Legal Assistant
MKO Employment Law LLC
Allegheny County / Butler County, Pennsylvania
MKO Employment Law LLC is seeking a smart, highly motivated, organized, and dependable Legal Assistant to support a busy employment law practice representing employees.
Prior law firm or paralegal experience is helpful, but it is not required. We are willing to train the right person. We care substantially more about intelligence, work ethic, writing ability, organization, judgment, reliability, and the ability to learn quickly than whether someone already knows employment law.
This is a mostly remote position, but it is only open to candidates who currently live in or near Allegheny County, Pennsylvania or Butler County, Pennsylvania. Candidates must be able to commute to downtown Pittsburgh for extremely occasional in-person responsibilities. Applicants outside these counties will not be considered.
This is not primarily an administrative or clerical position. It is a high trust, client centered role involving substantial responsibility, direct client interaction, case development, writing, organization, and problem solving.
Approximately 80% of the position involves direct client work and related case development, including phone calls, written communications, gathering facts, reviewing documents, organizing evidence, developing timelines, and helping attorneys move cases toward resolution.
The successful candidate does not need to arrive knowing how to draft a demand letter, EEOC Charge, mediation statement, or legal narrative. We will teach those skills. We are looking for someone who has the underlying ability to learn them.
Location and Schedule
This is a Pittsburgh area based position. Day to day work is generally completed from home, but candidates must be available for rare in-person responsibilities in downtown Pittsburgh.
MKO provides substantial flexibility in when weekly hours are completed. Scheduled calls, agreed coverage, deadlines, attorney needs, prompt communication, accurate timekeeping, and approximately 45 hours of work each week must be consistently satisfied.
This flexibility works best for someone who is self directed and does not need constant supervision to remain productive.
What You Will Do
· Manage a substantial caseload: Track tasks, deadlines, follow ups, client requests, documents, and attorney priorities across many active matters.
· Work directly with clients: Speak regularly with clients by phone and email, obtain facts and documents, ask effective follow up questions, provide updates, and help clients understand what information the attorneys need.
· Develop cases: Review emails, employment records, text messages, policies, termination documents, and other evidence. Identify important facts, inconsistencies, missing information, and potential issues.
· Build timelines and narratives: Turn complicated workplace situations into organized factual chronologies and clear written summaries.
· Develop substantive legal writing skills: With training and attorney supervision, assist with demand letters, EEOC and PHRC Charges of Discrimination, mediation statements, responses to position statements, settlement materials, and other written advocacy.
· Support attorney workflow: Prepare attorneys for client calls, negotiations, mediations, and deadlines. Track assignments and make sure matters continue moving.
· Keep people accountable: Provide reminders, identify overdue items, follow up with clients and attorneys, and respectfully press for necessary decisions or information.
· Prepare client and case documents: Draft correspondence, Legal Services Agreements, interview summaries, chronologies, administrative filings, and other materials.
· Maintain excellent records: Keep electronic files, case notes, contact information, matter status, and next steps current and organized.
· Assist with occasional firm projects: This may include website content, internal projects, or extremely occasional trips into downtown Pittsburgh to collect mail, deliver documents, or handle similar responsibilities.
Who We Are Looking For
We are especially interested in candidates who are bright, motivated, curious, and capable of learning quickly.
You may be a strong candidate even if you have never worked in a law firm.
Intelligence and Problem Solving
You can absorb complicated information, recognize what matters, ask good questions, and figure things out without needing every step explained repeatedly.
Strong Writing Ability
You can take disorganized information and turn it into clear, logical, professional writing. You do not need prior legal writing experience, but you must be a strong writer.
Exceptional Organization
You use systems, calendars, task lists, and written records rather than relying on memory. You can keep track of many moving pieces without allowing important items to disappear.
High Motivation
You like being productive. You take ownership of assignments, follow through, and look for the next thing that needs to be done rather than waiting to be told every step.
High Work Capacity
You can remain focused and productive while handling a substantial workload. You are comfortable working hard when deadlines or client needs require it.
Professional Assertiveness
You are comfortable asking direct questions, following up repeatedly when necessary, reminding people about deadlines, and respectfully pushing matters forward.
