Legal Secretary / Administrative Assistant

Position Summary:

Ernstrom & Dreste, LLP is a boutique law firm focused on construction/surety litigation and counseling, commercial litigation, and general corporate counseling and is seeking a full-time, in-office, detail-oriented, and professional Legal Administrative Assistant. The ideal candidate will provide on-site critical administrative and legal support to attorneys, ensuring smooth daily operations and high-quality service to clients. This position requires strong organizational skills, initiative, and a working knowledge of legal procedures, particularly in civil litigation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide administrative support to attorneys, including managing calendars, scheduling meetings and depositions, and coordinating court appearances.
• Draft, format, proofread, and finalize legal documents including pleadings, correspondence, contracts, and surety-related filings.
• File documents electronically with state and federal courts (including PACER, NYCEF, and other local e-filing systems).
• Maintain and organize physical and electronic case files in accordance with office procedures.
• Track deadlines and court dates using calendaring systems.
• Communicate professionally with clients, courts, opposing counsel, experts, and other stakeholders.
• Assist with time entry, billing, and expense tracking where needed.
• Support litigation preparation, including organizing exhibits, binders, and case materials.
• Conduct limited legal research and assist with discovery and document management.
• Ensure compliance with legal procedures, confidentiality requirements, and internal office standards.

Qualifications:

• 3+ years of experience as a legal assistant or legal secretary.
• Strong working knowledge of civil litigation procedures and court filing rules.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat) and legal practice management software.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and ability to prioritize tasks.
• Professional demeanor, discretion, and reliability with strong ability to work in a small team setting.
• Licensed Notary Public preferred.

Salary and Benefits

The annual salary range for this position is $50,000-$62,500 which represents our good faith and reasonable estimate of the potential compensation at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, such as the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and skill set.

• Merit-based and holiday bonus opportunities.
• Employer-paid health, dental, disability, and life insurance.
• 401(k) with employer match and profit-sharing.

Contact Erin Warr with questions or for submission of application materials at ewarr@ed-llp.com