Job Posting: Receptionist – San Francisco

Job Title:  Administrative Clerk/Receptionist

Supervisor’s Title:  SF Administrative Coordinator

Status:  Non-Exempt

Location:   San Francisco – this position depends upon the ability of the employee to work closely with attorneys, scientists, and staff members during regularly scheduled hours. 

General Summary:  Under direction, performs clerical and administrative tasks specific to position. Must be able to work cohesively within a team environment.  This position requires the ability to work overtime, which often cannot be predicted in advance. 

Responsibilities and Duties:

1.     Reception

1.1.      Answer incoming calls and route appropriately.  Take messages and distribute in a timely manner.

1.2.    Greet visitors, job applicants and vendors.

1.3.    Ensure neatness of lobby and conference room areas.

1.4.   Coordinate daily interoffice pouch.

1.5.    Receive deliveries and route packages according to procedure.

1.6.    Schedule couriers and other deliveries as requested.

1.7.    Notify supervisor, building security, and/or police of emergency or security problems as required.

2.     Administrative Duties:

2.1.    Inventory and order office and kitchen supplies to maintain adequate stock.

2.2.      Serve as SF office contact for various vendors placing service calls for building and equipment as required.

2.3.    Process incoming and outgoing mail.  Maintain cost entries according to established procedures.

2.4.    Perform other administrative duties as requested.

2.5.   Process incoming/outgoing pouch daily.

3.     Assist Attorneys, IP Assistants and other office personnel with clerical duties as requested.

3.1.    Type labels, memoranda, form letters, etc.

3.2.    Ensure billable hours are input correctly into billing system.  Assist with corrections to WIPS.

3.3.    Update information database.

3.4.    Search for and download documents as requested.

3.5.    Proofread documents as requested.

3.6.    Prepare and update status reports, binders and charts.

3.7.    Lend support to the overall function of the office.

4.     Work closely with SF Library Coordinator to provide library maintenance support.

4.1.    Maintain inventory of incoming library materials.

4.2.    Update collection according to standard procedure.

4.3.    Distribute library copies and updates to attorneys.

4.4.    Other library tasks as assigned by Coordinator.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

1.     Knowledge of Outlook and MS Word required.  Excel experience desired.

2.     Must meet minimum testing requirements.

3.     Following initial training, ability to operate office machines including computer, typewriter, photocopiers and fax machines.

4.     Ability to pay attention to detail, follow procedures and work effectively with others.

5.     Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form.

6.     Must be able to lift and carry up to 35 pounds.

Education and Experience:

No legal experience required, however this is an intermediate level position requiring previous administrative/clerical experience.  

Click Here to apply for an open position. Please take the time to complete our application in full. Incomplete applications will not be considered for employment. If you experience technical difficulties submitting the application, please email queries to: webmaster@kmob.com.

Wage Claim Conferences

Several Hellerites have been able to attend wage claim conferences this week and there is an update here.

If there are any ex-Thelenites who have similar conferences scheduled or who have already made an appearance, please use the comments to enter your information.

Heller Wage Claims Rejected

Heads up everyone.  If you have already filed a wage claim in California with the Labor Commissioner’s office please see the latest post over at Heller Highwater.  It appears that due to the class action lawsuit filed by several ex-Hellerites, the wage claims are being rejected until the lawsuit is concluded.

Given that there are similar lawsuits already filed on behalf of ex-Thelenians, you may experience the same rejection on your wage claim.

Job Posting: Litigation Secretary – SF and LA

Meyers Nave is looking for litigation secretaries in each of its San Francisco and Los Angeles offices.

Candidates should have 5+ years of experience and be knowledgeable in court procedures, preparation of Tables of Contents and Tables of Authorities, local court rules and e-filings. Additional requirements are: must be detailed oriented, proficient in MS Word and a self starter.

Applicants should forward a cover letter, resume and references to:

Meyers Nave
HR Director
555 12th Street, Suite 1500
Oakland, CA 94607

or fax to +1 (510) 444-1108

or email meyersjobs@meyersnave.com.

Visit the Meyers Nave website for more information.

Job Posting: Conflicts Analyst – Walnut Creek

A Walnut Creek, CA-based firm is looking for a conflicts analyst for a short-term contract position. The position may take one month or possibly longer and involves a major clean up project of the firm’s conflicts database.

If interested, please email your resume to angelica.lissner@mcnamaralaw.com or via fax at +1 (925) 939-7370.

Angelica Lissner – Legal Billing Manager
McNamara Dodge Ney Beatty Slattery Pfalzer Borges & Brothers LLP

Winding Down – Hey Where’s My Coffee?

One of our sources at Thelen states that as of Monday some changes have taken place in terms of the office environment: coffee and water coolers are gone.  On Tuesday most of the printers were removed.  And the copier machines should be gone, well at least most of them, by mid-December.  This is all part of the wind down and I know that the same has happened at Heller Ehrman as well.

If you have any details about other wind down activities, let me know either via comments to this post or e-mail at thelenthepain@gmail.com

COBRA Information

We just received a copy of the email concerning COBRA:

From: Administrative Committee
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 2:25 PM
To: ALL STAFF; ALL ASSOCIATES; ALL OF COUNSEL
Cc: ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE
Subject: Important – COBRA Benefits

We are pleased to report that the Firm’s bank recently approved funding for certain December health premiums for W2 employees.

If you are laid off on November 30, then the Firm will pay the full COBRA premium for December for the health benefits in which you are currently enrolled. You will receive a COBRA election packet shortly. You will not need to return the COBRA election form or payment for December coverage as the Firm will automatically continue and pay for your COBRA coverage in December. If you have health coverage at a new job, or if you do not want COBRA coverage in December, then please send an email to Lisa Singh (lsingh@thelen.com) no later than December 4, indicating that you do not want health coverage in December. If you have a health care flexible spending account and wish to continue coverage in December, then you must submit the COBRA election form and payment as indicated on the form.

