Legal Assistant

The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the country’s first and foremost civil and human rights law organization. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, who subsequently became the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread, state-sponsored racial inequality. From that era to the present, LDF’s mission has been transformative – to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society.

LDF’s litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education programs in the substantive areas of criminal justice, economic justice, education, and political participation seek to ensure the fundamental and basic human rights of all people to quality education, economic opportunity, the right to vote and fully participate in democracy, and the right to a fair and just judicial system.

LDF seeks a Legal Assistant to assist LDF attorneys with general administrative support related to litigation, education, advocacy, policy projects, and activities.

As of March 7, 2022, LDF transitioned to a hybrid work environment. Any candidate selected for this position should be prepared to report to work in the office location assigned at least two days per week.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as administrative point person on all assigned matters, anticipating the attorney’s or group’s needs and leading logistical arrangements and information handling;
• Use problem-solving skills, initiative, general research, inquiry, and follow-up to execute administrative tasks;
• Arrange all correspondence and communications for individual attorneys on assigned matters, including directing inquiries to appropriate persons;
• Organize and coordinate meetings, including preparing and circulating agendas, reserving conference rooms, arranging catering, and communicating with participants, as appropriate;
• Prepare and maintain attorney calendar (e., court dates, meetings, conference calls, travel);
• Book travel for LDF employees, consultants, clients, and others, providing travel binders, including itineraries, confirmations, reservations and contact numbers;
• Responsible for the organization, maintenance, and control of files, hard copy and electronic;
• Create and maintain contact lists and databases (e., case contacts, meeting attendees, directories of cooperating attorney and non-attorneys.);
• Responsible for the preparation and distribution of mass mailings;
• Input attorney timekeeping records using the Timekeeping Database;
• Prepare and process expense reports using the Expense Database;
• Prepare and process invoices and credit card statements;
• Prepare and proofread all correspondence including email;
• Prepare attorney lobbying reports and other forms (g., petty cash, check requisitions) for processing;
• Assist with document production, (e., scanning, copying; formatting);
• Providing basic word processing support, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel;
• Track activities and expenses by billing code, as appropriate; and
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills;
• Excellent organizational skills; ability to multi-task and prioritize work to complete tasks in a timely manner;
• Commitment to the racial justice mission of LDF;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Ability to work in a high paced environment;
• Excellent accuracy and attention to detail; and
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, Travel, Expense and Timekeeping databases.

This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts or requirements or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned. This description does not constitute a contract of employment and LDF may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.

Please note that LDF requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Accordingly, successful candidates must be fully vaccinated, including the booster shot against COVID-19, and submit proof of vaccination prior to the commencement of employment unless they qualify for a reasonable accommodation for bona fide medical or religious reasons.

LDF offers a rich platform of benefits, including medical (Empire), dental (Cigna), vision (NVA), flexible spending accounts (Flex Facts), transit/commuter plan, life insurance, AD&D, voluntary life & AD&D (UNUM), AFLAC, Employee Assistance Plan, and Health Advocate. As well as the many healthcare benefits, LDF offers a 403b plan with employer match and a robust vacation, sick, and personal time program to ensure employees have a healthy work-life balance.

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