Calgary, Alberta | Permanent, Full-Time | Hybrid
Kastner Perez Search Group is partnering with a well-established Calgary law firm to recruit an experienced Executive Assistant to support a highly experienced Senior Counsel within a Business & Corporate Law practice.
This is not a traditionalLegal Assistant position. The successful candidate will act as a trusted right hand to a senior lawyer, combining legal administrative support with executive assistance, project coordination, client service and practice management. The role is ideal for someone who naturally thinks ahead, brings structure to a busy workload and enjoys taking ownership rather than waiting to be told what to do next.
The practice itself is unique and varied, with a strong focus on commercial agreements, contracts, risk management and general corporate matters.
The Role
You will work closely with Senior Counsel to help organize and coordinate a fast-moving practice with a high volume of shorter-turnaround matters.
Rather than simply completing assigned tasks, you will be expected to understand what is happening across the practice, anticipate upcoming needs, keep priorities organized and ensure important details, deadlines and deliverables do not fall through the cracks.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Managing calendars, priorities, deadlines, meetings, reminders and ongoing deliverables
- Coordinating client intake, onboarding, matter opening and ongoing client communication
- Acting as a key point of contact with clients and ensuring requests and next steps are handled promptly
- Organizing a high volume of files, matters, documents and correspondence
- Preparing, formatting, revising and proofreading contracts, agreements, waivers and other commercial documents
- Working extensively with Microsoft Word, including styles, formatting, redlining, blacklining and document templates
- Creating and maintaining templates, checklists and repeatable workflows
- Supporting billing processes, including invoice preparation and matter administration
- Coordinating and tracking projects and deliverables across multiple client matters
- Preparing presentations, meeting materials and other business documents
- Providing general executive and administrative support
- Helping build an organized, efficient and well-run practice alongside Senior Counsel
What We’re Looking For
The right person will bring a combination of strong administrative capability, sound judgment, exceptional organization and confidence working with a senior professional.
You may currently be an Executive Legal Assistant, Senior Legal Assistant, Corporate/Commercial Legal Assistant, Legal Coordinator, Practice Coordinator or an experienced Executive Assistant with meaningful exposure to a legal environment.
We are particularly interested in candidates who have:
- Several years of progressive administrative, executive or legal support experience
- Experience supporting a senior lawyer, General Counsel, executive or similarly busy professional
- Exposure to corporate/commercial legal work, contracts or an in-house legal environment
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, including styles, document formatting, redlining/blacklining and templates
- Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and the broader Microsoft Office suite
- Experience managing competing priorities, deadlines, files and projects simultaneously
- Excellent written communication, proofreading and attention to detail
- Confidence communicating directly with clients and senior professionals
- The ability to work independently and exercise judgment without requiring constant direction
- A proactive approach and the ability to anticipate what needs to happen next
- Strong systems and process orientation
Previous experience in a law firm or in-house legal department would be highly valued; however, transferable backgrounds will also be considered where candidates can demonstrate sophisticated executive support, strong technology skills and experience managing complex workflows.
Formal legal assistant education is not required where equivalent experience and capability can be demonstrated.
The Person
This role will suit someone who is:
- Highly organized and comfortable managing a lot of moving pieces
- Proactive rather than reactive
- Adaptable and calm when priorities change
- Confident enough to follow up, ask questions and keep others accountable
- Detail-oriented without losing sight of the bigger picture
- Collaborative, approachable and low ego
- Comfortable working autonomously
- Naturally inclined to build systems, templates and processes
- Interested in becoming a trusted partner to the lawyer they support
Why Consider This Opportunity?
This is an opportunity to join a well-established Calgary legal environment while taking on a position with significantly more ownership and variety than a traditional Legal Assistant role.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to build a genuine working partnership with Senior Counsel and play a meaningful role in how the practice is organized and operated.
Additional highlights include:
If you are an experienced Legal Assistant or Executive Assistant who enjoys being the person who keeps everything moving - and you are looking for greater ownership, variety and partnership - we would love to hear from you.
The ideal candidate will provide top-level assistance for high level executives. They should be well-organized and be comfortable scheduling meetings and responding to emails on the executive's behalf. Lastly, this individual should be able to draft documents and help the executive with any necessary meeting preparations.
Responsibilities
- Calendar management for executives
- Aid executive in preparing for meetings
- Responding to emails and document requests on behalf of executives
- Draft slides, meeting notes and documents for executives
Qualifications
- Proficient in Microsoft Office suite
- Experience in managing multiple priorities, administrative coordination, and logistics
- Well-organized, detail-oriented, ability to multi-task with great follow-up skills
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
