Administrative Assistant, Litigation

This position is for an immediate opening and will be based in Philadelphia, PA, or Washington, D.C. The candidate hired for this position will be required to be in the office at least four days per week. 

FIRE is seeking a full-time administrative assistant to help its Litigation team in matters involving freedom of speech and conscience, due process, and academic freedom. This position is an excellent opportunity to bring about real-world impact by supporting attorneys engaging in strategic litigation on First Amendment issues. 

Candidates should be exceptionally detail-oriented, proactive, able to work independently, and technologically proficient. Candidates should also have demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced environment and strong organizational skills to manage multiple projects at a given time.

About FIRE

Founded in 1999, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty. Because colleges and universities play a vital role in preserving free thought within a free society, FIRE places a special emphasis on defending the individual rights of students and faculty members on our nation’s campuses. Please visit www.thefire.org to gain a sense of our work and mission.

Position Description

FIRE is seeking an entrepreneurial and efficient Administrative Assistant to provide administrative support to the Vice President of Litigation and the Litigation department. While the person hired for this position will report directly to the Vice President of Litigation, they will also be part of the Litigation team and provide support as needed to other attorneys at FIRE. Their daily responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Performing general administrative tasks including copying, printing, filing, and formatting documents and other related tasks. 
• Scheduling and calendaring meetings and updating the Litigation department calendar.
• Preparing, updating, and circulating the Litigation team’s agenda and other meeting documents.
• Maintaining the Vice President of Litigation’s calendar, contacts, and task list and performing general email administration duties.
• Making and preparing travel arrangements for Litigation department attorneys.
• Submitting check requests for Litigation department invoices and expense reports for Litigation department attorneys.
• Maintaining the Litigation Library and online legal subscriptions such as Westlaw, LexisNexis, etc.
• Maintaining Litigation department contacts and conflict list through Rocket Matter and Salesforce. 
• Maintaining FIRE’s Litigation Wiki page.
• Coordinating outside speaking engagements, conferences, and other external meetings for Litigation department attorneys.
• Proofreading legal documents.
• Reviewing and processing applications for the Litigation department and onboarding Litigation team members.
• Assisting with administrative tracking and management of the Litigation department’s overall caseload.
• Planning and organizing quarterly Litigation department on-site meet-ups. 

This person will also perform other functions in support of the Litigation department and the day-to-day operation of FIRE. This person will frequently collaborate with other staff members and departments on general duties and specialized projects.

There may be some occasional work on weekends and evenings and, although projected to be rare, this person may be required to be available in the event of an emergency.

Qualifications

A successful candidate will have exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, a good work ethic, be self-motivated, and be able to work independently. Most importantly, the candidate must strive for perfection when executing job functions. This position requires meeting deadlines and successfully managing multiple projects at a given time. Further, a candidate must be able to demonstrate:

• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to juggle multiple assignments with efficiency and excellence in a fast-paced environment.
• Superior attention to detail.
• Proficiency using a Mac operating system.
• Expertise in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and Adobe Acrobat.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Sound judgment.
• Strong copy editing skills.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills (phone and email courtesy and the ability to properly manage sensitive information to maintain the confidence of clients).
• Knowledge of FIRE’s mission and a willingness to advocate for that mission.

Previous work experience providing administrative and executive-level support to C-level executives is strongly preferred. Proficiency in Salesforce, Notion, Streak, Net Documents, or Rocket Matter is a plus. Being a certified notary public is also a plus.

Candidates must have a four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. 

Salary and Compensation

Starting salary is negotiable and depends upon experience and education level. FIRE conducts periodic evaluations where employees may receive raises or bonuses for outstanding and excellent work. FIRE also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-paid comprehensive health, dental, and life insurance, a Section 125 Flexible Spending Account option, matching 403(b) retirement contributions, and a generous paid time-off plan.

Applications

Applicants should provide a resume, cover letter, writing sample, salary requirements, and contact information for at least two professional references. All applications are confidential. Please address applications to Cait Scanlan, Director of People Operations. 

FIRE is an equal opportunity employer.