Legal PA

Bird & Bird; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

An international law firm in Dubai is seeking a talented Legal PA to provide secretarial support across its UAE offices. The ideal candidate should have previous experience in a legal environment, possess excellent interpersonal skills, and demonstrate adaptability in various situations. This role offers an opportunity to work within a supportive team, enhancing your career development while managing office tasks effectively.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a Legal PA role, preferably in professional services.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to maintain objectivity in difficult situations.

Responsibilities

• Provide secretarial support to Partners and Associates.
• Manage diary, meetings, and travel arrangements.
• Coordinate with clients and manage documents efficiently.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Time management

Adaptability

Teamwork

Tools

Word

Excel

Outlook

PowerPoint

Document Management systems

Job description

About the job

The opportunity

We are looking for a talented and experienced Legal PA to join the Practice Support team in our Dubai office.

The roleholder will be expected to provide an efficient and professional secretarial support in both our Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices.

You will be part of a supportive team who will provide training to build your skills and guidance on your career development.

The firm

Bird & Bird opens a world of possible for lawyers and professionals everywhere. Working for a leading international law firm like Bird & Bird means working alongside people who are truly collegiate in the way they work with everyone. We work as one global team, with over 70% of work involving people from across the firm. And that’s only increasing! It is this common purpose and shared approach that make it a more productive and collaborative place to work.

Your firm. Your future.

The team

You will be joining our Practice Support team in the UAE, working collaboratively with various teams across both offices.

Our 32 international offices have their own professionals providing local expertise and support. Collaborative across the network, the team is focused on driving efficiency, adding value, and profitable growth.

What you'll do

The main duties and responsibilities for the role are as follows:

• Adhere to Practice Support related policies and procedures to support the day-to-day efficient functioning of the UAE offices which include general administration support and secretarial management.
• Provide a high level of secretarial support and be recognised throughout the firm as reliable, responsible and trusted to work closely with Partners, Associates and other fee-earners.
• Provide comprehensive diary management, ensuring individual and central calendars are up to date for yourself and your allocated fee-earners.
• Manage typing, formatting and proof-reading of legal documents and drafting/sending internal and external correspondence.
• Set up internal and external meetings, events, lunches and conference calls.
• Coordinate detailed travel arrangements including appropriate visa documentation and domestic and international itineraries.
• Communicate with clients as needed, organise meetings and monitor emails from clients and internally for Partners in their absence.
• Support Partner and Associate business development activities including: 1) Preparing PowerPoint presentations. 2) Contacting relevant MBD budget holders to secure financial assistance for conferences/business trips. 3) Working with practice/sector Business Development team to produce pitches. 4) Working closely with clients, Partners and relevant CRMs to build and maintain existing and new client relationships.
• Provide end to end Matter Management support including: 1) Client/Matter opening for assigned fee-earners. 2) Conducting conflict checks and managing the client due diligence process, ensuring data accuracy and timely responses. 3) Liaising with clients to obtain AML/KYC documents and any other information requested by our compliance team.
• Manage documents, indexing and assembly of files for assigned fee-earners.
• Ensure timely and accurate filing of documents and emails in the Document Management, in addition to physical file management.
• Set up new clients for billing purposes, provide information regarding agreed rates with clients and billing contacts.
• Liaise with international Billing Coordinators to check pre-bills and confirm whether the time entries have been added under correct client/matter codes.
• Identify matters for closure and archive completed files.
• Manage time sheet entries for Partners when required.
• Update contact and relationship information in Introhive for assigned fee-earners.
• Prepare and submit expense claims forms for assigned fee-earners and ensure compliance with relevant policies.
• Assist Office Services team when necessary to provide cover for absence and overflow telephone calls.
• Support assigned fee-earners in all other administrative assistance including, filing, printing, photocopying, binding and scanning.
• Provide cover to fee-earners during absence of other PAs.
• Register fee-earners for local and international conferences and arrange meetings during the conferences.
• Attend periodic PA meetings and notify EA of any work related concerns, process improvements and provide regular updates.
• Manage other aspects of the Practice Support function as required by the business from time to time.

About you

The successful candidate will have the following:

• Previous experience in a Legal PA role, preferably within a professional services environment.
• A ‘can do’ attitude, willingness to learn and expand knowledge and skills within the role, approachability, flexibility as to hours and the role itself, a practical sense approach.
• Ability to build and maintain constructive relationships with individuals at different levels of seniority and from different cultures.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to maintain patience and objectivity when faced with difficult systems and infrastructure both within the office and externally.
• Advanced knowledge of Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Document Management systems.
• Excellent phone manner internally and externally coupled with an ability to communicate clearly and to listen effectively.
• Accuracy and speed in audio/copy typing and marking up and formatting documents required.
• Proven ability to work effectively as a team player.
• Ability to stay calm in often demanding situations and work well under pressure.
• Proactive and adaptive approach to working.

The main responsibilities of this role are outlined above; however, this description is not exhaustive, and the job holder may be required to undertake additional duties from time to time to ensure the smooth running of the department. The role may require some working outside our normal working hours of 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.