Legal Secretary (Employment, Pensions and Immigration) - Bristol
Application Deadline: 6 April 2025
Department: Employment, Pensions and Immigration - Bristol
Employment Type: Permanent
Location: Bristol
Description
DAC Beachcroft has an exciting opportunity for a Legal Secretary to join our Employment Pensions and Immigration team on a full-time, permanent basis in our Bristol office.
Forming an integral part of an established team of 2 secretaries and a team administrator, the main purpose of this role is to provide an excellent and high standard of secretarial support to a team of fee earners (including those with senior management responsibilities) across the practice area in Bristol.
Key Responsibilities
Secretarial support
* Effective prioritisation and ownership of tasks whilst managing a full workload
* Providing a first-class client-facing service, liaising positively with clients and their support staff over the phone, email and in person, and building relationships as appropriate
* Booking client and internal meetings, video and audio conferences
* Helping to set up new clients by getting Company reports, Creditsafe reports and completing New Client Administration Forms
* Accurate and timely preparation of correspondence, agreements and other documents, including from digital dictation
* Creating and editing spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations, making the most of available technology and showing appropriate creativity to maximise professional impact of documentation
* Amending documents, proofreading and creating comparisons to highlight changes
* Inputting relevant information into the team's case management system
* Preparing electronic document bundles for fee earners
* Preparing draft engagement letters
* Opening and closing files
* Filing, archiving, photocopying and scanning documents as and when required
* Ensuring that client contact information is kept up to date on relevant systems
* Assisting with the booking of travel and accommodation arrangements
* Arranging client social events such as lunches and afternoon teas
* Booking attendance at external seminars
* Liaising with Counsel to organise conferences and book Counsel for hearings
* Proactively assisting with ad-hoc business development and communications activities e.g. client contact reports, delegate packs etc.
* Building and maintaining a level of individual knowledge required for the role
* Implementing DAC Beachcroft Way with regard to filing (client generated and administrative, e-filing and paper filing, document versions, sub-folders etc.), archiving and maintaining a comprehensive electronic file of record; undertake scanning and copying or coordinate through general office
* Undertaking scanning and copying or coordinating through general office
Financials
* Preparing expense claims
* Completing all accounts forms
* Providing billing, cash collection and accounts support to fee earners, including monthly invoice generation, monitoring work-in-progress and tracking paid/outstanding invoices
* Assisting with incoming billing, cash collection and accounts queries and liaising with external and internal support teams to resolve issues quickly and effectively
* Assisting fee earners in all matter financial management and disciplines. Working with Finance to ensure client balances are dealt with, bills are sent out promptly and that debt is proactively kept on top of. Where necessary, attending monthly meetings with your fee earners and Finance and taking forward actions agreed from those meetings
Diary management
* Using Outlook for reminders and tasks to ensure that all important dates are highlighted
* Scheduling appointments (both internally and externally) using the electronic diary
* Booking meeting rooms, arranging lunches, travel arrangements and all other appointments as required by the fee earners; liaising with Travel Champions regarding complex travel
General
* Helping maintain a clean office and clear desk
* At all times handling confidential information in line with the firm’s data security protocols
* Supporting on cost-saving initiatives such as cheaper travel options
* Regularly liaising with fee earners within your group and your STL to keep them updated as to workflows; ensuring you keep your fee earners updated regarding deadlines for work
* Sharing knowledge within the team relating to any changes within external client setups e.g. client contacts leaving/joining the client etc.
* Advising accounts/IT of any change of address/telephone numbers/change of name of any external client so that databases are updated
* Any other duties as may be reasonably required for the performance of your role
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
* Previous secretarial experience within a legal/professional services environment, ideally within an Employment team, is preferred (however not essential) with a minimum typing speed of 65wpm
* Qualified to a minimum of 5 GCSEs (including a grade C in English and Maths) or equivalent
* A secretarial NVQ/Diploma or equivalent would be beneficial but is not essential
* Must have good IT skills, particularly in Microsoft packages (including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and prior experience of working with a case management system is preferable
* Good working knowledge of Elite accounts software
* An excellent eye for detail with a concern for quality and accuracy
* A focused client service approach is essential
* Team-oriented and collaborative with a flexible, can-do attitude
* Ability to communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing
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