1. 800. 973.1177
CAREER COUNSEL
Defining Legal Staff Jobs [by Law Firm Staff] Wondering if there is a law firm position that is right for you? We’ll take you through what it means to work in various capacities at a law firm. Whether you want to be a receptionist or a chief financial officer, we have the law firm-specific definition of the tasks required of the position right here (and likely the job for you, as well).
Just what does our umbrella term of “legal
their practice. Every great legal secretary
tive.” This is the point at which we become
staff” cover? It can mean pretty much
has a counterpart - a colleague who treats
involved, as many of these top firms call
anything that a professional can do inside a
his or her position as though it were nothing
upon us to find that unique individual capable
law firm other than practicing law. Below,
more than a means of earning a salary. They
of functioning as the firm’s “nerve center.”
find job descriptions to some of the more
answer the phone in a monotone, file papers
common jobs found at law firms and in house
haphazardly, and halfheartedly transcribe
legal departments.
scribbles from the attorneys they are as-
Chief Financial Officers
signed to help. But the true stars? They go
With firm revenues peaking as high as $1
If anything piques your interest, try a free
the extra distance. They know the clients
billion annually, it stands to reason that
job search. We have countless jobs in each
by name, they ensure that they understand
savvy financial management is critical. Firms
of these categories in our legal staff-specific
the documents involved in a transaction or a
deploy their assets in hedging transactions,
database.
trial, they take their place as a full-fledged
foreign currency swaps, and numerous other
team member of any project to which they
complex market strategies on a daily basis.
are assigned. Our job in recruiting and plac-
Law firm chief financial officers (CFOs) earn
ing legal secretaries is to find those stars
salaries in the high six figures, making them
Experienced paralegal assistance is critical
- legal secretaries who thrive on being an
monetarily competitive with some of Wall
to the success of any law firm. We are dedi-
integral part of a winning legal team - and to
Street’s top investment bankers.
cated to assisting our clients in their efforts
place them with attorneys that can use (and
to find and evaluate those legal professionals
appreciate) their help. Our clients tell us ev-
The successful CFO of a large law firm
who exemplify talent and dedication and will
ery day how happy they are that we made the
will have extensive experience overseeing
deftly handle matters that require a keen
effort to discover their particular skills and
international operations, financial consolida-
intelligence, yet need not be billed to the
match those skills to the right opportunity.
tions, and identifying and mitigating foreign
Paralegals
client at attorney rates. With the shifts in the economy and the resulting client dissatisfac-
exchange risk, be intimately familiar with the Administrative Officers
tion with paying high attorney billing rates,
process of acquisition, including valuation, due diligence, and integration. On a day-to-
the use of paralegals in the law firm has
The chief administrative officer (CAO) of a
day basis, the CFO will plan, direct and con-
been forecasted to increase significantly in
law firm serves as the nucleus of the busi-
trol overall financial planning, accounting,
this decade. While availability of schools for
ness activity of the firm. At the largest and
forecasting, and cash management functions
paralegals has grown to meet this expected
most successful firms in the United States,
of the firm, handle the annual budgets and
need, it is high-quality experience in a
the CAO is often more business savvy than
forecasting, evaluate the firm’s practices and
demanding legal environment that makes a
any other person in the firm, even (some-
analyze cost, budgets, operating policies,
paralegal most marketable to the best firms.
times especially) including the firm’s part-
trends and increased profit opportunities,
ners. Attorneys in the most prestigious firms
and protect the firm’s financial stability by
recognize this and reward highly qualified
ensuring that internal controls are adequate
administrative officers accordingly. Whereas
to safeguard assets and accounting systems
While any good legal secretary knows that
CAOs historically were recruited up from the
are sufficient to generate accurate and
it is they who truly make things happen in a
ranks within a law firm, there is an increas-
timely financial reporting. With an eye to the
firm, many attorneys do not understand how
ing trend to bring in new talent from outside
firm’s future, the CFO must possess strong
valuable a highly-skilled secretary can be for
the firm in order to provide a “fresh perspec-
skills in business planning, analyzing growth
Legal Secretaries
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1.800. 973. 1177
CAREER COUNSEL
opportunities, and valuing potential acquisi-
coordinating the annual performance evalu-
tions.
