Project Assistants
Project assistants are generally recent college graduates who defer law school or graduate school to obtain practical work experience in a law firm. While many do attend graduate or law school after several years, some decide to pursue a career as a paralegal. Most project assistants are assigned to a particular practice area, and most work under the guidance of a paralegal or senior paralegal.
Examples of tasks handled by project assistants include organizing, labeling and indexing documents; digesting depositions; obtaining materials from or filing materials with federal and local courts and agencies; assisting with corporate closings; performing database updates and research; monitoring publications and assisting with cite checking; and proofreading and preparing documents.
Paralegals
Most paralegals have college degrees, some have paralegal certificates, and all have several years of relevant experience. Paralegals at Arent Fox are committed to careers in their practice areas. Paralegals manage cases or corporate transactions, perform cite checks, conduct due diligence, interview clients, initiate correspondence, draft agreements, prepare corporate documents, edit legal publications, and perform legal and factual research and analysis.
Senior Paralegals
Senior paralegals have at least six years of paralegal or related experience in their field. They regularly train and supervise other paralegals. They work with minimal supervision and take an increased role in case management and substantive areas of the law. Several senior paralegals at Arent Fox have more than 20 years of experience in their field.
Specialists
Specialists have at least 13 years of specialized experience in a related field. They also have spent at least five years at Arent Fox. Specialists possess advanced skills and knowledge that enable them to effectively analyze issues and manage the technical or procedural aspects of a project or case. They are able to assist lawyers in complex matters and exercise significant independent judgment and discretion.
Work/Life Balance
To be successful in your career, we believe you must also be successful in life. Arent Fox understands the need to balance a busy professional life with commitments outside of work. In addition to a full complement of employee benefits, we offer the following programs to help make working seem a little less like work:
- Alternate work schedules, including part-time
- Paid time off
- Financial education programs
- Domestic partner benefits
- Employee assistance plan
- Competitive maternity and paternity leave
- 529 College Savings plans
- On-site gym (Washington, DC office)
- Back-up childcare (Washington, DC office)
Rewards
Compensation
Attracting and retaining top talent in the legal field is a key to Arent Fox’s success. Our compensation philosophy rewards contributions to our clients and reflects the competitiveness of the legal marketplace. Our compensation package includes two components: base salary and bonus. Additionally, Arent Fox paralegals may earn a sizable bonus based on billable hours worked each year.
Annual salary increases and bonus distribution are weighted on individual performance, growth and development. Compensation programs vary by position.
Training
Arent Fox’s paralegal program promotes professional development and achievement by addressing many aspects of legal education. Paralegals are offered monthly training sessions, invited to participate in attorney CLE courses and encouraged to attend outside training workshops. Arent Fox has sent many paralegals to national conferences such as International Trademark Association’s annual meeting and the National Association of Bond Lawyers Fundamentals of Municipal Bond Law Seminar. Additionally, Arent Fox regularly uses outside educators to teach courses to paralegals, including educators from Georgetown University.
Mentoring
Every new paralegal is assigned a mentor to assist with his or her transition into Arent Fox. We also provide training to our senior paralegals and specialists to help them mentor new paralegals effectively.
Benefits
Arent Fox offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package:
- Health and insurance plans: Medical, dental, group term life and long-term disability insurance.
- Financial savings: 401(k) plan, profit-sharing plan and 529 college savings plan.
- Leaves of absence: Short-term disability, parental leave, bereavement, military and jury duty. Arent Fox complies with all aspects of the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Voluntary programs: Supplemental life insurance (for employee, spouse and child), supplemental long-term disability, long-term care and pet insurance.
