Job Title: Legal Secretary III

Location: Walnut Creek, CA
Position Type: Direct Hire - Onsite
Compensation: $75,000 - $92,000 per year
Experience Level: Senior (7 years defense trial/litigation support)

Position Overview

Our client is seeking an experienced Legal Secretary III to provide high-level secretarial and administrative support to the Legal Department in Walnut Creek. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience supporting litigation attorneys, strong knowledge of California civil court procedures, and a proven background in trial preparation. This role requires exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced legal environment.

Key Responsibilities

Administrative & Litigation Support

• Maintain attorney calendars and tickler systems.

• Schedule meetings, court appearances, and appointments with clients, experts, co-counsel, and opposing counsel.

• Review, re-index, and route mail in OnBase for attorney review and calendaring.

• Compose correspondence, memos, and routine communications.

• Contact clients to obtain information as directed by attorneys.

• Maintain and organize confidential electronic legal files, ensuring accurate documentation and activity tracking.

Document & Case Preparation

• Prepare discovery, pre-trial, and trial documents for court filing.

• Coordinate and calendar all aspects of discovery initiated by both plaintiffs and defendants.

• Transcribe dictation and/or type from handwritten or rough-draft material, including pleadings, court forms, reports, summaries, and releases.

• Assist with trial preparation tasks as required.

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant court rules and filing requirements.

Team Collaboration

• Provide legal secretarial support for short-term and long-term assignments.

• Answer, screen, and route phone calls professionally.

• Assist and provide backup support to other secretaries as needed.

• Participate in department and company projects and perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• High school diploma or GED required.

• 7 years of defense trial and litigation experience in a related industry.

• 3 years of recent California civil litigation experience required.

• Demonstrated experience in trial preparation.

Skills & Abilities

• Strong organizational and communication skills.

• Thorough knowledge of California court procedures.

• Strong initiative with the ability to work independently.

• Proficient in MS Word and general computer systems.

• Familiarity with case management software.

• Ability to type 70 words per minute.