Job Title: Litigation Secretary / PA to the Litigation Department and Managing Director
Location: Guildford
Salary: £24,000 – £30,000 per annum depending on experience
Job Type: Full Time, Permanent
The Company:
Lovetts Solicitors is an innovative, market-leading law firm who specialise in commercial debt recovery and litigation. Based in modern offices on the outskirts of Guildford with ample free parking, there is a vacancy within their focused, but friendly Litigation department.
Main Purpose of the Role:
To provide secretarial assistance to the lawyers in the Litigation Department, together with administrative support to enable the department to operate smoothly
Key Objectives:
1. Completing typing, copying, the preparation of papers and file/diary management is carried out promptly and neatly
2. Answer incoming calls to the litigation department, help direct the calls to the appropriate fee earner and/or assist with simple enquiries as required
3. Prepare monthly billing
4. Offer assistance to the Managing Director on an adhoc basis in arranging audits, insurance renewals, tenancy meetings etc
5. Office administration may also be required for monthly orders of stationery etc.
Key Responsibilities:
Administrative:
6. Answering calls for the Litigation department
7. Attending to:- General file management, including accurately inputting diary statuses for all Court hearing dates in electronic diaryAdding disbursements to the files and ensuring disbursement fees are paid promptlyPreparing end of month invoices to clients
8. Internet research on legal and commercial web sites
9. Provide the MD with support for the business including insurances, holidays/sickness, business stats, assisting with incoming and outgoing post
10. Manage purchasing function for office supplies including regular stock checks, re-ordering, checking suppliers invoices and ensuring both the Kitchen & Storage/stationery room are kept tidy at all times/liaise with the cleaner and other maintenance people as required
11. Arranging appointments and ensuring electronic diaries are kept up to date, where required.
12. Attending tenancy meetings, where required.
13. Liaising with other companies in the building, where required.
Secretarial:
14. Liaising with Counsels’ clerks.
15. Liaising with clients by telephone.
16. Audio typing
17. Litigation filing and post
18. Ensuring outgoing post is despatched daily
19. Use of electronic filing system
20. Complying with file opening and closing procedures
21. Collating documents for witness evidence
22. Assisting lawyers in preparing disclosure lists
23. Preparation of Trial bundles for use by the Court and Counsel
24. Preparation of Counsel’s instructions
Office Admin:
25. Maintaining stock and re-ordering stationery as required
26. Maintaining stock of tea, coffee, milk, biscuits etc and re-ordering as required
27. Maintaining stock of supplies for the franking machine and re-ordering as required
About you:
Knowledge:
Training will be provided upon the following where needed:
28. An understanding/knowledge of how a litigation department works; and
29. An understanding of standard office procedures.
Skills:
30. Attention to detail;
31. Ability to prioritise and organise tasks;
32. Mathematical and basic accounts;
33. Diary control and record keeping;
34. IT literate in all Microsoft programmes;
35. Accurate and fast typing skills; and
36. Work well in a team.
Experience:
37. Administrative and secretarial
Decision Making:
Complexity and Creativity:
Most work is carried out under the instructions or supervision of the lawyers. Initiative will be needed in relation to some dealings with clients and in the prioritisation of work. All staff are encouraged constantly to seek more efficient ways of carrying out the work of the Department.
Judgment and decisions:
38. Decisions are subject to overall supervision of lawyers but use of own initiative is required.
39. Interpretation and implementation of fee earner instructions.
Operational responsibility:
Responsible to the lawyers for the provision of support to Litigation department including:
Secretarial: Audio typing
Post: Saving scanned morning post to the file and updating statuses
Files: Creation, maintenance and closure of paper and computer files, logging of files transferred from other departments to the litigation department.
Benefits:
40. Flexible working – ability to be office based or remotely subject to agreement.
41. Quarterly bonus
42. Employee benefit programme, including discounts at various high street brands.
43. Regular staff events
44. Employee Assistance Programme