Legal Executive Assistant - Patent Litigation

Overview

DLA Piper is bold, exceptional, collaborative and supportive. Our people are the backbone, heart and soul of our firm. Let’s see what we can achieve together.

As a Legal Executive Assistant, you will support multiple lawyers. The Legal Executive Assistant (LEA) proactively filters and attends to the day-to-day functions of a partner's practice so that they can focus on building and maintaining their practice. This role serves as a consultant for the partner, connecting departments, projects, and critical business information to the partner, ensuring meetings and materials are efficient and effective, and serving as a trusted partner to help deliver against the priorities of the practice and clients.

This position is located in our Washington, DC office and offers a Hybrid work schedule, working at least 3 days in the office.

• Completes and carries out major assignments and a broad variety of tasks in support of the partner's practice.
• Exercises judgment and delegates administrative tasks and document work as appropriate to other Legal Support Services team members and firm resources. When delegating, maintains responsibility for and tracks all activities/tasks/projects to successful completion. Collaborates with peers to provide team support and coverage.
• Performs work that substantively and positively impacts the success of the partner's financial viability with client matters.
• Supports the Patent Litigation trial team which may include travel.
• Exercises discretion and professional judgment with confidential and sensitive matters.
• Plans, coordinates, and ensures attorney calendars are maintained; identifies and resolves scheduling conflicts; coordinates complex travel itineraries.
• Works closely and proactively with attorneys to keep them well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, preparing materials in advance, and following up appropriately.
• Successfully completes critical aspects of deliverables with a proactive, hands-on approach, including drafting letters or other correspondence, preparing reports, and other tasks that facilitate the partner's ability to effectively build the practice.
• Handles extensive direct interaction with clients and outside business contacts.
• Prepares agendas, reports, and presentations; composes correspondence that is sometimes confidential.
• Develops and maintains professional relationships and ensures teams work together efficiently and effectively, providing clear direction and constructive feedback on projects and assignments.
• Coordinates department or practice group meetings and leads logistics to ensure successful meetings.
• Participates in practice group and client team meetings; prepares meeting agendas, reviews meeting materials for accuracy and completeness, and distributes to attendees.
• Maintains paper and electronic filing systems, helping to ensure compliance with Information Governance policies and procedures.
• Oversees billing matters (prebilling tasks including all approval forms and collaboration correspondence, international billing, liaise with biller regarding questions/issues, liaise with collections team); monitors client budgets for reporting purposes.

Advanced computer skills in Excel, Word and PowerPoint are required. Exhibits excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact with peers, lawyers, clients, business professionals, and various firm departments on a regular basis. Solid organizational skills to manage multiple high priority projects at one time. Performs a broad range of assignments with efficiency and accuracy. Excellent time management skills, ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Demonstrates strong work ethic and a flexible, dependable and positive attitude. Must maintain confidentiality and demonstrate good professional judgment.

• Minimum:
  High School Diploma or GED.
• Preferred:
  Bachelor s Degree in Legal studies, Business Administration, or a related field.

• Minimum: 5 years of professional executive administrative experience supporting partners and/or executives.
• Preferred experience with supporting Patent Litigation, ITC, and IPR filings.

• Effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, with clients, lawyers, business professionals, and third parties.
• Produce deliverables, answer phone calls, and reply to correspondence in an efficient and responsive manner.
• Provide timely, accurate, and quality work product.
• Successfully meet deadlines and perform duties as required.
• Foster positive work relationships.
• Comply with all firm policies and practices.
• Engage in both physical and sedentary activity, such as computer work, digital/virtual conference calls, and meetings as needed.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Perform all other duties, tasks or projects as assigned.

Our employees are expected to embrace and uphold our firm values as part of our DLA Piper culture. We are…