Stewart McKelvey proudly celebrates over fifteen years of innovative leadership as Atlantic Canada's first and largest regional law firm. With a distinguished heritage reaching back to Canada's Confederation, our firm has established an international reputation for generating results. With more than 230 lawyers and 350 staff in our six locations we have a single objective: excellence for our clients. As in any industry, our firm requires the skills and talents of a broad range of support staff to meet this objective.

Located in our downtown Halifax office, this position working in a fast paced environment, you will provide administrative support to lawyers in multiple areas of law and assist with overflow assignments. Position is full-time and several positions may be filled from this posting.

Start Date: Immediately
Closing Date: November 27, 2008
Location: Halifax, NS

Accountabilities:

• Prepares a broad range of legal documents, general and confidential correspondence, including e-mail and faxes from digital dictation, rough drafts, notes or verbal instructions;
• Ensures high quality work product by proofreading all work for completeness, correct grammar, spelling, typographical and format errors;
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date calendar of activities, meetings and various events for assigned lawyer to ensure no scheduling conflicts; 
• Schedules appointments, arranges meetings, coordinates travel arrangements, and processes expense claims;
• Serves as liaison between assigned lawyer and internal and external clients in a professional manner and with diplomacy;
• Ensures that all files are up-to-date and maintained appropriately, including file opening and closing; maintaining a bring forward system;
• Performs CMS Open related tasks such as processing time sheets, pulling pre-bills, performing conflict searches, processing new client matter forms, closing files, etc;
• Reviews, prioritizes and routes incoming mail; coordinates sending/receiving of faxes; compiles data needed to draft replies to correspondence; composes and type routine replies as necessary;
• Performs other related duties as required.

Profile:

• 2-3 years of working experience in a Legal Assistant position;
• Formal Legal Assistant (Secretary) education and training desired;
• Above average word-processing skills; including ability to function easily in a customed MS Word environment using Styles;
• Understanding of basic business relationships and confidentiality principles;
• Ability to exercise judgment and discretion, and respond courteously and tactfully in a wide range of situations;
• Dependable and conscientious with excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Capable team player with the ability to maintain a high standard of work under pressure and to accept responsibility;
• Detail-oriented, energetic and motivated;
• Able to multitask and to work independently.

Reporting Relationship:
This position will report to the Coordinator, Legal Assistants.

Interested Candidates:
Please send your merged cover letter and resume (including starting salary expectations) in confidence to:

Human Resources
Stewart McKelvey
PO Box 997
Halifax NS B3J 2X2
Confidential Fax: (902) 420-1417
Email: smss.com

The deadline for submitting applications is Thursday, November 27, 2008.

We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

All candidates who are interviewed will be requested to complete a Predictive Index. Please note that any offer of employment will be conditional upon a background check.

No agencies please.