Legal Secretary

Birketts; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Birketts is seeking an accomplished administrative professional to support our Private Client team in Chelmsford. The successful candidate will deliver high-quality secretarial support on estate and property matters, continuity in services, and maintain effective communication with fee earners. We offer a flexible and inclusive working environment with generous benefits including hybrid working options.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

Private healthcare

Pension scheme

Profit share

Qualifications

• Typing speed of at least 50 wpm.
• Excellent spelling and punctuation.
• Discretion in handling sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional, proactive, high-level secretarial support.
• Manage diaries of fee earners and process expense claims.
• Support team members and engage in team activities.

Skills

Strong administration experience

Excellent communication skills

Attention to detail

Self-motivation

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Excel

Job description

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You will work in the Private Client team to provide professional, proactive, high-level secretarial support on a broad range of issues relating to estates and private property, tax, and planning. You will work with an allocated fee earner or group of fee earners as well as supporting the wider fee earning team.

The team covers:

• Succession planning
• Creation, administration, and termination of trusts
• Advice to Trustees and Beneficiaries
• Trust Taxation
• Offshore trusts
• Lasting Powers of Attorney
• Administration of Estates

Purpose of job

You will work in the Private Client team to provide professional, proactive, high-level secretarial support on a broad range of issues relating to estates and private property, tax, and planning. You will work with an allocated fee earner or group of fee earners as well as supporting the wider fee earning team.

The team covers:

• Will drafting
• Succession planning
• Tax-efficient lifetime giving
• Disputed Wills
• Creation, administration, and termination of trusts
• Advice to Trustees and Beneficiaries
• Trust Taxation
• Offshore trusts
• Lasting Powers of Attorney
• Administration of Estates

Technical ability:

• To produce and amend documents with speed and accuracy
• To format, paginate, number, and present documents in Birketts LLP house style
• To proofread all work, checking for spelling and grammar
• To be a user of key software packages and take responsibility for any training needs to improve relevant skills needed to meet the needs of the business
• To proactively work with the fee earners to ensure relevant documentation is produced to meet clients’ expectations and deadlines

Administrative skills:

• Manage diaries of allocated fee earners in Microsoft Outlook, including making appointments, arranging meetings/conferences, sending and responding to invites
• Process expense claims, payment requisition forms, and all forms including new client, new matter, money laundering, and training course booking forms
• Ensure all electronic and paper-based filing is up to date and maintained regularly
• Carry out photocopying and scanning as required

Professional Skills:

• Clarify instructions from fee earners promptly if unclear or deadlines are not explicit
• Respond politely and professionally to internal and external telephone enquiries, taking accurate messages
• Support other secretarial team members and provide cover as necessary to ensure high-standard work and deadlines are met
• Support fee earners in all activities and perform any other duties reasonably requested

General Approach:

• Show a positive approach and interest in the work undertaken by fee earners
• Show initiative in responding to queries and seeking solutions
• Support fee earners when clients demand high-quality deliverables
• Build and maintain working relationships with fee earners and team members, actively engaging in team activities

The candidate

You should have operational contribution abilities, excellent communication skills, and demonstrate:

• Strong administration experience
• Positive, enthusiastic, and professional attitude
• High attention to detail, organizational skills, and reliability
• Self-motivation, initiative, and eagerness to learn
• Willingness to share new processes to support the team

Skills

• Typing speed of at least 50 wpm
• Excellent spelling and punctuation
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Discretion in handling sensitive information
• Proficiency in Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Positive team-oriented approach
• Good telephone manner
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Self-motivation and initiative
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Reliability and organization
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Commitment to ongoing learning and development

Equal opportunities

At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth. We offer a flexible and inclusive work environment with benefits such as 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays, private healthcare, pension scheme, profit share, and more. We embrace hybrid working and welcome applications for flexible, part-time, and agile roles.

Please note that this job profile is not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned. Birketts is an Equal Opportunity Employer, promoting diversity and inclusion in our hiring practices.