if not preparing chronology);
• Draft, process and/or maintain Medical Records requests;
• Request checks for any filing fees or other court expenses;
• Process vendor invoices;
• Request court reporters and reserve conference rooms for depositions, mediations, etc. as needed;
• Prepare closed files, including offsite storage and/or shredding; coordinate with the Finance Department to close in our system and final bill; close matters in docketing system; 
• Prepare expense reimbursements;
• Possible assistance with Marketing;
• Back up other Legal Administrative Assistant(s) as requested or assigned; and,
 
Litigation Paralegal:

• Record daily billable time in time and billing system;
• Draft correspondence, case status reports and budgets;
• Draft pleadings, including answers, motions, notices, orders, calendar requests, subpoenas, affidavits, and other court filings;
• Draft discovery requests and responses, including responsive documents;
• Draft Settlement Agreements and Releases;
• Communicate with clients and insureds regarding discovery responses, depositions, mediation, etc.;
• Communicate with opposing counsel, co-counsel, clients, insureds, expert witnesses, court personnel, and others, to facilitate progress of cases;
• Communicate with vendors regarding copying, preparation of exhibits, imaging, etc.;
• Locate, contact and/or interview parties, witnesses, and experts;
• Prepare information to be provided to experts, including pleadings, demographics, and medical records, and maintain a record of the same;
• Prepare medical and event chronologies;
• Prepare materials for meetings, hearings, depositions, mediations, and trials, including preparation of exhibits, power point presentations, notebooks, etc.;
• Review and analyze large quantities of documents for confidentiality/privilege/work product/relevance prior to production to plaintiff’s counsel;
• Review Local, State and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Rules of Evidence;
• Cite-check briefs and assist in preparation of supporting exhibits;
• Summarize depositions;
• Summarize discovery responses from other parties;
• Perform online research regarding criminal record, driving record, and civil suit histories;
• Perform online social media research;
• Perform legal research;
• Create databases, code documents, and load deposition transcripts into e-discovery software;
• Back up other Litigation Paralegal(s) as requested or assigned; and,
• Any other related tasks that may be assigned by Management or Supervising Attorney(s). 

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or higher from a 4-year college or university, or
Paralegal certificate from an ABA accredited paralegal program, or
At least 10 years’ experience working as a paralegal