The purpose of this role is to provide vital legal secretarial support for the Commercial Property team on a part-time basis to add to the existing support team. Good, reliable secretarial support is a key component in any Law Firm and enables Lawyers to focus on client care and fee earning work. The successful candidate will preferably have experience in a legal secretary role.
You will be working with Partners, Fee Earners and other secretaries in a supportive and friendly busy team environment based in a modern, open plan office in the easily accessible Wynyard Business Park.
This is a Part-Time role for approx. 21 hours per week which can be worked over three full days or 4-5 hours per day. We are happy to consider different working arrangements. The role is fully office based.
Main duties and requirements
- Providing full secretarial support to fee earners including preparing correspondence and documents through fast and accurate audio-typing and word processing.
- Providing enhanced support to their fee earner and being confident and willing to use own initiative.
- Preparing transactional documents and amending documents using track changes and preparing clean copy documents from previously track changed documents.
- Opening, maintaining and closing files on the case management system.
- Storing and retrieving client files.
- Dealing with title deeds including; requesting title deeds from lenders, scheduling deeds and arranging storage and retrieval of title deeds in accordance with office procedures.
- Filing and preparing mail and enclosures for dispatch.
- Obtaining copy documents and office copy entries from the Land Registry using their online portal.
- Making appointments and arranging meetings; including liaising with reception staff to organise facilities such as rooms and refreshments, and maintaining an up-to-date diary for his/her fee earner(s).
- Attending clients, both in person and on the telephone, and providing such support in a professional and friendly manner in-keeping with the Firm’s standards for client care.
- Ensuring that all telephone calls are answered promptly and messages passed on immediately.
- Contributing as a team member including providing support to other secretaries as required.
Preferred skills and experience
- Experience or knowledge of the role of a legal secretary along with relevant departmental knowledge, preferably in a property related discipline.
- Fast and accurate audio and copy typing skills, including digital dictation and integrated legal software systems.
- Experience of Microsoft Office Suite, including Word and Excel.
- Excellent English grammar/spelling; familiarity with legal terminology and numerical skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including experience in dealing with a range of clients via telephone and face-to-face.
- Ability to organise and prioritise your workload to the required standard and within the required timescales.
- Ability to work effectively within a team as well as independently.
- Ability to work under pressure as and when required; this may involve some flexibility in working hours and occasional overtime where deadlines need to be met.
Person specification
- Experience in a legal secretary role is preferred
- Self-motivation: energy; positivity; can-do attitude.
- Flexibility.
- Confidentiality and discretion.
- Proactive; willing to use initiative.
- Able to work well independently as well as part of a team.
