Defining Legal Staff Jobs

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

PAGE

continued on back

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-

PAGE

continued

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.

PAGE

1.800. 973. 1177