Legal Assistant

If you are currently employed at Smithfield, please log into Workday and submit your application through the Jobs Hub. A great job-and a great future-awaits you at Smithfield Foods. We are an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. We're looking for motivated people who want to join our team and grow lasting and meaningful careers with us. Apply Now!

THE VALUE YOU'LL BRING

The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section. As a Legal Assistant at Smithfield Foods, you will provide high-impact administrative, technical, and operational support to the Legal Department. This role partners closely with attorneys and senior legal leaders to support legal matters across the enterprise, with a strong emphasis on technology enablement, document management, billing operations, and process execution. You will play a critical role in ensuring legal workflows are efficient, accurate, and well-controlled - allowing attorneys to focus on delivering effective legal counsel that supports Smithfield's business objectives.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. May perform other duties as assigned.

Attorney & Executive Support:

Provide day-to-day support to company attorneys across employment, contracts, litigation, regulatory, governance, and commercial matters and executive administrative support for our Chief Legal Officer and other Legal Department members.

Executive-Level Materials:

Create, revise, and support high-quality PowerPoint presentations, Excel reports, and Word documents for senior legal leaders.

Document Review & Formatting:

Revise, proofread, format, and manage legal documents to ensure consistency, accuracy, and executive-level standards.

Excel & Data Management:

Use Excel for basic to intermediate formulas, tracking logs, data organization, and reporting.

Word Document Production:

Perform advanced Word functions including redlining, document comparison, formatting, and version control.

PowerPoint Development:

Build and update leadership-facing presentations with professional formatting and clear messaging.

Legal Technology Enablement:

Support the adoption and effective use of Legal Department tools and systems to improve efficiency.

Legal Billing Administration:

Administer legal billing and invoice review using Legal Tracker or similar e-billing platforms.

Billing Follow-Up & Approvals:

Coordinate invoice follow-ups with law firms and manage billing approvals in accordance with routing matrices and authorization thresholds.

Budget & Spend Tracking:

Track legal budgets, monitor spend, and support reporting for legal leadership.

Law Firm & Vendor Management:

Serve as a primary contact for outside counsel and vendors on administrative, billing, and operational matters.

Compliance & Ethics Support:

Oversee day-to-day execution of the ethics hotline (NAVEX) and support compliance tracking, documentation, and reporting.

WHAT WE'RE SEEKING

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

Education & Experience:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university and 2+ years of relevant legal experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience required.

Communication & Confidentiality:

Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to establish trust and maintain confidentiality.

Project & Task Management:

Detail-oriented and project management focused, with the ability to handle complex assignments in a fast-paced environment and escalate issues appropriately.

Technical Skills:

Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) required; experience with Legal Tracker, Navex, or other legal software is a plus.

Collaboration & Service:

Customer service mindset with proven success partnering across teams in a dynamic, results-driven environment.

Teamwork & Culture Fit:

Respectful, approachable, and team-oriented with the ability to build strong relationships and contribute to a positive work environment.

OTHER SKILLS THAT MAKE YOU STAND OUT

General understanding of basic state and Federal laws preferred. Relocation Package Available No EEO Information Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non-job characteristic as directed by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595. At Smithfield, good food starts with good people. "Good food. Responsibly.®" is more than just our tagline; it's what we do. We provide good jobs. We take good care of our animals. We are good stewards of the environment. We do good in our local communities. Smithfield is proud to offer robust, flexible and affordable benefit plans and programs to support our team members and their loved ones, and with out-of-pocket costs, on average, 20 percent less than plans offered by other employers. Beyond our medical plans, our Be Well programs offer tools and resources to enhance your quality of life, at no additional cost. These programs are uniquely tailored to our Smithfield team and provide support for elective surgeries, weight loss, mental health, cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, smoking cessation, asthma, maternity management and more. Our company invests in your future. We offer comprehensive training and professional development programs designed to help you reach your full potential. Through LinkedIn Learning, employees can access on‑demand courses, professional certificates, and skill‑based training to build capabilities aligned with career and business needs. Our partnership with GUILD supports your continuing education with tuition assistance covering English language learning, high school completion, and degree programs, while our leadership development initiatives nurture high‑potential talent. We also offer unique benefits like our Smithfield Scholarship Program for employees' children. Smithfield's Education Reimbursement Program provides financial reimbursement to team members who want to further their formal education by obtaining a GED/High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma or by pursuing an academic degree at an accredited college or university that is not a Guild learning partner. Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. With a diverse brand portfolio and strong relationships with U.S. farmers and customers, we responsibly meet demand for quality protein around the world. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield®, Eckrich® and Nathan's Famous®, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and connect with us on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Not finding the right fit? Let us know you're interested in a future opportunity by clicking Get Started below or create an account by clicking 'Sign In' at the top of the page to set up email alerts as new job postings become available that meet your interest!