Docketing Clerk

THE FIRM

As a leading international law firm, we are dedicated to excellence through impactful communication, collaboration, and community involvement. Our company culture has earned us the designation as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" for 27 consecutive years. This honor, along with many others, highlights our commitment to innovation and professional development. At Alston & Bird LLP, our foundation is made of trust, reliability, and compassion.

JOB DESCRIPTION

At Alston & Bird, our culture is built around collaboration, excellence, continuous learning, and exceptional service. We believe we are one firm, and that every member of our team plays an important role in delivering the outstanding service our clients and colleagues expect.

As a Docketing Clerk, you’ll be at the center of our litigation support efforts, serving as a trusted resource to attorneys and case teams throughout the litigation lifecycle. From navigating complex court rules to managing critical deadlines and filing requirements, your knowledge and attention to detail will help keep matters moving forward accurately, efficiently, and with confidence.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys solving procedural puzzles, thrives in a fast-paced and collaborative environment, and takes pride in being the person others rely on for answers. You’ll have the opportunity to deepen your expertise, build strong relationships across the firm, and make a meaningful contribution to high-impact litigation work.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Serve as a trusted resource for California court calendaring and deadline calculations, maintaining the firm’s litigation docket with a high degree of accuracy.
• Create and manage docket calendar events, ensuring attorneys and legal assistants have clear, timely information about upcoming deadlines.
• Provide knowledgeable guidance to attorneys, paralegals, and staff on court rules, procedures, deadlines, and docketing questions.
• Review incoming litigation documents and identify, calculate, and calendar applicable deadlines.
• Produce clear, actionable reports that help case teams stay ahead of important dates and deliverables.
• Proactively identify docketing issues, advise attorneys on next steps, and assist with clearing or de-docketing completed items.
• Research Federal, State, Appellate, and Local Court Rules, including judge-specific procedures, to help ensure compliance.
• Build expertise in court filing requirements and serve as a resource for questions involving filing procedures and practices.
• Communicate directly with courts and administrative offices to confirm rules, procedures, and filing requirements when needed.
• Manage court services, including electronic and paper filings, rule updates, and coordination with attorney service providers.
• Partner with litigation teams in advance of filings to confirm cite-checks, review documents for rule compliance, and coordinate filing and service logistics.
• Maintain California attorney filing credentials, including establishing and troubleshooting court admission accounts.
• Contribute to firmwide initiatives that improve docketing procedures, workflows, and best practices.

SKILLS NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFUL

You’ll thrive in this role if you bring:

• Experience with docketing systems such as Milana, CompuLaw, or CourtAlert.
• Hands-on experience with Federal, State, and Local courts and electronic filing platforms, including NYSCEF, PACER, First Legal, One Legal, and TrueFiling.
• Strong knowledge of litigation processes, legal terminology, court procedures, and docket management.
• Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple competing deadlines with confidence.
• Strong research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Clear and professional written and verbal communication skills.
• Sound judgment and a proactive, solutions-oriented approach.
• The ability to work independently while being a collaborative and dependable partner to attorneys and case teams.
• A commitment to accuracy, responsiveness, and exceptional client service.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years of legal experience preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.

The salary range in CA for this position is $75,000 - $95,000 and represents the firm’s good faith minimum and maximum range for this role at the time of posting. The actual compensation offered to a candidate will be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and locations.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Alston & Bird LLP is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

This commitment applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, training, promotion, transfer, discipline, and termination.

Alston & Bird also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities and to individuals who require an accommodation based on religion, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, as required by applicable law. Applicants who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or hiring process may contact donavan.mclean@alston.com.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING

Employment may be contingent upon the successful completion of applicable pre-employment screening, which may include professional references and a background screening, consistent with applicable law.

SEARCH FIRMS AND EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES

Alston & Bird does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate referrals from recruiters, search firms, or employment agencies. Any resume or candidate information submitted without a prior written agreement with Alston & Bird will be considered unsolicited, and no fee will be paid if the candidate is hired.