Legal Secretary

Birketts; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Long Service holiday award

Private Healthcare with BUPA

Staff Profit Share

Salary sacrifice (Pensions)

Life Assurance - 4 x salary

Job summary

Birketts, a UK Top 50 law firm, seeks a Legal Secretary for its Residential Development team in a hybrid role based in Chelmsford or Cambridge. You will provide high-quality support to a busy team, handling documents, onboarding, and diary management, while delivering exceptional client service and teamwork.

The role offers hybrid working after probation, with 60% office days and 40% home working, and a range of benefits including private healthcare and savings options.

Qualifications

• Strong organisational and administrative skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Proactive, with attention to detail and client service.
• Proficient in Word, Excel, Outlook and time recording software.

Responsibilities

• Producing, amending and proofreading a wide range of legal documents with speed and accuracy.
• Formatting, paginating and presenting documents in line with Birketts' house style.
• Supporting client onboarding and matter management processes, including opening documentation and compliance forms.
• Maintaining accurate electronic and paper filing systems for easy access.
• Acting as a professional first point of contact for clients and colleagues.
• Managing busy Outlook diaries, coordinating meetings and arranging travel when required.
• Assisting the team with general administrative tasks to support legal services.

Skills

Organisational skills

Administrative skills

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Outlook

Time recording software

Case management

Digital dictation

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Outlook

Case management software

Digital dictation

Job description

Residential Development, Chelmsford or Cambridge

Main information

Term type:

Permanent

Department:

Residential Development

Location:

Chelmsford or Cambridge

About us

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning over 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: real estate, corporate services, dispute resolution and private client.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges and opportunities they may face. Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do.

With our ambition to succeed comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our Responsible Business strategy. Birketts is a certified B Corporation™, and diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 45% of our partnership as of 1 April 2026.

The team you will join

Our Residential Development team sits within our wider Real Estate Division and specialise in the acquisition, sale and development of land for an array of national and SME Residential Developers and Registered Providers. The team also works closely with other Birketts’ teams, which includes full support from tax, planning, environmental, construction and Real Estate litigation teams.

Our property lawyers are particularly experienced in dealing with development and investment, planning, secured lending and landlord and tenant matters.

The work you will be doing

We are seeking a Legal Secretary to provide high-quality support to a busy and collaborative team, playing a key role in ensuring exceptional service is delivered to our clients.

This is a varied and fast-paced role where no two days are the same. You'll work closely with lawyers and colleagues across the firm, helping to keep matters progressing smoothly while providing first-class administrative support.

What you'll be doing:

• Producing, amending and proofreading a wide range of legal documents with speed and accuracy.
• Formatting, paginating and presenting documents in line with Birketts' professional house style.
• Supporting client onboarding and matter management processes, including preparing new client and matter opening documentation and compliance forms.
• Maintaining accurate electronic and paper filing systems to ensure information is organised and easily accessible.
• Acting as a professional first point of contact for clients and colleagues, handling telephone enquiries and directing queries appropriately.
• Managing busy Outlook diaries, coordinating meetings and arranging travel when required.
• Assisting the team with general administrative tasks to support the efficient delivery of legal services.
• Building strong working relationships with colleagues across the firm and contributing to a positive team environment.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

What we are looking for

• Demonstrates strong organisational and administrative skills, managing tasks and priorities efficiently
• Self-motivated, ability to use initiative and provide pro-active support to fee-earners
• Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines
• Strong attention to detail to produce work documentation which is consistently of a high standard
• Professional integrity and a commitment to providing excellent client service
• To be competent in using Microsoft Word, Excel, time recording software, case management, Outlook and digital dictation

Hybrid Working

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. During your 3 month probation period, there will be a requirement to be in the office full time whilst you are developing in the role. Once you have successfully passed probation, this role attracts a split of 60% office days and 40% working from home days per week.

We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.

As a Birketts colleague, you will be eligible to receive a wide range of benefits:

• Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance

As a B Corporation, 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.

Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.

If you require this advert in an accessible format, please visithttps://diversityjobsgroup.com/company/birketts/

#IMP

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

At Birketts, we recognise the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal profession and recruitment. We welcome innovation and understand that candidates may use AI tools to support their job applications. However, we expect all applicants to use AI responsibly and ethically.

Our expectations regarding AI use in applications:

• Your application should reflect your own voice, experiences, and insights. AI may assist in structuring or refining your responses, but it must not replace your personal input.
• Do not use AI to misrepresent your qualifications, experiences, or skills. Any form of exaggeration or fabrication may result in rejection from the process.
• If you have used AI tools to assist with your application, be prepared to discuss how and why you used them during the interview process.
• Do not submit content generated by AI tools that may include personal or sensitive data not intended for public disclosure.
• AI-generated content should be reviewed and edited by you to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with the role and our firm’s values.

We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices. The use of AI should enhance, not compromise, your application. We encourage candidates to demonstrate critical thinking, commercial awareness, and a genuine interest in our firm.

If you have any questions about our expectations or the use of AI in your application, please contact our Talent Acquisition Team via [e-mail]