Legal Secretary

This role is to provide secretarial support, centrally, to a group of Senior Associates, Associates and Trainees. The role requires excellent organisational, communication and prioritisation skills and the ability to juggle conflicting demands and deadlines. The Legal Secretarial role is the day to day contact, internally and externally, and will work closely with Executive Assistants and the Client Administrator team.

Reporting to the Secretarial Team Leader, the individual needs to be flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of the business. A degree of flexibility around working hours is expected.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Take ownership of, and manage, the workflow from the team and delegate/work with central support departments as appropriate
• Proactively and accurately monitor/oversee inboxes on team’s behalf, during absence, as agreed with (e.g. Associates)
• Proactively and accurately monitor/oversee calendars, set up all meetings and related logistics, and ensure all arrangements are made (rooms booked, and calendars updated with changes)
• Prepare, edit and proofread all work, adhere to house-style with attention to detail and a focus on quality
• Work closely and effectively with Executive Assistants, central teams and in collaboration with other Legal Secretaries, providing support in cases of holidays and absences
• Respond to tasks promptly and manage deadlines, to ensure expectations are managed
• Be an effective and professional point of contact, to include managing telephone calls, taking accurate messages and being an ambassador both internally and externally for team
• Manage/co-ordinate billing and compliance processes on behalf of team, to include generating bills, working closely with, and supporting, Client Administrators where necessary to ensure billing/CMI processes are followed correctly in accordance with requirements
• Ensure expense claims are submitted in a timely manner
• Use initiative and actively identify and resolve issues when they arise
• Demonstrate confidentiality, diplomacy and a thorough understanding of the group and clients who you support

Personal attributes and skills

• Experience of providing a first-class legal secretarial service to a busy team within a professional environment
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Supports and adapts to change
• Eager to develop within role and enhance skills including anticipating needs and thinking ahead
• Proactive approach with an ability to understand and interpret what the team needs
• Enthusiasm and resilience to cope with a busy role
• Highly developed communication skills, updating group when delays may occur
• Good organisation and prioritisation skills, working to deadlines
• Diplomatic, with good judgement
• Flexible with a positive and committed attitude
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely
• Organised manner with ability to prioritise workload and deliver to deadlines
• Motivated and pro-active with a 'can-do' approach
• Client service focus
• Team player with the ability to interact and build relationships with people at all levels
• Calm and efficient under pressure
• Punctual, flexible and responsive approach to work
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office together with a minimum typing speed of 60 wpm