Legal Assistant

Milton Hershey School (MHS) is one of the world’s best pre-K through 12th grade private schools, where approximately 2,200 students from disadvantaged backgrounds are provided with a cost-free home and a top-notch education. Thanks to the generosity of Milton and Catherine Hershey in 1909, the school is fully endowed today, with the resources to ensure students can thrive. The school has prepared over 12,000 graduates to lead fulfilling and productive lives and is expanding to serve more students for future generations.

MHS is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented, and professional Legal Assistant to support the Office of General Counsel (OGC). This position serves a critical role in providing executive-level legal administrative support, coordinating high-priority legal projects, maintaining legal records and case management systems, and supporting legal services provided through Shared Services. This is year-round onsite with pay between $26.35 - $35.18 an hour, depending on years of experience, plus an excellent benefits package.

Legal Assistant Support

• Provide comprehensive legal assistant support to Deputy General Counsels.
• Serve as backup to the Executive Assistant in providing administrative support to the General Counsel.
• Collect, analyze, organize, maintain, and file legal documents and records.
• Manage legal intake files, ensuring proper categorization and maintenance of paper and electronic filing systems.
• Review, prioritize, and respond appropriately to incoming legal correspondence, email, and mail.
• Manage calendars, appointments, meetings, court-related deadlines, and other critical legal timelines.
• Respond promptly and professionally to requests for assistance from attorneys, employees, and stakeholders.
• Handle sensitive legal information with the utmost discretion and confidentiality.

Project Coordination

• Collaborate within the team, outside counsel, consultants, and key stakeholders on contracts, real estate matters, and high-priority projects.
• Support legal initiatives involving School Leadership, the MHS Board of Managers, and Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning through Shared Services.
• Coordinate project timelines, monitor milestones, track objectives, and provide status updates.
• Anticipate issues, proactively identify solutions, and facilitate project completion.
• Conduct legal and regulatory research using local, state, and federal resources.
• Draft and prepare reports, correspondence, memoranda, summaries, and responses to routine inquiries.
• Assist with preparing presentations, board materials, and written reports by collecting, compiling, and analyzing information from multiple sources.
• Support the preparation, editing, and finalization of weekly legal reports for the President.

Shared Services Support

• Provide legal assistant support to Deputy General Counsels.
• Organize, maintain, and manage legal documents and records related to CHS matters.
• Support legal intake processes, correspondence management, scheduling, and deadline tracking.
• Ensure accuracy, responsiveness, and strict confidentiality in all Shared Services legal work.

Records Management

• Manage administrative and legal records within Office of General Counsel filing systems.
• Open, maintain, and close assigned legal matters in accordance with established procedures.
• Maintain accurate records within electronic case management systems.
• Ensure compliance with organizational records management and document retention requirements.
• Serve as a secondary point of contact for records retention guidance and related inquiries.
• Promote consistency, accuracy, and efficiency in legal records administration.

Qualifications:

Education & Experience

• Associate's degree required, bachelor’s degree preferred. Paralegal or Legal Assistant certification or degree required.
• Minimum of 3 years of administrative, legal assistant, paralegal, project coordination, or related experience.
• Experience supporting attorneys, legal departments, executive leadership, or corporate governance functions.
• Experience with records management, document retention, case management, or legal matter management systems desired.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Exceptional organizational, time management, and prioritization skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to conduct research and analyze information from various sources.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain strict confidentiality.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, and customer service orientation.