If you resign from the Firm, you will receive a COBRA packet and may elect and pay for COBRA coverage for December. Checks should be made payable to Thelen LLP and submitted, along with the election form, to Lisa Singh, National Benefits Manager, in the San Francisco office. You are encouraged to pay by December 4 to ensure continuous coverage. The 2008 COBRA rates are attached.

For employees who will be part of the wind down team, benefits will continue in December. I’m pleased to announce the Firm will pay the full premium for your current health elections in December. Deductions will continue as normal for any voluntary elections including the FSAs. The commuter benefit will be cancelled on November 30, 2008.

The Firm is attempting to secure basic group health coverage for the wind-down employees as of January 1, 2009. If group coverage is secured, then COBRA coverage for whatever plans are offered will be made available to anyone eligible for COBRA. If coverage is not secured, then the availability of COBRA will cease on December 31, 2008. Please review the FAQ for details on information regarding individual HIPAA conversion plans.

Several Lawsuits Filed

There are several articles posted late yesterday and today concerning several suits filed by former Thelen LLP employees against Thelen and the dissolution committee (see the News Articles section for more information).

The latest suit was filed in United States District Court for the Northern District of California and alleges violations of the WARN Act and failure to pay accrued vacation.  Download a pdf version of the filing here.

Earlier this month, a suit was filed in San Francisco Superior Court alleging similar claims including violations of the WARN Act and failure to pay accrued vacation.  Download a pdf version of the filing here.

I have already been contacted by ex-Thelen staff as to how to join either of this lawsuits.  My recommendation is to download the copies above and use the attorney contact information on the caption page to contact the firms representing the plaintiffs in these cases.

Job Posting: Legal Sectetary/Paralegal

San Francisco location of Dallas-based litigation law firm with high-level plaintiffs’ practice is looking for experienced Legal Secretary/Paralegal to join our team. Job requires excellent organization, writing, grammar and communication skills. Experience filing in state and federal courts, and e-filing experience required. Candidate must be proficient in MS Word, type at least 60 wpm (Excel skills a plus), have 5+ yrs litigation experience, as well as the ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and operate well in a fast-paced environment. Experience with class action cases is a plus. Candidate must be billable as a paralegal. Employment will be on a temp to hire basis. For immediate consideration, please fax resume/salary requirements to 214/777-0491. EOE. No phone calls please.

Job Posting: Litigation Secretary – San Francisco

This information was passed on to us by Dwight Moody, an ex-Hellerite who is now working in the San Francisco office of Ropes & Gray. Thanks Dwight!

Job Description:
We are currently looking for an experienced Litigation Legal Secretary. Applicants must have knowledge of the Litigation processes in order to assist legal staff with pleadings from summons and complaints thru discovery documents to briefs and appeal briefs which includes table of contents, table of authorities and styles. This role will provide administrative assistance to firm’s legal staff as well as Ropes & Gray clients utilizing skills in word processing, transcription, telephone communication, filing system maintenance, calendar and travel scheduling and other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
* Opens, sorts and prioritizes mail for assigned legal staff.
Works cooperatively with identified team members, both legal and non-legal.
* Creates and maintains desk information sheet and is knowledgeable about desk information sheets of team members.
* Becomes proficient in firm billing software, Elite Billing with includes Carpe Diem, PreCost. Prepares and processes attorney bills from inception to completion, ensuring that they are distributed to the client.
* Performs routine to complex filing. Develops and maintains filing systems. Maintains electronic files within firm-licensed software.
* Prepares correspondence, memoranda and other legal and non-legal documents in an accurate and timely manner. Spell checks and proofreads each documents for content and context.
* Professional demeanor in all communications.
* Becomes proficient with office procedures and keeps current with policy manual, procedure manual and non exempt staff handbook.
* Remains flexible and responsive to firm’s operational needs.
* Provides overflow and team coverage throughout the firm at the direction of the Supervisor.
* Participates in firm initiatives. (Programs include PIP, training, professional development, focus groups.)
* Organizes daily calendar of assigned legal staff, coordinates conferences and arranges outside travel.

LITIGATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
* Knowledge of Litigation processes. Assist legal staff with pleadings from summons and complaints thru discovery documents to briefs and appeal briefs which includes table of contents, table of authorities and styles.
* Track information in databases relating to document production and privilege logs.
* Assist legal staff with file conversions including burning cds, creating pdf files and other formats for documents.
* Proficiency in general in firm licensed software as well as litigation -Litigation specific software.
* Participates actively in litigation- specific training programs.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:
* Must have law firm litigation secretary experience
* Types 60 wpm. Proficient with Microsoft Office
* Excellent verbal, written, organizational and interpersonal skills
* Minimum requirement High School Diploma. 2 years work experience or 2 years secretarial school preferred

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES:
* Must demonstrate the ability to maintain strict confidentiality of the firm’s internal and external business matters.
* Ability to interact effectively with all levels of firm personnel, including management staff and support staff.
* Must be flexible and able to work under tight deadlines, handle multiple tasks, and respond quickly to changing priorities.
* Able to understand and work in a teamwork/collaborative style and environment.
* Must pay attention to details and have the ability to follow up and follow through.
* Ability to maintain professional demeanor in all situations.
* Reliable and punctual.
* Ability to work both independently or under specific direction.
* Ability to work effectively in a culturally and educationally diverse environment.
* Ability to work in a multi-office environment.

Additional Information:
WORKING CONDITIONS:

Normal office environment and schedule.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities or requirements.

Apply online at the Ropes & Gray website: http://ropesgray.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=11845