Practice Assistant

Farrer & Co; Greater London; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm in London is seeking a proactive and organized individual for a full-time role. The position involves diary management, client service, document production, and financial risk management. Candidates should have GCSEs in Mathematics and English, along with prior secretarial experience in a law firm. Flexibility in working hours is essential to meet client demands. The firm values diversity and encourages applications from all backgrounds.

Qualifications

• GCSEs in Mathematics and English (Grade C or above) are essential.
• Previous secretarial experience in a law firm is essential.

Responsibilities

• Effective diary management and processing applications with minimal supervision.
• Providing excellent service to clients and assisting in marketing communications.
• Creating high-quality documents and maintaining accurate file records.

Skills

Client Service

Diary Management

Document Production

IT Skills

Education

GCSEs in Mathematics

GCSEs in English

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Working hours: Full-time (Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 5.30pm)

Reports to: Departmental Support Manager

Team: Corporate

Location: London

The Firm

Farrer & Co is synonymous with the highest quality legal advice and service.

We advise individuals, families, businesses, financial services, educational and not-for-profit organisations on every aspect of the law, wherever the need arises. From our offices in London, we work with trusted professionals around the world to deliver a seamless international service.

Our clients present us with complex and varied challenges. Whether that's a complicated family trust issue, a multinational corporate transaction, or an emerging threat to their reputation, they need clear thinkers who can advise on the best solutions, fast thinkers when speed is of the essence, and agile thinkers who can produce a fresh approach to get the job done. That's why they choose us.

Our clients value our in-depth knowledge, technical excellence, and diversity of disciplines. But what really binds our long-standing relationships with them is our approach: pragmatic, plain speaking, and always steadfast in our values, which we hold dear. Values which mean we gain our clients' trust, always strive to do the right thing, and aim for the best results for them.

The Team

We advise on a wide spectrum of contentious and non-contentious corporate matters, including clients such as global corporates, private equity funds, AIM listed companies (and Nomads), as well as entrepreneurial owner/managed businesses. While most of our deals were in the £10m - £40m range in 2010/11, we also undertake smaller transactions. Our team has a wealth of specialist expertise, particularly in publishing, radio, hotel and leisure, sovereign wealth funds, partnerships, and healthcare.

Responsibilities

Organisational Support

• Effective and proactive diary management, with awareness of Fee Earners' workloads to plan ahead, with minimal supervision
• Processing relevant applications, forms, or searches with minimal supervision
• Good knowledge of all systems/processes used within the Department

Client Relationship and Business Development

• Providing excellent service to clients, both internal and external, in a timely and professional manner, presenting a positive image of the Firm at all times
• Acting as a first point of contact for Fee Earners
• Assisting in the delivery of marketing communications and recording all business development meetings in InterAction
• Respecting and maintaining client confidentiality at all times

Document Production

• Creating high-quality, formatted documents in accordance with house style, quickly and accurately
• Using the Document Management System effectively
• Creating documents from templates, using contact data from InterAction where appropriate
• Proofreading all documents for spelling, grammar, and clarity, querying wording where necessary

IT Skills/Systems

• Maintaining proficiency in core IT applications including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

File Management

• Working proactively with Fee Earners to maintain and update files, ensuring all files are current, closed, and archived as appropriate
• Keeping accurate records of files sent to off-site storage via Records

Financial Risk Management

• Preparing bills as required by Fee Earners
• Preparing AML documentation and obtaining relevant client documentation promptly
• Carrying out conflict searches and correctly identifying work types

Skills and Experience

• GCSEs or equivalent in Mathematics and English (Grade C or above) are essential
• Previous secretarial experience in a law firm is essential

Special Aspects

The normal working hours are 9.30am – 5.30pm, but flexibility and commitment to work beyond these hours when necessary are required to meet client demands.

Farrer & Co operates an agile working framework, expecting members to spend at least 40% of their hours in the office, with flexibility for more depending on circumstances.

We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds. If you require adjustments during the interview or application process, please inform the recruitment team.

Comments

Pre-employment screening, including criminal history and credit checks, will be conducted for successful candidates.