Legal Assistant Jobs in Virginia

INTRODUCTION

We are seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented Legal Assistant & Contracts Administrator to support the Director, Legal Counsel in managing the day-to-day operations of a fast-growing consulting firm.

As the first dedicated legal support hire, this role is critical in supporting the continued development of a technology-enabled legal function. The position blends contract administration, legal operations, and administrative support, while also driving process improvement and operational efficiency.

Partnering closely with the Legal Director, you will help implement systems, streamline workflows, and enhance legal service delivery across the organization. This is a high-impact role with significant ownership—ideal for someone who thrives in a build-and-create environment and is excited to leverage technology and AI to improve outcomes.

Note: All contract-related activities are performed under the supervision of the Legal Director and do not constitute the practice of law.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Contract Lifecycle Management

• Serve as the primary coordinator for contract intake, workflow tracking, and document management.
• Manage a high volume of agreements, including:
• Professional services agreements
• NDAs
• Vendor and subcontractor agreements
• Licensing and technology agreements
• Amendments and related documents
• Maintain and continuously improve the contract tracking system.
• Assist with initial contract triage by summarizing key terms, identifying non-standard provisions, and escalating risks to the Legal Director.

Legal Operations & Process Improvement

• Support the development and evolution of legal department processes, systems, and policies.
• Maintain templates, playbooks, and knowledge management resources.
• Build and optimize workflows to ensure consistency, efficiency, and scalability.
• Prepare and format legal documents, reports, presentations, and correspondence for internal stakeholders and leadership.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency through automation, technology, and AI-enabled tools.

Research & Regulatory Support

• Conduct preliminary legal and business research to support decision-making.
• Monitor regulatory developments and industry trends, providing concise summaries and actionable insights.

Stakeholder & External Coordination

• Act as a key liaison between Legal and internal teams to gather information and support contract review and execution.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships to facilitate efficient legal support and issue resolution.
• Support management of external counsel, including coordinating communications and tracking invoices.

Training & Innovation

• Assist with coordination and administration of internal legal training programs.

AI Integration & Departmental Efficiency

• Champion the use of AI-powered legal tools, including contract review assistants, document drafting platforms, and research tools, to accelerate the department's output and reduce manual workload.
• Identify opportunities to automate or streamline repetitive legal operations tasks (e.g., contract routing, deadline tracking, template management) by leveraging technology under the Legal Director's guidance.
• Serve as a force multiplier for the Legal Director by taking full ownership of execution-level tasks, ensuring that the Legal Director's time is reserved for high-judgment, attorney-only work. The ideal candidate actively looks for ways to do more with less, using AI and process improvements where appropriate to expand what this two-person department can accomplish.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• 3–5 years of experience in a Legal Assistant, Contracts Administrator, or Legal Operations role (preferably in-house).
• Strong experience with contract management systems, document organization, and workflow tracking.
• Familiarity with legal technology tools and a willingness to adopt AI-enabled solutions.
• Ability to review contracts at a high level, identifying key risks and non-standard terms under attorney supervision.
• Excellent organizational, project management, and multitasking skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• High level of discretion and ability to manage confidential information.
• Proven ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment with a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Experience building or improving processes from the ground up is strongly preferred.
• Comfort with AI: Demonstrated ability to responsibly explore and adopt firm-approved AI tools to enhance productivity and innovation.
• Continuous Learning Mindset: Openness to learning and applying emerging technologies including AI and automation in alignment with firm policies.
• Comfort working with AI-assisted legal tools (e.g., contract review platforms, AI drafting assistants, legal research tools) or a demonstrated eagerness to adopt and learn new technology quickly.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree (preferred), Associates Degree or equivalent relevant experience.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.