Senior Legal Project Clerk

Job Description

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us.  Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

We are seeking a Senior Legal Project Clerk to join the Seattle office.  The Senior Legal Project clerk plays a key role in supporting day-to-day operations, ensuring efficient matter tracking, billing workflow and communication coordination. This individual will work closely with partners and Legal Project Managers on administrative and project-related tasks that require attention to detail, discretion and excellent communication skills.  The ideal candidate is highly organized, collaborative, and proactive with a strong understanding of billing best practices and legal administrative support.

Key Responsibilities include

• Serve as a liaison between attorneys and other internal departments to ensure clear, timely communication on operational and billing matters.
• Draft, proofread, and distribute email communications related to matter updates, billing workflows, and project status.
• Take detailed notes during meetings and client calls an distribute actions items as needed.
• Manage the intake of legal matters, including capturing requests, initiating matter openings, and submitting conflict checks.
• Track key dates and milestones as matters progress through internal workflows and phase gates.
• Ensure data accuracy and completeness across matter management tools and spreadsheets.
• Assist in routing and reviewing prebills, ensuring accuracy and adherence to outside counsel guidelines.
• Monitor compliance with client-specific billing requirements and flag inconsistencies or issues.
• Provide clerical support including document formatting, meeting scheduling and calendar coordination.
• Create and maintain well-organized tracking spreadsheets, reports and internal logs using Excel or Smartsheet.
• Assist with other administrative tasks and special projects as assigned.

Experience or skills required

• College degree preferred
• Minimum of 2-4 years of experience in a legal, administrative or legal operations support role
• Proven ability to interface effectively with attorneys, including senior-level partners
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel; experience with Smartsheet and Legal Tracker a plus
• High level of attention to detail
• Excellent organization skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneous
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to write clearly and professionally in emails and internal communications
• Comfortable working independently and within a team environment in a fast-paced setting

Compensation Salary $55,000 - $83,000

The compensation salary for this position will be determined during the interview process and will vary based on multiple factors, including but not limited to prior experience, relevant expertise, current business needs, and market factors.

ABOUT THE FIRM

K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located across five continents in more than 40 offices. We have experienced dramatic growth in the past decade and now rank among the largest U.S. based law firms in the world.  We take pride in constantly striving for innovation, imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit. We come up with big ideas and then roll up our sleeves to get the job done, guiding our clients through their most complex issues in a variety of industry sectors and across multiple regions of the world. 

The industry recognition the firm has garnered emanates from the foundation of a global community aligned on behalf of our clients. The people at K&L Gates are committed to working together to create a legacy for each other, the firm, our clients, and the communities in which we serve. We thrive in an inclusive and socially conscious environment that embraces diversity and takes a holistic approach to the career evolution of all our professionals.

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Notice: We participate in E-Verify in certain Firm locations for purposes of verifying employment eligibility.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

BENEFITS

K&L Gates offers our personnel a comprehensive suite of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future. Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time personnel include:

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Firm is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Firm that employment decisions shall be based on merit, qualifications and competence. Employment practices will not be influenced or affected by virtue of a person’s race (including traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, locks, and twists), religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, gender, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, familial status, domestic violence victim status, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This policy governs all aspects of employment including, without limitation, recruiting, hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, assignment, and dismissal. In addition, it is the Firm’s policy to provide an environment that is free of prohibited harassment of any kind including, without limitation, that which is based on sex, race, age, disability, ethnic background, or any other category protected by law (including the categories listed above). The Firm complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact askHR@klgates.com.