Entry-Level Paralegal (General)

Wiley Rein LLP is a leading law firm based in Washington, DC, seeking entry-level paralegals to support attorneys and professional staff. The role involves case management, legal research, document preparation, and filing, all under the supervision of experienced attorneys and paralegals.

Responsibilities

• Works with attorneys and/or Legal and Practice Support staff on client billable projects, including but not limited to organization, management, and review of case documents (both paper and electronic); maintaining case calendars; factual and legal research; assisting with preparation, cite-checking, and filing of legal briefs and memoranda; preparation of exhibits, forms, and court applications
• Meets the firm’s minimum hours expectations of 1550 chargeable hours annually
• Assembles and finalizes documents to be filed (both in paper and electronically) with courts and agencies, including cite-checking (verification of quotations and general caselaw propositions, conforming to Bluebook or other jurisdiction-appropriate format, and ensuring formatting compliance with local rules), generating tables of authorities/contents, preparing exhibits, filing, and service/courtesy copies
• Drafts basic legal documents (e.g., motions, proposed orders), pleadings shells, and analysis/summaries of case materials
• Prepares materials for depositions, hearing, and trials and coordinates logistics of same
• Supports discovery efforts by drafting discovery requests and responses; organizing, reviewing, coding, redacting, and otherwise preparing documents for production under the direction of supervising attorneys; assisting with drafting privilege logs; etc
• Coordinates case/court deadline communication, update, and reporting with attorneys and Docketing Department
• Works with attorneys and Practice Support Management to plan and provide support for court and agency trials and hearings remotely, locally, and outside the Washington, DC area
• At attorney’s direction, communicates concisely and professionally (both orally and in writing) with co-counsel, opposing counsel, clients, courts, and government agencies
• Upon request, assists with Legal Support program by:
• Interviewing candidates for paralegal positions within the firm
• Mentoring or supervising delegated tasks and helps train less experienced paralegals in procedures and practices to best support the practice group, including case management, cite-checking, research, and trial support
• Providing performance feedback for paralegals under his/her supervision, when appropriate
• Other duties may be assigned by attorneys, supervisors, or Practice Support Management
• Meets the department's expectations to retrieve, read and/or respond to firm and client-related e-mail messages during and outside of core business and scheduled work hours by connecting a personal mobile device (smartphone or tablet with a data plan) to the firm's network

Skills

• Bachelor's degree required with minimum GPA of 3.0. Applicants with relevant and related work experience but who do not satisfy the minimum GPA requirement may be considered
• Ability to communicate professionally and effectively, both in oral and written form
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize/coordinate deadlines, and track progress of tasks
• Ability to organize workflow and use time efficiently
• Ability to demonstrate strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Maintenance of strict confidentiality of work-related information and materials
• Must establish and maintain effective working relationships in or out of a team environment
• Able to manage matters from initiation through resolution
• Proficiency in the use of office productivity applications (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat); development of ability to use document review/transcript management software (RelativityOne/Westlaw CaseNotebook, Opus 2, and similar) may be required; aptitude for learning new software strongly preferred
• Ability to develop proficiency in cite-checking (including conforming citations to format required by jurisdiction), proofreading, formatting, and performing electronic filings (ECF)
• Knowledge of how to investigate, research, and analyze data under the supervision of attorneys (e.g., LEXIS/Westlaw, Internet, factual research at government agencies and courts, investigative fact-gathering, document review)
• Ability to locate, interpret, and apply court, agency, and/or judge's rules
• Consistently demonstrate growth in substantive skills and knowledge of practice area
• Able to digest, analyze, and prepare written summaries of materials
• Flexibility and willingness to work overtime on an as needed basis
• Must be able to travel locally and occasionally travel out of the area for hearings, trials, etc
• Flexibility and willingness to respond to issues during and outside of core business hours
• An on-site presence is an essential function of this position. Remote work may be permitted in accordance with the firm's flexible work policy and based on business needs
• Position operates in a professional office environment which is usually quiet to moderate
• Position routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets
• Position requires that the employee be able to multi-task in a fast-paced work environment
• This position is primarily a sedentary position. However, some duties and responsibilities may require the employee to lift files, open filing cabinets, bend or stand, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, occasionally move about to access office equipment, file cabinets, etc
• May require employee to carry or lift items weighing up to 30 pounds
• Paralegal certificate and/or fluency in a language other than English is a plus but not required
• For some Paralegal positions, specific degree majors and/or prior experience in a specific practice area may be required or strongly preferred

Benefits

• Medical and prescription drug plan coverage
• Dental
• Vision
• Flexible spending and health savings accounts
• Life insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with firm discretionary contribution
• Generous paid time off (PTO) package plus ten firm paid holidays
• Access to state of the art on-site fitness facilities and locker rooms and wellness programming
• Paid parental leave
• Subsidized backup child/elder care

Company Overview