Position Summary:

Provides complete legal secretarial, paralegal, administrative, and organizational support for an Attorney, Staff Attorney, and the Legal Department as a whole and is responsible for coordinating and managing the daily activities, file materials, calendar and diary system for an Attorney engaged in a trial practice.

Reporting Relationship:

Reports directly to the Senior Insurance Operations Support Staff Manager and Insurance Operations Support Staff Manager; and will also take direction from the Director of Legal and any of our attorneys

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

• Works in a cooperative manner with management, coworkers, customers, and vendors; seeks to support  LAMMICO’s mission and vision in daily operations
• Meets assigned target dates and objectives; helps ensure that department quality, service, and productivity standards are met
• Possesses and maintains ability to communicate in professional and productive manner with physicians and other health care providers and their staff, Claims Representatives, Claims Assistants, Attorneys, and other Legal Assistants and Paralegals
• Responsible for learning the policies and procedures of LAMMICO and the Legal Department as outlined in the Legal Department Confluence Manual and the Legal Assistant Confluence Manual located in Legal Files
• Responsible for learning and complying with the guidelines of the Claims Department as they affect the daily activities, goals and responsibilities of the Legal Department
• Receives, screens and directs incoming telephone calls
• Prepares and disseminates timely documentation of messages
• Participates in phone duty as required
• Provides assistance to or backup for other members of the Legal Department
• Handles scheduling for meetings and depositions and other Medical Review Panel and Trial related activities
• Accurately calculates Hearing, Trial, Panel, and other claim related deadlines
• Maintains an effective calendar and a diary system for the Attorney(s) assigned to the Legal Assistant at the direction of and in coordination with the Attorney and the Director of Legal
• Makes travel or videoconference arrangements for the Attorney(s) assigned to the Legal Assistant
• Drafts correspondence
• Prepares trial memoranda and other complex pleadings, status reports, subpoenas duces tecum, Position Papers, Exhibits, and other documents pursuant to the dictation or instruction of Attorney
• Follows up on emails, correspondence of any type, telephone calls, pleadings, Court filings, and Clerk searches, or assignments and other litigation activities of any type
• Opens and sets up new files in Legal Files software
• Assists Attorneys with entering time into Legal Files billing system
• Monitors and coordinates payments to experts
• Opens, reviews and scans incoming mail and processes mail and email in coordination with and at the direction of Attorney(s)
• Monitors and updates claim and case information and deadlines in the case management system (i.e. developments, Medical Review Panel data, etc.) in a timely and effective manner
• Forwards all claim related documentation to Claims Representatives per the instruction of Attorney(s)
• In coordination with and at the direction of Attorney(s), provides pertinent documentation and information to insured health care providers and expert witnesses
• Organizes and maintains orderly paper and imaged files in coordination with the Legal Records Coordinator
• Procures medical records via HIPAA compliant releases, Requests for Production, or subpoenas duces tecum, in coordination with and at the instruction of Attorney(s) and Claims Representatives
• Maintains medical records log
• Upon receipt, identifies and correctly bookmarks medical records utilizing Adobe Pro and Legal Files systems
• Initiates Court searches in coordination with Attorney(s)
• Assists Attorney(s) and communicates and coordinates with insured physicians and other health care providers for Medical Review Panel tasks and reports
• Assists Attorney(s) and insured physicians and other health care providers with Trial preparation and Court activities
• Maintains adequacy and timeliness of the Trial Report
• Coordinates witness attendance for Trial
• Facilitates and assists Attorney(s) with set up for trial as needed and assists with daily reports to the Divisional Vice President of Insurance Operations, Director of Claims, Claims Representatives, and the Legal Department
• Coordinates with IT for needed technical support during depositions, hearings and trial
• Prepares and processes expense requests and file related payables and receivables and ensures accurate assessment of claim costs and reimbursement of expenditures
• Scans all documents to the electronic file system and properly names each document
• Coordinates with the Legal Records Coordinator to ensure documents are properly filed in the paper file
• Complies with all HIPAA and HITECH guidelines
• Facilitates HIPAA compliant transmission of medical records and other PHI on compact disc, USB or encrypted electronic transfer
• Imports medical records and other documents received
• In coordination with the Legal Records Coordinator, maintains safe storage and integrity of discs, remote drives, photographs, and other file materials
• Upon resolution of claim, generates closing correspondence, requests final bill, and processes file for closing in a timely manner, including confirmed scanning of necessary documents to be permanently retained and instructing Legal Records Coordinator regarding destruction of paper file
• Prepares and files pleadings and related documents in electronic form as required by Courts and Attorney(s)
• Participates in other litigation activities as needed

Secondary Functions/Responsibilities:

• Other responsibilities and special projects as assigned
• Assists other Attorneys, Legal Assistants, and Legal and Claims Department personnel when needed and when workload and skills allow
• Helps train new employees as requested
• Participates in staff meetings and discussions regarding policies, procedures and guidelines of the Legal Department
• Complies with Legal Department procedures and Claims Department guidelines
• Attends training when asked or when requested training is approved
• Monitors supplies for the Legal Department and places orders with approval of the Director of Legal

Education, Experience and Skills

Required:

• High school diploma
• Four years of experience as a Legal Assistant, Legal Secretary or Paralegal
• Knowledge of the Court system and procedures
• Integrity and ethics, responsibility and accountability, adaptability, analytical skills, attention to detail, ability to work well under stress of litigation, positive attitude, commitment to excellence,  strong desire to serve
• Willingness, ability and absolute agreement to maintain and protect (not disclose) confidential information
• Ability to analyze issues and implement solutions in mature and productive manner
• Excellent grammar, writing, and computer skills
• Strong customer focus and team orientation
• Ability to appropriately handle confidential and sensitive patient, physician, and company information
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to interact and work effectively with employees at all levels within the organization and with physicians and other health care providers
• Ability to manage time, set priorities, re-prioritize as needed, and work independently as well as with others when appropriate
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Programs including Outlook and Word

Desired:

• Insurance industry experience
• Familiarity with database software, Adobe, Power Point, Legal Files, Outlook, and Excel
• Medical malpractice defense experience
• Some college or formal secretarial education
• Initiative