Legal Secretary, Benefits Assistant, Records Management

SHONA SIMONS

*** ********* ******, #* ****: 973-***-****

Maplewood, New Jersey 07040 E-mail: ***********@*****.***

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

BUDD LARNER, P.C., Short Hills, New Jersey - [Employed: 12 years]

Legal Secretary Supporting Four Attorneys: 2 Real Estate Partners, 1 Land Use Partner and 1 Land Use Associate.

Legal Secretary to Senior Property Insurance Defense Partner and 2 Associates. Reception Relief Assistant:

LUM, DRASCO & POSITAN, LLC, Roseland, New Jersey - [Employed: 16 years]

Legal Secretary to Managing Partner-Labor & Employment/Worker’s Comp. Attorney and

Legal Assistant to the Office Manager. Reception Relief Assistant:

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong judgment, communication and problem solving skills

• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.

• Maintain a high degree of professionalism and a strong work ethic, coupled with a sense of

responsibility and unquestionable integrity to handle confidential matters.

• Ability to remain professional and composed when stressful situations occur as a result of

workload and/or deadlines by being resourceful, anticipating needs and prioritizing responsibilities.

• Strong written and communication skills.

• Fast learner who can pick up new skills quickly.

• Productive and diverse relationships with clients, and telephone and inter-personal skills.

• Editing and proofreading skills with precise attention to detail.

• Team leader and team player.

• General legal secretarial duties, including but not limited to answering telephones in a

professional manner, taking messages and forwarding calls to appropriate parties.

• Effectively manage the process of daily mail, federal express packages and faxes.

• Maintain attorney calendar, schedule meetings and notify all parties concerned.

• Coordinate travel arrangements, prepare travel itinerary and related activities, and submit

expense reports to the Accounting Department on a monthly basis.

• Propose interviews for prospective employees and help with orientation protocol when hired.

• Participate in the training of staff members in order to promote cross-training of all employees

and assist colleagues in learning new skills/tasks in order to integrate them into the team.

• Respond to employee reference checks – written and oral.

• Schedule depositions, including court reporter appointments.

• Attendance at meetings with Managing Partner and Office Manager regarding office policies.

• Review and revise the Employee Handbook in liaison with the Office Manager on an as needed

basis.

• Assist in enrolling new attorneys for membership in the American Bar Association.

• Open new client matter accounts, prepare conflict checks and draft retainer letters.

• Input attorney's daily time sheet data for billing purposes and upkeep client billing files.

SHONA SIMONS Cell: 973-***-****

• Draft correspondence for monthly client invoices for the department and obtain supporting

disbursement paperwork as required.

• Coordinate compliance documents (e.g. JOD, CIS, PSA, and Deed) redacted from Family Law

Department for the processing of documents required due to divorce and the transfer of property from

spouse to spouse.

• HUD-1 (Settlement Statement) training.

• Liaison with vendors to order title and flood searches for the preparation of conveyance

documents and related correspondence for real estate closings.

• Type and mark briefs to generate Table of Contents (TOC) and Table of Authorities (TOA). Type

related pleading documents, including excel documents.

• Converse with vendors on all client files to be sent off-site for storage by utilizing excel

spreadsheets to assign box numbers for high volume client files and process appropriate data entry for

the retrieval and/or destruction of files, discs and large exhibits.

• Conduct cost effective negotiations with vendors regarding outsourcing services, and review and

approve invoices for same.

• Dictaphone and shorthand transcription.

• Order building entry passes and building keys as required.

• Oversee and upkeep of the lunch room area and six conference rooms.

• Reception relief duties and part-time word processing operator at night.

EDUCATION:

• •

Bermuda College Professional School Of Business

Devonshire, Bermuda Millburn, New Jersey

Bookkeeping/Shorthand - Diploma Real Estate - License #0451783

• •

Prospect School For Girls South Orange-Maplewood Adult School

Devonshire, Bermuda South Orange, New Jersey

High School - Graduated Beginner’s Course - Spanish

• Skinner Secretarial School

Hamilton, Bermuda

Secretary Studies - Diploma

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Microsoft Word 2013/2007, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Outlook, Excel, WordPerfect, Corel, PowerPoint; IManage,

GroupWise and SoftSolutions Document Management Software; HUD-1 Software; Paychex HRIS Software,

RapidPC Payroll Software, Encore Payroll Software and Ceredian Payroll Software; FSLI and Rain Maker Time and

Billing Software; Cisco telephone operations, Mitel and NEC Telephone Software Programming; Dictaphone and

Shorthand transcription.

NOTARY.

SHONA SIMONS Cell: 973-***-****

REFERENCES: Furnished upon request.

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