Description

MacElree Harvey is a mid-sized, regional law firm established in 1880 with its primary office in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The firm provides exceptional legal services to both local and national clients in the areas of litigation, family law, land use, trusts and estates, and business law. 

This position is with the Estates Department, which works with clients to help them implement a plan which will pass on their estates to loved ones in the manner they want – while minimizing the cost of Federal Estate, State Inheritance and Federal Estate Income taxes. The department strives to foster a productive and collaborative work environment that also encourages professional growth and a healthy work-life balance. Our team is committed to the firm’s brand—Initiative in Practice—which includes the pursuit of excellence, innovation, and the best possible results for our clients.

Position Overview 

The firm is seeking a talented and motivated legal assistant with 3-5 years of experience. The successful candidate will play a key role in providing a variety of administrative duties to support assigned attorneys.

Key Responsibilities 

• Assist attorneys by producing well-prepared and accurate documents.
• Provide administrative support for the execution and administration of trust, decedents’ and guardian estates, wills intestacy and other estate and trust matters.
• Produce documents such as wills, trust agreements and deeds. Draft correspondence, bills and various documents pertaining to estates and trusts.
• Provide support in gathering and preparing tax returns. Gather and maintain client financial records.
• Create, type and edit documents as well as prepare and type routine correspondence, memoranda and other legal documents.
• Receive and transcribe dictation from draft or dictated text.
• Manage and maintain calendars for attorney including client meetings, court dates and times and other appointments, including all extracurricular and community matters. Arrange for conference rooms as needed.
• Create and maintain all office files, logs and any other information in relation to the work of the attorney.
• Open mail and advise attorney of upcoming events, deadlines, and periodically provide reminders.
• Respond to and assist clients by answering questions, providing information and assuring appropriate follow-through and/or resolution.
• Meet with clients to assist with execution of estate and trust documents.
• Handle heavy call volume and provide information in response to telephone calls.
• Prepare and maintain electronic and hardcopy files. Scan and store documents according to defined procedures.
• Enters time, reviews billing, conduct conflict checks, and maintains client files and preparation of new matter memos. Keeps accurate time records.
• May be responsible for vaulting and/or retrieving original documents.
• Notifies attorney of pending deadlines to ensure proper compliance.

Requirements

• High school diploma with a minimum of 5 years prior related experience including Corporate, Tax and Estate Planning & Administration.
• Computer proficient with working knowledge of MS Word and Excel required.
• Ability to work with documents and produce documents from transcription.
• Must be highly organized, detail oriented with the ability to multi-task.
• Working knowledge of Outlook and iManage or similar document management system required and TABS or other similar billing system preferred.
• Able to maneuver IRS and other government websites to search for tax forms, etc.
• Keyboarding skills of 70 wpm or higher required.
• Ability to proofread typed material for contextual, grammatical, typographical or spelling errors.
• Must possess a positive attitude.
• Must be able to work comfortably and confidently with clients.
• Must maintain acceptable attendance record.