Private Client - Administration Assistant (COP)

Clarke Willmott; Bristol; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A national law firm in Bristol is seeking an Administration Assistant for full-time, office-based work. The role involves providing proactive support to fee earners in the Court of Protection team, managing client inquiries, and ensuring document organization. Candidates should demonstrate strong communication skills, exceptional organization, and the ability to work under pressure. Experience in a legal environment is a plus but not essential. Join a supportive team environment that values diversity and individual contributions.

Benefits

Comprehensive learning and development programme

Wellbeing initiatives

Flexible benefits

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a busy administrative or office-based role.
• Ability to work closely to deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Exceptional organizational and proactive skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive support to Lawyers and Caseworkers.
• Manage incoming and outgoing post, liaising with Facilities Management.
• Open, close, and archive client files.

Skills

Proactive support

Strong communication skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

About The Role

We have a fantastic full time and permanent opportunity for an Administration Assistant to provide proactive and professional support to fee earners in our Court of Protection team in Bristol. You will be one of two Administrators supporting our team of 22. Our expert Court of Protection team has established an exceptional reputation based on their expertise, you will play a vital role in providing them with administrative support. This position is based from our beautiful Bristol office, based in the heart of the city and close to public transport links.

This is a full-time position that is fully office based Monday to Friday.

Day to day, you’ll be successful in this role by:

You will provide high quality and pro‑active support to our Lawyers and Caseworkers in Bristol. Your workload will be varied, and your regular duties will include:

• Dealing with incoming and outgoing post and liaising with our Facilities Management team where required.
• Collating enclosures for letters going out to clients
• Opening, closing and archiving client files
• Ensuring documents and records are stored appropriately, including ensuring filing and e‑filling is up to date and accessible
• Receiving and dealing with client enquiries for the release of wills, deeds and other items from safe storage.

At times you may be the first point of contact for clients and have regular communication with them (taking messages, arranging meetings etc.), so should demonstrate professionalism, diplomacy and sensitivity in all your communications.

You may also be involved in other administrative/secretarial activities both for your fee earners and others as required, including helping other administrators and secretaries during busy periods, and to cover absences from work.

This is a busy role, with deadlines to manage and competing priorities, so you will be required to work quickly, accurately and efficiently and remain calm under pressure. You will be expected to think ahead to meet the needs of your fee earners and clients.

It is an integral part of this role that you comply with information security and all firm policies and procedures.

This role is right for you if:

Previous experience of working within a legal environment would be of benefit but is not essential for this role. If you have some experience of working within a busy administrative or office based role and have a genuine interest in working within the legal sector, we would very much like to hear from you.

This role will suit you if you would like to prioritise your own workload, work closely to deadlines, and can work with minimum supervision and under pressure. You will need to demonstrate from experience that you are exceptionally organised and proactive, helpful, with a flexible “can‑do” attitude, and that you have the skills to work closely with various stakeholders and have direct contact with clients.

We expect you to be someone who takes pride in your work and in providing a first‑class support service to your fee earners, anticipating their needs in advance wherever possible, and paying meticulous attention to detail in all of your work.

You will have excellent spelling and grammar, be proficient with the usual Microsoft packages, including Excel and Outlook, and comfortable with learning new databases and other software packages.

Finally, we are looking for someone who can demonstrate initiative and problem‑solving skills and a willingness to learn and develop, which will help you thrive in this role.

About Us

Who we are:

You’ll be joining a national law firm that enjoys a strong reputation, made possible by our exceptional people – each chosen for their industry knowledge and passion for their field. We want to help you to reach your full potential, love the work you do and deliver the best results for your clients. It’s our goal to make you feel great about working with us, and we work hard to cultivate a culture that makes it easy for you to stay with us for many years.

We work flexibly and you’ll be empowered to work where you do your best work, balancing your individual needs with the need for us to engage as teams and deliver excellent client service.

What we can offer you:

A career at Clarke Willmott will feel different to other law firms. We thrive on our individual differences and diversity because as a team, we are united by our shared values and mutual respect. Working with us you will feel empowered, valued and free to be yourself in a safe and supportive environment.

Our mission is to help you realise your full potential whilst maintaining a positive work‑life balance. We provide a comprehensive learning and development programme and a range of wellbeing initiatives to support your career journey.

There’s no doubt we expect the best from our people and even the occasional extra mile. In return, your dedication and commitment to the continued success of the firm will be rewarded with a comprehensive range of flexible benefits.