Job Description

If you're passionate about being part of a diverse organization that enables a Fortune 100 company to deliver innovative business solutions with excellence, then Nationwide's Legal team could be the place for you!

Job Description Summary

Would you thrive in a fast-paced environment where you can deliver top-quality legal administrative services to support the mission of a Fortune 100 insurance company to protect people, businesses and futures with extraordinary care? If you are a self-starter, possess strong collaboration skills and bring a team-oriented approach needed for success in a litigation environment, our team may be the place for you!

Nationwide Trial Division is a national team with approximately 40 offices through six regions across the United States. Our Legal Assistants have secretarial experience in a law firm setting and have a working knowledge of property and casualty and/or subrogation law, legal concepts, terminology and processes. As a Legal Assistant, youll perform a variety of secretarial and administrative support duties for a team of legal professionals representing clients under both commercial and personal lines insurance policies. Youll be expected to support legal team(s) with highly productive case volume that reflects our collective commitment to innovative thinking, effective collaboration, embracing technology and a highly organized and proactive approach to case management.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

* Provides administrative support to attorneys in the defense of civil insurance claims or in the prosecution of subrogation rights.
* Prepares various legal documents/pleadings (e.g. notices of depositions, requests for production, settlement documents) and electronically files pleadings with the courts.
* Maintains a working knowledge of court procedures. Reviews court dockets and retrieves case information.
* Maintains a daily calendar, responsible for scheduling and diary entry of various tasks, provides case file related reminders to attorneys, and updates and retrieves information from internal case management system.
* Answers telephone, takes messages, directs or redirects calls and handles case-specific inquires, processes and files mail, electronic court filings, and electronic communications in internal case management system.
* Understands and maintains confidentiality with respect to the attorney-client privilege/relationship, trial strategies, ethics rules, the identities of plaintiff, defense clients and claims customers.
* Has working knowledge of each file assigned to attorney(s); knows parties involved, basic facts, general discovery, arbitration or trial status, and major discovery to be accomplished.

May performs other duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: May report to a Managing Trial Attorney or Nationwide Trial Division Administrative Specialist, depending on office size and reporting structure.

Typical Skills and Experiences:

Education: High school graduate or formal technical legal secretarial training at a business or technical school preferred.

Experience: Minimum of three years experience as a legal assistant in a law office. Insurance defense litigation experience preferred.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Has general knowledge of law office operations, practices and procedures. Experience in filing and scheduling procedures of the various courts, as well as how to use federal and state e-filing and e-Court systems. Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, case management databases, such as Legal Files is preferred. Experience handling secretarial aspects from the defense of members under personal and commercial lines policies. Strong written and verbal communication skills for interaction with attorneys, paralegals, court personnel, clients and claims staff. Ability to efficiently handle multiple projects with overlapping deadlines, frequently changing priorities and rapid turnaround. Must be self-starter, with the ability to work independently and in a productive manner and is able to collaborate as part of a team in a fast-paced environment. Must be able to work in an electronic/digital and paperless environment.

Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence.

Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the hiring managers leader and Human Resources Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently demonstrates the Nationwide Values and Guiding Behaviors. Must also acknowledge and comply with all corporate and NTD policies and procedures.

Job Conditions:

Overtime Eligibility: Eligible (Non-Exempt)

Working Conditions: Professional law office environment, business casual dress, with some work from home possible. Potential local travel to courts, law offices. Occasional overtime.

ADA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.

Credit Check: Due to the fiduciary accountability of this job, a valid credit and/or background check will be required as part of the selection process.

Job Evaluation Activity: KLG 5/2020