Litigation Legal Secretary

Civil Litigation Law Firm | Carlsbad, CA (On-Site)

We are seeking an exceptionally skilled and experienced Litigation Legal Secretary to support our busy, fast-paced civil litigation practice in Carlsbad, California. This is a critical role within our firm, created due to the recent retirement of a long-tenured and highly experienced legal secretary. We are looking for a reliable, detail-oriented professional who can step in and provide immediate, high-level litigation support.

This position is on-site and open to direct hire or temp-to-hire for the right candidate.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive administrative and litigation support to multiple attorneys.
• Manage and maintain accurate court calendaring, including all statutory and court-ordered deadlines.
• Prepare, revise, and proofread a wide variety of litigation documents, including:
  • Pleadings
  • Motions
  • Discovery requests and responses
  • Legal correspondence
• Coordinate state and federal court filings, both electronic and physical, ensuring strict compliance with procedural requirements.
• Assist with corporate counsel work as needed, including drafting and formatting documents.
• Schedule and coordinate depositions, hearings, client meetings, and trial logistics.
• Maintain highly organized electronic and physical case files with exceptional attention to detail.
• Communicate professionally with clients, court personnel, opposing counsel, and vendors.
• Handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of experience as a Litigation Legal Secretary (required).
• Demonstrated, hands-on working knowledge of civil procedure, court rules, and litigation deadlines (experience in a litigation firm alone is not sufficient).
• Proven experience managing deadlines, filings, and court documents throughout all phases of litigation.
• Proficiency with legal software platforms, document management systems, and electronic filing systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organized, detail-focused, and proactive with the ability to manage competing deadlines.
• Dependable, professional, and able to maintain strict confidentiality.

Top Three Must-Haves

1. Strong litigation experience as a legal secretary (3+ years with a litigation focus).
2. Extensive experience handling deadlines, filings, and court documents across all aspects of litigation.
3. Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.

Compensation

• Salary: Negotiable DOE (Dependent on Experience)
• Compensation is commensurate with skill level, background, and depth of litigation expertise.