Independent Work Habits
Because this is primarily a work from home position, you must be capable of working independently, remaining responsive, and consistently producing results without someone physically supervising you.
Strong Communication Skills
You are comfortable speaking with clients, listening carefully, asking follow up questions, explaining what is needed, and communicating professionally by phone and email.
Comfort With Technology
You learn new software quickly and are comfortable with Microsoft Word, Google Sheets, electronic documents, video conferencing, and task management systems.
Judgment and Discretion
You understand that clients are trusting the firm with highly sensitive information. You can exercise good judgment, maintain confidentiality, accept direct feedback, and adjust when priorities change.
Experience
Prior experience in a law firm, legal department, insurance company, professional services firm, or other high responsibility office environment is valuable, but not required.
Experience as a legal assistant or paralegal is certainly welcome.
However, we would rather hire a highly intelligent, motivated, organized person with excellent writing ability who wants to learn than someone with several years of legal experience who lacks initiative, judgment, or attention to detail.
Candidates with backgrounds in writing, communications, business, psychology, education, human resources, investigation, case management, customer service, or similar fields may also be strong fits.
Why Join MKO
· Meaningful flexibility: Complete most work from home and structure weekly hours with substantial autonomy once client coverage, scheduled calls, deadlines, and firm responsibilities are satisfied.
· Learn substantive legal work: This is an opportunity to learn employment law and develop skills that go well beyond traditional administrative assistant work.
· Real responsibility: Strong performers will be trusted with increasingly important client, writing, case development, and organizational responsibilities.
· Meaningful client impact: Help employees navigate serious workplace problems and pursue practical financial and career solutions.
· Direct attorney involvement: Work closely with attorneys and see matters develop from intake through negotiation, administrative proceedings, mediation, and litigation.
· Training and growth: We expect to train the person we hire. As your skills develop, your responsibilities will increase with them.
Compensation and Benefits
· Expected annual earnings: $50,000 to $58,000, including regular hourly wages and anticipated overtime.
· Schedule: Full time, hourly position requiring approximately 45 hours each week. Employees have substantial flexibility in when those hours are completed, subject to client coverage, scheduled calls, deadlines, attorney needs, and accurate timekeeping.
· Performance bonuses: Bonuses are additional to the stated earnings range.
· Health insurance: MKO contributes 50% toward the employee’s health insurance premium. This contribution is additional to the stated earnings range.
· Retirement: Employer matching 401(k), in addition to the stated earnings range.
· Paid time off: One week of paid vacation annually.
About MKO Employment Law LLC
MKO Employment Law LLC advocates for employees facing workplace injustice. The firm handles matters involving wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, unemployment issues, exit strategies, and other employment disputes.
Our goal is to understand each client’s circumstances, identify practical leverage, and pursue a path toward aggressive, meaningful compensation and a better future.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $50,000.00 - $58,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
Application Question(s):
- Your role involves both inbound and outbound client communications, often being the first point of contact. How would you ensure clients feel valued and understood during interactions?
- The position offers opportunities to delve deeper into various areas of employment law, such as Wrongful Termination and Unemployment Issues. How do you approach continuous learning and willingness to learn?
- Crafting client narratives is a crucial aspect of the role. Can you share an instance where you've had to create a compelling narrative or report based on the information provided?
- Our firm is deeply committed to advocating for employees and their rights. How do your personal or professional values align with our mission, and how would that make you a good fit for this role?
- What unique strengths or perspectives do you bring to the table that differentiate you from other candidates?
- Hours of Commitment: The position requires a weekly commitment of 45 hours. Are you able to meet this requirement?
- Also, can you identify what hours are ideal (and why) during our open times of M-F 7am-7pm and weekends 8am-3pm? Also, the role may need a brief trips to our downtown office to collect mail. Are you comfortable with making these trips on occasion?
- The compensation package is comprised of an hourly wage (paralegals are not exempt under FLSA and not eligible for salary), medical benefits, retirement benefits, and bonuses. It's effectively a salary just done by the hours. Do you acknowledge and understand this structure? Do you have questions?
- Do you currently live in or near Allegheny County, Pennsylvania or Butler County, Pennsylvania?
Experience:
- Law office: 1 year (Preferred)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Pittsburgh, PA 15219
