Legal Assistant 2.0

If you’re interested in this position, please submit a resume to facebook@gjel.com with the subject line “Legal Assistant 2.0 (via Facebook)” as well as a cover letter.

GJEL is looking for a web-savvy legal assistant interested in gaining experience in complex consumer litigation.

This is an ideal position for:

– A recent undergrad taking a year or two off between college and law school
– A recent undergrad trying to figure out if he/she wants to go to law school
– A recent law school graduate looking to get his/her feet wet and make some connections with a number of firms across California
– Anyone looking to start his/her own personal network within the legal profession

About Your Prospective Employer:
GJEL is not your typical law firm.  We’re a dynamic, fast-paced group of five partners and approximately 15 staff working together in a friendly and unpretentious atmosphere.  We intentionally limit the number of clients we take on–a strategy that enables our lawyers and staff to put maximum effort into every single case without a risk of burning-out.

We’re also one of the top firms in California in the area of complex litigation, representing consumers against insurance companies and corporate defendants.  As a Martindale-Hubbell AV-Rated firm, our standards are extremely high.  All of our partners are included in Northern California Super Lawyers and several are included in Best Lawyers in America.

What You’ll Do:
If you’re interested in this position, you’ll have to wear a lot of hats.  It’s a hybrid of copywriter, research assistant and project manager. If all goes well, you’ll make a name for yourself in legal circles and have plenty of opportunity for professional growth.

– Meet and interact with a variety of attorneys in-person and online.
– Organize and coordinate online client events such as web chats and other kinds of conversations, possibly including social media.
– Keep current on significant case outcomes in California and around the nation.
– Coordinate and juggle a variety of “assignments” from and FOR the firm’s five partners.
– Review and suggest improvements of website content and collateral materials.
– Learn the ropes from some of the most experienced litigators in the Bay Area.
– Create reports for the firm’s 1) Managing Partner and 2) Marketing Director.

The person who previously held this job is heading on to law school and said his favorite part of the job was writing the firm’s blog on legal topics and Bay Area street safety. He connected with other local blogs, websites, and organizations like Huffington Post San Francisco, Streetsblog San Francisco, and WalkSF.

Details + Compensation:
Full-time position requiring a minimum one-year commitment.  Starting salary is $36,000 – $45,000 per year depending on experience.  Generous benefits include fully-paid medical insurance, paid parking or BART, year-end bonuses and 401K program. Our firm is conveniently located one block from Orinda BART—a 30-minute ride from Downtown San Francisco and a 15-minute ride from Oakland.

Candidate Requirements:
– Bachelor’s Degree in ANY major or concentration.
– interest in pursuing a career in Law.
– an exceptional drive to learn more about a breadth of legal topics.
– love of the internet.
– exceptional writing skills, particularly spelling, grammar, and paragraph construction.
– good organizational/time management skills–ability to juggle many tasks at once.
– good social skills.
– ability to represent GJEL in a professional manner.
– familiarity and facility with a variety of web browsers and online interfaces; however, technical knowledge of software (beyond Microsoft Office) is NOT required.

Candidate Pluses:
– a variety of knowledge in popular culture, literature, and technology
– ability to thread disparate ideas together into a cohesive theme, both in your mind and in your writing
– self-discipline (this position requires a large degree of independence)
– out-of-the-box thinking when appropriate

If you’re interested in this position, please submit a resume to facebook@gjel.com with the subject line “Legal Assistant 2.0 (via Facebook)” as well as a cover letter.  Among other things, your cover letter should answer the following questions:

How do you stay up to date on national news?
How do you stay up to date on local news?
What social networks do you have an account on?
What social networks do you use on a regular basis (more than once a week)?
What’s your least favorite thing about working in an office?

Optional: What’s the funniest lawyer joke you’ve ever heard?