Legal Personal Assistant

Owen Reed; Manchester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm in Manchester is seeking a Legal PA for their Real Estate team. This role involves managing diaries, handling legal documentation, and supporting fee earners effectively. The ideal candidate should possess previous experience in a legal environment, strong communication, organisational and diary management skills, and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications. The firm values diverse backgrounds, believing they strengthen the team and the firm overall.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Legal Secretary or Legal PA within a Real Estate department is essential.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to build positive relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Fast and accurate typing skills with a minimum typing speed of 65 wpm.

Responsibilities

• Manage diary appointments and organise meetings for fee earners.
• Handle email management and ensure urgent emails are addressed promptly.
• Prepare legal documents and correspondence to a high standard.

Skills

Diary management

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Typing skills (fast and accurate)

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Legal finance systems

Client Relationship Management systems

Job description

Owen Reed is looking for a Legal PA – Real Estate for a top law firm in Manchester.

This role sits in the firm’s Real Estate team, which encompasses environment, project planning, real estate finance and real estate litigation. The team advises on every stage of the life cycle of property, with areas of expertise including construction, development, energy and infrastructure, hotel and leisure, investment, landlord and tenant matters, planning, environment and compulsory purchase, property litigation, real estate finance and real estate tax.

Responsibilities

• Diary management responsibilities including making appointments, organising meetings and ensuring the smooth running of such meetings, including ordering refreshments where appropriate.
• File management responsibilities including opening and closing files and ensuring electronic filing systems are maintained accurately and kept up to date.
• Undertake email management (manage inboxes and file emails), ensuring urgent emails are promptly picked up by fee earners or forwarded to another fee earner in their absence.
• Proactive client liaison including taking messages, passing on information and dealing with simple queries.
• Work collaboratively with other secretarial support to provide a responsive and professional support service to fee earners and clients, including supporting additional fee earners during PA holidays and sickness.
• Manage and coordinate Partners’ billing and financial requirements, including producing WIP and aged debt reports.
• Deal with legal documentation and correspondence to a high standard.
• Manage the production of all documents (even those not typed personally) from initiation to delivery back to the relevant fee earner, involving Document Specialists where required.
• Organise conference calls on behalf of fee earners in a timely manner.
• Prepare client registration documents, engagement/assignment letters, conflict checks, money laundering documentation and audit letters with direction from the Partner or fee earner.
• Maintain CRM systems by updating InterAction and maintaining fee earner contact lists.
• Support Marketing and Business Development administration, including preparing alerters, presentations and contact sheets, organising events, booking venues, managing invite lists and coordinating event logistics.
• Use the InterAction platform to log fee earner business development activity and produce reports as required.
• Coordinate travel arrangements and produce travel packs where requested.
• Order searches and manage their delivery using TM Group and the Land Registry Portal.
• Undertake any additional ad hoc tasks as required.
• Be flexible and willing to work outside of office hours where client transactions require it.

Experience and Knowledge

• Previous experience as a Legal Secretary or Legal PA within a Real Estate department is essential.
• Excellent diary management, organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to build positive relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Fast and accurate typing skills.
• Experience producing legal documentation to a high professional standard.
• Professional telephone manner with the ability to accurately record and pass on messages.

Technical Skills

• Strong Microsoft Office skills including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Experience using a legal computerised finance system.
• Experience using a Client Relationship Management system.
• Minimum typing speed of 65 wpm with a high level of accuracy.

Who are we looking for?

We don’t have a type. We believe our differences are our strength. Varied cultures, approaches and experiences can only benefit the team and the firm as a whole.