ation process, developing training initiatives for the staff, and overseeing maintenance
along to the Hiring Committee. Receptionists
Since lawyers have worked long and hard on
of the firm’s HR databases. This person will
their own education, they prefer a CFO who
have responsibility for handling sensitive
The receptionist is, quite literally, the front
has also obtained an advanced degree, such
issues of employee relations within the firm,
line of a firm’s public relations campaign and
as an MBA, and being a CPA is extraordi-
recruiting from outside, and supervising and
has the ability to make or break the firm’s
narily helpful. If you are a sharp, educated
training a staff to be able to respond to the
image during that crucial initial telephone
financial professional who can manage the
needs of some of the most demanding em-
or walk-in contact. A top-flight law firm
financial organization of multi-office, multi-
ployees there are. The HR manager should
receptionist possesses the same skill set and
national firms, and have the vision and the
be as well-versed in Federal and local labor
performs largely the same duties as do re-
stamina to take our clients forward in their
and employment law as the firm’s Labor at-
ceptionists in most other industries, and are
future growth, please contact us.
torneys are, since decisions often need to be
similarly as difficult to find. A star reception-
made quickly, without time to get an opinion
ist must be able to do more than regurgitate
Controllers
from an attorney.
a string of last names followed by the ubiqui-
The controller assists the firm’s CFO in day-
Recruiting Coordinators
tous “Hold, please,” or “I’ll put you through,” to-day transactions involving firm payables,
(or worse, simply transferring without acknowledgment!) followed by punching a
receivables, and general accounting: payroll,
From the outset, it must be understood that
button and turning back to a book/magazine/
time and billing, financial reporting, cash
a recruiting coordinator at a law firm spends
computer game. In order to present the firm
management (such as AP/AR control, and
a lot of time on the phone, and generally
in the best light requires the skill of a stage
maintaining relationships with the firm’s
undertakes significant travel responsibili-
actor in enunciation and diction, the compo-
banks), and be an integral advisor to the
ties. If you aren’t prepared to spend 50% or
sure of a tightrope walker, and the patience
administrative management team, ensuring
more of your time talking to candidates and
of a saint! The firms with which we work are
that decisions are made with full informa-
hiring partners, spend much of your summer
in constant need of these elusive star recep-
tion and awareness of the bottom line. A
organizing and attending summer associate
tionists. If you are a “people person” with
top-notch law firm controller will be able to
events, be away much of the fall season on
ambassador-like diplomacy who takes pride
create financial management processes that
law-school recruiting junkets, and give up
in making a good impression, we would be
work in a professional services environment,
many nights and weekends in between for
delighted to hear from you (but please - don’t
and display impeccable characteristics: a
various seminars, cocktail parties, and other
put us on hold!).
high-energy person with a strong executive
networking events, then this is not the ideal
presence, who can roll-up his/her sleeves
career for you. On the other hand, if all of
and get the job done. As with any other
that sounds like fun, and you possess strong
position of strength within a law firm, the
communication skills, the ability to listen
Nearly every firm could use skilled library
successful applicant will hold an MBA and/or
effectively, and relish the idea of convincing
personnel, even those with smaller collec-
a CPA degree, and have strong computer
exceptional law students that your firm is
tions. Our clients constantly need librarians
skills.
the only logical choice for them, then you are
experienced with the numerous treatises,
on the right track and should contact us to
case reporters, and information binders that
Human Resources Managers
discuss our client firms’ needs.
are the staples of legal research, as well as
The best law firm HR managers are dynamic
Unlike recruiters at agencies and in-house
able with the paperless media that are swiftly
“people persons” who can multitask like no
recruiters in many other industries, the law
replacing the more traditional information
other, as the duties are many: managing the
firm recruiting coordinator needn’t spend
mining methods. Our clients are willing to
secretarial staff, handling non-legal staff
any time cold-calling candidates. The legal
pay top salaries to knowledgeable law librar-
recruiting, overseeing and conducting new
job market is such that prospective hires
ians with information science backgrounds
employee orientations, handling employee
will generally be beating down the door with
and generally afford them the opportunity
relations issues, administering and com-
their resumes, and the recruiting coordina-
to do much more than replace binder pages
munication of the benefit plans of the firm,
tor must be able to efficiently discern those
with update sheets and toss out old pocket
managing the compensation system and
who have merit and pass only those resumes
parts. Law librarians in the 21st century need
Librarians
being extremely well versed in and comfort-
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CAREER COUNSEL
to be on top of the latest in legal computing technology. The need to migrate vast amounts of data in most large firms into a management system that permits its full exploitation has driven an increasing search for skilled library scientists. If you are the sort of person who relishes the challenge of administrating a dynamic information system and has interest in managing the design and build of efficient systems for the cataloging and retrieval of the vast array of integral firm information, we generally have opportunities for you. Information Technology Managers and Assistants While attorneys typically do not push the limits of their individual workstation capacity, no type of organization relies more on the persons responsible for keeping its computing technology in shape than law firms. With hundreds of attorneys producing dozens of documents each day, and an increasing reliance on email technology, there is never a dull moment in any firm for its information technology managers and their assistants. Unlike traditional career paths, a career in information technology management in a law firm offers better pay and a faster rise to the top of the IT ranks within a large organization.
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