About Us:
- We’re a growing, on the move, mid-sized law firm in Chicago that’s Right there with you.
- Positive, kind people with an inclusive culture.
- Focused on our clients’ success through high responsiveness, mutual collaboration and creatively solving their challenges.
The Role:
As our Legal Secretarial Services Manager, you will provide day-to-day management, motivation, counseling and development opportunities for secretaries, a receptionist, a records clerk and administrative clerks to build a strong support team and inclusive culture to ensure top-notch service for our clients and further the success of our strategy.
What You’ll Do:
- Monitor and direct secretarial workflow/redistribution of workload as necessary, ensure work assignments are balanced, schedule/approve overtime and paid leave when needed, coordinate coverage during secretarial absences and communicate to attorney assignments and secretarial team.
- Conduct monthly secretarial team meetings and facilitate development of productive team functions, including hosting practice area small group meetings when needed.
- Collaborate with Director of Talent Development and Employee Engagement (“DTDEE”) related to the recruiting of secretarial staff, receptionist, records clerk and administrative clerks. This will include providing input for job descriptions, resume screening, interviewing, and screening of candidates, and conferring about candidate testing results.
- Collaborate with DTDEE & IT Team identify, coordinate, and implement appropriate technology and related procedures, and equipment training within the Firm. Collaborate on means to identify and test competencies to continuously improve skills.
- Oversee all onboarding for secretarial staff, receptionist, records clerk and administrative clerks including supporting, as needed, the DTDEE in first-day orientation.
- Develop expectations/training between assigned attorneys and secretaries; training secretaries on general firm policies and protocols; overseeing assignment changes; and participating in 60-day feedback sessions.
- Update secretarial information on various employee checklists, firm forms and documents for new hires/status changes and terminations for all staff.
- Conduct new attorney orientation with respect to secretarial support services responsibilities and relevant Firm policies and procedures.
- Meet with the attorneys and all affected by any approved assignment changes. Communicate same to Firm through assignment change email and position change checklist.
- Update and distribute monthly reception relief calendar to secretaries, receptionist administrative clerks and records clerk.
- Problem solve and facilitate conflict resolution, acting as liaison among attorneys and secretaries, receptionist, administrative clerks, and records clerk.
- Assist with and document the firm’s progressive discipline process with employees and CAO & COO as needed.
- Facilitate and assist in preparations of mid-year check-in process including gathering and sharing informal feedback and discussing progress on established goals with the secretaries, receptionist, administrative clerks, and records clerk.
- Facilitate and assist in preparations of the annual review process including responsibilities such as:
- preparing merit bonus evaluations for the receptionist, administrative clerks and records clerk;
- reviewing and following up on written evaluations to ensure they meet the requirements of the evaluation process;
- calibrating the evaluation feedback and ratings to ensure consistency across evaluators;
- summarizing and calculating overall performance ratings;
- scheduling/conducting annual reviews meetings and mid-year check-in meetings for secretaries, receptionist, administrative clerks and records clerk, and
- ensuring follow-up on any take-aways from those meetings.
- Offboard secretaries, receptionist, administrative clerks, and records clerk personnel including monitoring emails for 30 days when personnel depart; reassigning work and collaborating with parties involved; assisting CAO and, if needed, COO with re-evaluation of continued need for or re-design of position.
- Collaborate with Human Resources for events related to Professional Administrative Staff Day/Week and other special projects as requested.
- Maintain good interpersonal relations and communications with all employees.
- Communicate and ensure compliance with firm policies and procedures and applicable employment laws.
- Prepare status reports and attend weekly status meetings with CAO and, when requested, COO.
- Who You Are:
- Someone with the following education, job experience and technical skills:
- A Bachelor’s degree, unless professional experience level replaces this.
- A minimum of 7 years in legal industry managerial position.
- Managed groups of 10 people or larger.
- Experience with employee relations and resolving complex and sensitive personnel issues.
- Experience as a legal secretary preferred but not required.
- Able to conceive and perform basic performance and other analytical comparative analysis.
- Development of secretarial teams through team skills training and development and collaboration.
- Demonstrated critical thinking, logical reasoning, and sound judgment.
- Highly proficient in Microsoft Outlook and Word and PDF programs such as Kofax Power PDF. Strong aptitude in Excel. Working knowledge of other Microsoft Office Suite programs a plus.
- Proficient with document management systems and client matter organizational schemas.
- Knowledge of skill testing platforms.
- Working knowledge of Survey Monkey and on-line recruiting platforms, a plus.
- A collaborative, all-around team player who:
- Communicates effectively in oral and written form and provide information with courtesy and tact while safeguarding confidentiality above reproach.
- Shows outstanding initiative, organizational skills and great attention to detail.
- Ability to anticipate and meet deadlines with excellent follow-through.
- Keeps a professional appearance, has a can-do service attitude and maintains discretion above reproach.
What We Offer:
- Market-competitive compensation of $110,000 – $120,000 plus bonus. This is believed to be the pay range at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be contingent of the applicant’s skills, qualifications and experience relative to the position’s requirements.
- BCBS health insurance, paid leave, LTD and STD.
- Other voluntary benefits: dental, vision, 401(k), pre-tax commuter transit and parking, flexible spending account and more
- Hybrid work environment based on job demands.
- Positive and helpful teammates.
- New offices with lots of natural light for all.
- New generation of leaders with a holistic market strategy.
Please send cover letter and resume to: recruiting@chuhak.com
Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. recognizes that diverse teams make the strongest teams and is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to age, gender, color, race, national origin, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual identity, political belief, genetic status, status as a member of uniformed services, or disability that does not preclude performance of the essential job functions, or any other classification protected under applicable law.
All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
Disclaimer: This job description is subject to be amended or changed at the Firm’s discretion. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual in the position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills of personnel classified. This job description does not constitute a contract of employment and Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.