Legal PA - Riyadh

A&O Shearman; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A&O Shearman in Riyadh is seeking a Legal Personal Assistant to support the Debt Finance team. You will work with the global co-head and management to handle diary management, travel arrangements, and confidential document prep, enabling lawyers to focus on legal work and client development.

The role covers end-to-end matter support, client communications, and collaboration with offices worldwide, requiring discreet handling of sensitive information and strong organizational skills.

Qualifications

• Native-level Arabic language skills.
• Experience partnering with senior stakeholders to influence business objectives.
• Strong organizational and communication abilities.

Responsibilities

• Support with diary management, travel arrangements, and document preparation for fee earners.
• Coordinate meetings and ensure timely submission of presentations and papers.
• Assist with end-to-end deal/matter support and project-related tasks.
• Handle finance-related tasks, billing processes and time recording.
• Support business development activities, client pitches and events.

Skills

Arabic language proficiency

Stakeholder collaboration

Analytical thinking

Prioritization

Communication skills

Job description

We have an exciting new opportunity for a Legal PA to join our Debt Finance team, based in the A&O Shearman Riyadh office.

What you will do

In this role, you will work with the global co-head of the relevant global practice group and the related management team to support them with appropriate aspects of their roles, including interaction with practice group teams in various offices across the firm.

Additionally, you will provide fee earners with effective high-quality PA support that appropriately meets their requirements, enabling them to focus on providing legal services and client development. In particular, support with effective diary management; all matters with regard to finance; travel arrangements; communication control (telephone, email and post); and preparation of confidential and often complex documents and presentations.

General PA Duties

• Daily maintenance of diary events and organisation of the day-to-day schedule of partners, counsel and fee earners, to include the identification and resolution of potential issues


• Coordination of meetings, to include the consideration of and responsibility for ensuring all necessary arrangements are made


• Proactive management of fee earners to ensure that they attend meetings on time and with the appropriate documents/presentations


• Respond to telephone calls in a professional manner, acting as a filter to manage and control calls


• Proactive management of emails, voicemails and general post, using initiative to route emails to the appropriate individuals for swift response and action, ensuring that tasks are highlighted and responded to appropriately


• Planning and coordination of comprehensive travel programmes, to include booking flights, hotels, car transfers, and preparation of itineraries etc.


• Preparation of holiday/absence handover notes and liaison with team with regard to covering fee earner absences


• Deal/Matter Support – Coordination of file opening, client care, and end of matter details


• Assist with setting up Compass meetings for associates and mid/end of seat reviews for trainees


• Support with on-boarding of associates


• Assist with any projects the partners are leading on

End to end Deal/Matter Support

• Coordinate and take responsibility for the matter inception process


• Proactive preparation and completion of appropriate engagement letters and terms


• Regular engagement with matter manager and team to identify and support efficiencies throughout the lifecycle of a matter


• Manage all aspects of matter administration and provide guidance regarding protocols

Document Support

• Type letters, correspondence, presentations, reports and legal documentation, including digital dictation if applicable


• Proofread all work to ensure that completed documents are delivered accurately and to the appropriate high standard


• Prepare or ensure availability of necessary agendas, presentations and meeting papers, including printing and timely distribution


• Complete urgent document edits for matters (other document work to document production) where these are not being done by DP


• Liaise with Document Production, where required, to ensure timely return and completion of documents

Finance

• Demonstrate an understanding of the end-to-end billing process and financial system


• Take responsibility for submission of expense claims on behalf of fee earners and maintenance of copies


• Routinely update Intapp Time; complete and close timesheets where appropriate and prompt fee earners where necessary


• Attend WIP meeting (if appropriate) and liaise with billing team to ensure any write-offs are actioned before production of all relevant documentation


• Edit time narratives within 3E


• Use 3E to view time on matters; print billing guides and prepare invoices


• Work alongside the Working Capital Controller and Credit Control team in all aspects in relation to billing, ensuring disbursement invoices are authorised and added to the file in preparation for billing


• Ensure all follow up actions are completed following the monthly working capital meetings


• Facilitates and educates about process for submission of expense claims for fee earners


• Management of partners/counsel expenses

Business Development

• Work on client pitches, to include awareness of date for submission to client; liaison with Business Development, Creative Services and local printers for timely production of documentation


• Coordinate/organise client events and ensure all details, post-event, are followed up


• Undertake research on clients or potential clients, including putting together briefing packs as and when required


• Maintain/update Dynamics experience records and events calendar; liaise with fee earners and Business Development to ensure all information is collated


• Monitor contact with key clients and prompt for a call, lunch, or meeting. Advise partner of key activities of client (e.g. birthdays, maternity leave etc.)


• Understand and appreciate key client contacts and build relationships with PAs at key clients


• Ensure A&O Shearman databases are kept up to date

What you will have

The successful candidate will hold:

• Native-level Arabic language skills


• Proven experience partnering with senior stakeholders to influence and deliver business objectives.


• Strong commercial awareness, analytical thinking and sound judgement.


• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.


• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively.


• Professional, discreet, and trusted in handling confidential information.


• Collaborative team player committed to continuous learning and development.

• Successful candidates will need to provide the following:
  
  
  • A copy of the national ID/Iqama
  
  
  
  

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.