Associate Attorney

Job Title: Associate Attorney

FLSA Status: Salary; Exempt

Reports to: Owner

Revision Date: 6/22/2022

 

Job Summary:

Under the direction of the Owner, the Associate Attorney must have the ability to work effectively with a Senior Associate or Owner to handle an individual caseload from start to finish. The Associate must be committed to achieving excellent results for our clients through intelligent and zealous advocacy, possess an exceptional work ethic, be self-motivated, and project a positive attitude. The Associate must have excellent oral advocacy skills, thorough writing skills, and be confident in the courtroom. The Associate must be comfortable working collaboratively with Senior Associates, Paralegals, and Legal Assistants to bring a matter to a successful completion.

 

Work Conditions & Physical Demands:

Work is performed in an office environment. Temperature is regulated. Noise levels are typical of an office environment (e.g., phones, office equipment, light traffic, etc.).

While performing the duties of this job, an employee is required to stand, walk, bend, talk, hear, stoop, kneel, use hands and fingers to operate computers and phones, sit for long periods of time, and on occasion lift up to 20-pounds.

*Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

 

Authority:

The Associate Attorney must be licensed and in good standing with the Texas Bar Association and is required to practice law following the standards set forth in the ABA’s Rules of Professional Conduct and Texas’s State Bar Association rules. All work done by the Attorney must be in support of accomplishing the advancement or completion of a client’s matter.

 

Essential Duties:

• Maintain a docket of matters/cases from inception through closing
• Independently handle day-to-day decision-making on assigned matters with oversight from Senior Associate and/or Owner
• Regularly consult with clients and third parties to effectively move matters forward to a successful conclusion
• Develop case/matter strategy with Senior Associate and/or Owner
• Work collaboratively with the team, including staff members at all levels of experience and knowledge
• Cultivate relationships with the Firm’s clients
• Perform monthly matter reviews to ensure clients receive proactive communication
• Build client cases, verifying that all client notes and data are captured in the Case Management System
• Conduct intense point-related research and analyze case-specific legal issues to prepare documentation
• Prepare and review motions, briefs, memorandums of law, purchase agreements, title objection letters, loan documents, and/or operating agreements
• Negotiate with opposing counsel, lenders, and title companies

Matrix of Essential Duties:

• Daily
  • Review daily reminders
  • Review daily, weekly, and upcoming monthly calendar items and prioritize workload
  • Complete tasks
  • Triage and prioritize responses to emails and phone calls
  • Organize, sort, and summarize case information and files
  • Draft letters/reports/ documents
  • Prepare responses to discovery demands
  • Prepare for meetings/ statements /depositions
  • Enter time for billing
• Weekly
  • Meet with legal team for case status updates
  • Submit Performance Metrics (KPI Reports) to Owner
  • Attend Staff Meetings
• Monthly
  • Attend Case Status Update meetings and update records
  • Provide case reviews and ensure clients receive updates
  • Attend Procedure Meetings
• Bi-Annually
  • Performance Review
• Annual
  • Compensation Review
• As Needed
  • To be determined

Education & Experience:

• Graduated from an accredited law school and be licensed to practice law in Texas
• Be in good standing with the Bar Association (no active or past disciplinary action on file)
• Experience with Real Estate purchase agreements, loan documents, and title work
• Manage all aspects of lawsuits from beginning to end

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Top 5 competencies/characteristics to be successful in the POSITION
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Planning & Organizing
  • Legal Analysis
  • Desire to Learn
  • Negotiation
• Top 5 competencies/characteristics to be successful in RELATIONSHIPS (culture fit)
  • Adaptable
  • Go-Getter
  • Friendly
  • Goal-Oriented
  • High Energy
• Technical Skills (unlimited, but required – not desired)
  • Communication, Written
  • Communication, Verbal
  • Litigation
  • Real Estate Closings
  • Strategic Planning
  • Project Management
  • Time Management
  • Priority Management
  • Microsoft Office 365 – Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • CRM/CMS
  • Software/Systems

Expected Outcomes/Key Performance Indicators:

• 30 billable hours per week
• Daily time entering – 100% of the time met
• 3 networking events per month
• 0 substantiated complaints about customer service, language, behavior or professionalism in a rolling 90-day period.
• 100% of all court-imposed and internal deadlines are met each month.

 

Employee Signature	Date
Owner/Administrator Signature	Date

 

This Job Description reflects the current essential duties of the position and is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties. The Firm reserves the right to assign work to employees at any time based on the needs of the business and will revise the description when necessary.