Legal Secretary - Litigation and Regulatory

Owen Reed are recruiting for a Legal Secretary to work within Litigation and Regulatory.

We are recruiting a Secretary within our Litigation and Regulatory team in our London office. You still have contact with clients and partners but you will collaborate and work with a wider range of people in the department than in a traditional secretarial model.

The feedback on 'the hub' from our existing team has been really positive - we see it as the natural evolution of secretarial services.

Team Coordinator - monitors incoming work and team capacity and distributes jobs and projects to members of the team, whilst also operating as a senior level secretary. They are also responsible for communicating with fee earners to keep them appraised of a task or projects status

Senior Secretary - takes ownership for the efficient running of the team by role-modelling as an effective and responsible team member and act as workflow supervisor where required

Secretary - provides general secretarial and administration services as part of the secretarial team

Team Administrator - a junior role for those still developing their skills, undertakes routine secretarial tasks at the direction of the Team Coordinator

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Taking ownership and responsibility to ensure the work is undertaken in the most appropriate way to maximise efficiency

Actively engaging with the workflow through the team inbox, directing work through it and taking appropriate work from it in priority order

Coordinating internal and external client meetings and ensure all work activities are scheduled effectively, including the identification and resolution of potential challenges and clashes

Organising meetings, ensuring rooms and conference facilities, video conference facilities are booked, liaising with attendees if necessary both internal and external and making sure that any required catering and technical equipment is in place

Manage expectations in terms of deadlines and outcome of tasks assigned

Responding and dealing with external or internal telephone calls and queries in a professional manner and taking clear and concise messages for other members of the practice group as required

Organising travel arrangements through the travel desk, booking and confirmation of reservations, flights, hotels, car transfers, ordering currency and expense claims and producing detailed itineraries

Preparation of key documents including visas, correspondence (including invitation letters), travel invoices, expense claims and maintenance/filing of copies

Understanding DLA Piper document management processes. Amending and re-formatting documents when appropriate to do so, ensuring that completed documents are delivered accurately and to a consistently high standard

Learning to organise agendas, presentations and meeting papers, including print production and timely distribution; ensuring that fee earners have all documents and adequate preparation time

Supporting the secretarial team by ensuring the timely completion of the support team's shared work, ensuring work of an appropriate level is dealt with according to priority

Demonstrating flexibility with working practices in line with the business need, especially in times of pressure/ high workload

Organisation of file management, including closing of files, archiving and ensures that all relevant documents are filed electronically and paper-based, if required

Working towards full capability for managing and understanding of the end-to-end billing process, of standard bills, using Elite (internal financial system). Following the relevant procedures and prompting fee earners to complete all necessary time recording, or to enter such time recording on their behalf

Creating standard bills, disbursements, amending narratives as well as requesting credit notes

Understanding the client matter opening, client reporting and client balances processes

Completing financial reports where required, from internal systems highlighting outstanding monies to be billed and updating particular client financial schedules where necessary

Managing group and fee earner contacts to ensure they are up to date through Interaction (CRM tool)

Providing administrative support to fee earners with conflict searches and audit requests

Assisting on ad-hoc projects as and when required, for example managing bundles, assisting during team events, indexing documents, etc.

ABOUT YOU

Previous relevant experience as a Secretary or Team Administrator

IT literate with proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook), Lync - Skype for Business

Excellent diary management

Document management and filing efficiently

Excellent telephone manner

Basic understanding of billing

Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills

Applies knowledge and judgement to slve problems and make decisions

Friendly, personable and approachable

Excellent communicator- both written and verbally

Adaptable and flexible

Confident and professional