Paralegal

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Litigation Paralegal to support attorneys in a fast-paced litigation practice. The ideal candidate has strong civil litigation experience, excellent organizational skills, and a proven ability to manage timekeeping and billing requirements in accordance with firm and client guidelines. This role requires attention to detail, the ability to manage multiple deadlines, and comfort working collaboratively with attorneys and staff.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each of the following Essential Duties satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the Essential Duties of the position:

• Provide comprehensive litigation support from case inception through resolution, including pleadings, discovery, motions, trial preparation, and post-trial matters.
• Draft, format, file, and serve legal documents in state and federal courts in compliance with applicable rules and deadlines.
• Manage discovery processes, including drafting and responding to discovery, organizing document productions, and maintaining case databases.
• Coordinate and track litigation deadlines, hearings, depositions, and trial schedules.
• Assist attorneys with legal and factual research, witness preparation, and exhibit management.
• Maintain well-organized electronic and physical case files in accordance with firm procedures.
• Communicate professionally with clients, court personnel, opposing counsel, and vendors.
• Assist with trial preparation, including trial binders, exhibits, subpoenas, and courtroom logistics.
• Enter detailed, accurate, and appropriate time entries in compliance with firm policies and client billing guidelines.
• Draft clear and compliant billing narratives to support accurate invoicing and minimize reductions.
• Review pre-bills for accuracy, consistency, and guideline compliance; assist attorneys with edits and corrections as needed.
• Track billable and non-billable time across multiple matters and attorneys.
• Support month-end billing processes and respond to billing-related inquiries.
• Maintain familiarity with client billing requirements, including task and phase codes, rate structures, and invoice submission protocols.

This job description and the enumerated Essential Duties are intended to provide general guidelines for job expectations and the employees’ ability to perform the position described. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned or assumed by the incumbent as necessary to fulfill the requirements of the position.

Minimum Requirements

These specifications are general guidelines based on the minimum experience normally considered essential to the satisfactory performance of this position. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required to perform the position in a satisfactory manner. Individual abilities may result in some deviation from these guidelines.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities Required

Basic experience, knowledge, and training in civil litigation defense, including familiarity with litigation procedures, court rules, legal research, drafting pleadings and discovery, and case file management, typically resulting from a paralegal certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies or a related field, and/or several years of experience supporting attorneys in civil litigation matters. Basic qualifications include:

• Knowledge of the various courts, their rules, and filing requirements.
• Interpersonal skills are necessary in order to communicate with a diverse group of attorneys, staff, and clients and to provide information with ordinary courtesy, diplomacy, and tact.
• Demonstrated organizational, prioritization, and attention to detail skills to allow for timely, effective, and accurate performance of job duties.
• Work may require more than 40 hours per week to perform the essential duties of the position and to meet financial goal requirements.
• Work requires sitting, bending, stooping, computer keyboarding and continuous use of the hands, telephone contact, reading, and may require lifting of 25-50 lbs. or more.
• Work may also require traveling to offsite locations for the collection of records and information or filing of documents with courts; therefore, work may require driving.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of civil litigation paralegal experience, preferably in a defense firm environment.
• Strong knowledge of litigation procedures, court rules, and filing requirements.
• Demonstrated experience with legal billing and timekeeping systems.
• Excellent organizational, proofreading, and time-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple cases and deadlines simultaneously.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and legal case management software; experience with e-filing and e-billing platforms preferred.
• Professional communication skills and the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Education

• Paralegal certificate or equivalent experience preferred.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities, or requirements.