Legal Secretary (Real Estate & Business Law) - Oakland

Legal Secretary

Legal Secretary (Real Estate & Business Law) – Oakland

Apr 03, 2026

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is seeking a full-time Legal Secretary to join its Oakland office. This position is a full-time, non-exempt, 7.5-hour/day position. Our current arrangement for staff is to work 2 days on-site and 3 days from home weekly upon satisfactory completion of their introductory period. This arrangement may be changed at any time based on business needs and decisions.

Description Of Responsibilities

Essential functions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide secretarial and administrative support to an Equity Partner, an Income Partner, and two Associates with their Real Estate and Business Law practices. This assignment is subject to change based on business needs.
• Draft, proofread, and revise various documents, including correspondence, memoranda, letters, and emails.
• Exercise strong judgment and maintain confidentiality.
• Assist with coordinating and preparing for meetings and conference calls.
• Review incoming mail and correctly route it to appropriate parties, including attorneys and the Firm’s Calendaring/Docketing Department.
• Review and maintain electronic case and administrative files.
• Maintain assigned attorneys’ calendars as well as maintain attorneys’ contacts.
• Enter attorney’s time according to Firm billing practices as requested. In addition, coordinate with Firm’s billing personnel to facilitate attorneys’ timely review of monthly billing statements and invoicing of clients.
• Create New Client Matter Memos, including tracking the status of each.
• Prepare check requests and coordinate payment to vendors as necessary.
• Assist with travel arrangements and prepare and track expense reimbursements.
• Assist with transactional closing binders and closing checklists.
• Provide backup support to other secretaries during planned and unplanned absences.
• Ability to work overtime as needed.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
  
  

Qualifications

• High school diploma required; Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5-8 years of legal secretary experience, preferably supporting a Partner/Principal or Senior Attorney.
• Prior experience in Real Estate and Business Law is highly desirable, though not required.
• Paralegal certification is also highly desirable, though not required.
• Proven track record of strong customer service skills.
• Clear and effective written and verbal skills.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to multitask and meet deadlines in a high-pressure environment.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively, demonstrating strong problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Acrobat is required.
• Knowledge of and experience with electronic document management systems, time-entry programs, and calendaring programs, including NetDocs, Best Authority, CompuLaw/ProLaw; Aderant preferred.
  
  

Compensation

The annual compensation range for this position is $85,000 to $105,000. The salary offered within this range will depend upon qualifications and experience.

We encourage all interested candidates to apply by emailing a cover letter and resume to staffrecruiting@bwslaw.com.

Burke, Williams, & Sorensen LLP is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Important Note to Search Consultants

By posting jobs, Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP does not automatically authorize search firms or other third parties to directly solicit candidates on the firm’s behalf. Please note that all staff candidate submissions (including candidate referrals and resumes) must be sent directly to staffrecruiting@bwslaw.com, and not to attorneys or other employees of the firm. Search firms must have prior approval and a written agreement in place before submitting resumes. If you are interested in working with Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP, please email staffrecruiting@bwslaw.com.