Insurance Defense Legal Secretary

Being good neighbors – helping people, investing in our communities, and making the world a better place – is who we are at State Farm. It is at the core of how we operate and the reason for our success. We're moving with urgency to become a Next Gen Good Neighbor, with technology that strengthens human connections and enhances the customer experience. As an employee, you'll spend less time navigating systems and more time applying judgment, empathy, and expertise in the moments that matter most.

As a Fortune 50 company, we hire the best employees to serve our customers, making us a leader in the insurance and financial services industry. In 2024, the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity named State Farm a Top Performer and Compass Award Winner. Additionally, Fortune named State Farm one of the World’s Most Admired Companies.

Our mission is to provide high quality legal services in a cost-effective manner and to act as strategic thinking partners for our client and customers. To succeed, we need self-starters who are agile, creative, collaborative, strategic, passionate, and communicative.

Rebecca (Missie) Hendry & Associates, insurance staff counsel for State Farm Insurance Companies, is seeking a Legal Secretary to join our growing Claim Litigation office in St. Petersburg, FL. This position offers an exciting opportunity to support attorneys throughout the litigation process while working in a collaborative, team-oriented environment. As a Legal Secretary, you will play an essential role in managing calendars, coordinating litigation-related activities, maintaining legal files, and communicating with clients, claim partners, courts, and opposing counsel. Our office fosters a supportive environment with access to experienced colleagues and peer mentors. With a variety of responsibilities and opportunities for professional development and career advancement, this role is ideal for someone who enjoys a fast-paced legal environment and takes pride in contributing to a team's success. This position is classified as hybrid, offering a combination of in-office and remote work. Employees in hybrid roles are required to spend time working in the office. Please note that the first 60 business days will be spent in the office for training purposes. Work arrangements may change over time based on business needs. Hours for this position are Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM.
Location: 100 2nd Avenue South, Suite 500 S, St. Petersburg, FL

Responsibilities of a Legal Secretary include, but are not limited to:

• Apply knowledge of legal procedures and processes to support attorneys throughout the litigation process
• Manage attorney calendars, deadlines, and scheduling to ensure timely coordination of legal activities
• Process incoming and outgoing correspondence, manage mail, and maintain electronic legal files
• Schedule and coordinate litigation events, including depositions, mediations and hearings
• Communicate professionally and effectively with clients, claim partners, courts, opposing counsel, and vendors
• Prepare, serve, and follow-up on initial discovery to plaintiff

Please only apply for this position if you meet the minimum requirements.

Preferred Experience:

• 3-5 years of recent legal secretary experience in civil defense litigation, preferably in insurance defense or personal injury
• Knowledge of legal and medical terminology, local and state rules regarding pleadings and pre-trial procedures, deadlines, and court filing requirements
  
  

Key skills required:

• Experience managing legal calendars, scheduling litigation activities, and tracking critical deadlines
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize competing demands, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal skills and professional telephone etiquette
• Experience with electronic court filing (e-filing) systems and procedures
• Ability to adapt to a corporate legal environment and work effectively in a collaborative, team-oriented setting
• Strong written and oral communication skills including excellent proofreading, document formatting, and attention to detail
• Strong typing skills with a high degree of accuracy

Working knowledge of the following software, system, and tools:

• Florida's electronic court filing system
• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint)
• Legal case management systems
• Electronic document management and storage systems
• Adobe Acrobat (PDF editing and document management)

Additional details:

• Applicants are required to be eligible to lawfully work in the U.S. immediately. State Farm will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work opportunities.

Because work-life balance is a priority at State Farm, compensation is based on our standard 38:45-hour work week!

Potential starting salary range: $55,916.25-$68,000.00

• Starting salary will be based on skills, background, and experience
• High end of the range limited to applicants with significant relevant experience

Potential yearly incentive pay up to 9% of base salary

At State Farm, we offer more than just a paycheck. Check out our suite of benefits designed to give you the flexibility you need to take care of you and your family!

• Get Paid! On top of our competitive pay, you are eligible for an annual raise and bonus.
• Stay Well! Focus on you and your family’s health with our robust health and wellbeing programs. State Farm pays most of your healthcare premium, and we offer multiple healthcare plan options, including a high deductible plan. All medical plans provide 100% coverage for in-network preventative care, AND you and your family have access to vision, dental, telemedicine, 24/7 mental health professionals, and much more!
• Develop and Grow! Take advantage of educational benefits like industry leading training programs, top-notch tuition assistance programs, employee resource groups, and mentoring.
• Plan Ahead! Plan for those big moments in life with benefits like fertility/IVF/adoption assistance, college coaching, national discount programs, interactive monthly financial workshops, free financial coaching, and more. You can also start a savings account or consider financing through our State Farm Federal Credit Union!
• Take a Little “You” Time! You will have access to our generous time off policies designed so you can plan around holidays, family events, volunteering, or just to take a relaxing day off. With the opportunity to initially earn up to 20 days annually plus parental leave, paid holidays, celebration day, life leave (40 hours/year), bereavement leave, and community service/education support days, there will be plenty of time for you!
• Give Back! We offer several ways to give back through our Matching Gift Program, Good Neighbor Grant Program, and the Employee Assistance Fund.
• Finish Strong! Plan for retirement using free financial advisors and a 401(k) plan with company contributions of up to 7% of your salary.

Visit our State Farm Careers page for more information on our benefits, locations, and the hiring process of joining the State Farm team!