Legal Secretary, Property Litigation

Legal Secretary, Property Litigation

Forsters is a Mayfair-based law firm which delivers exceptional legal results to its clients who are principally from the real estate and private wealth sectors. Whatever our client's objectives, we take a collaborative approach to find solutions tailored to the client's specific needs. We believe our engaged and friendly manner, combined with the delivery of concise, clear and commercially led advice helps to build long lasting relationships with our clients. Forsters has 56 partners and over 300 members of staff.

Job Title

Legal Secretary

Department

Property Litigation

Hours

9.30am – 5.30pm, Monday to Friday (however, flexibility will be required).

Job Summary

We currently have a vacancy for a Legal Secretary on a permanent basis to join our renowned and successful Property Litigation team working for 1 Partner and 6 associates.

This role requires exceptional secretarial, organisational and interpersonal skills with the ability to take ownership of their workload and work effectively with the central support functions. The successful candidate will currently be working at partnership level, able to effectively manage and prioritise workload and accommodate changing needs.

The ideal candidate will have previous property litigation experience, be a robust person who copes well under pressure who has the ability and flexibility to work to tight deadlines.

Key requirements

  • Solid experience of providing a first class legal secretarial service and administrative support, gained at partner level within a London law firm, to a busy team of allocated partners and fee earners.
  • Advanced knowledge of MS Office together with minimum typing speed of 65 wpm.
  • Knowledge of OYEZ / LaserForms, Land Registry and Companies House.
  • A highly engaged individual who proactively liaises at all levels and works to build relationships and works in partnership with all.
  • Proactively and consistently takes ownership of the team's workflow, highly adept at [utilising support departments/managing resources available] as part of providing regular workflow solutions and meeting deadlines.
  • Uses initiative and actively identifies and resolves issues to the advantage of whole team.
  • Exhibits strong professional skills including confidentiality, diplomacy and thorough understanding of the practice area and clients.
  • Displays openness to change and adapt.
  • Eager to develop the role, self and enhance skills.

Key Duties

  • Able to prepare, edit and proofread all documents adhering to house-style, either from digital dictation, general instruction or by personally drafting, with fastidious attention to detail and focus on quality.
  • Pro-actively and accurately managing Partners' and fee earners' inboxes and calendars ensuring all arrangements are made and rooms booked, reviewing and forwarding internal and external mail including effectively managing Partners' matters when they are out of the office;
  • Promptly and efficiently dealing with all tasks allocated; including but not limited to e-filing; paper filing; digital dictations; document mark-ups, administration and any other work given with a non-hierarchical approach; quality checking of all work; and all general maintenance of client files and folders.
  • Excellent management of communication including telephone calls, conversations and meetings including accurate message taking.
  • Responsibility for managing monthly billing process including preparing, drafting and submitting all bills at month end including collating of time reports and setting up of billing meetings for the partner, including time narratives where necessary, and ensuring all write offs are actioned, and all invoices are subsequently sent out.
  • Efficiently and proactively managing all AML and compliance requirements, client opening procedures including preparing client care letters and all associated administration duties including and submitting of hospitality reports on AML database.
  • Ensuring expense claims are submitted in a timely manner.
  • Arranging travel to include booking of travel and preparation of itineraries.
  • Effective liaison with other team secretaries in relation to day to day working and in cases of holidays and absences providing assistance to partners and fee earners as and when required.
  • Effective liaison with DP and Admin functions to ensure maximum efficiency around who does what to drive client service delivery successfully.
  • Assisting the partner with all BD related activities including understanding key clients and building relationships with key clients, pitches, client events, BD mailings, and ensuring Outlook contacts are kept up to date.

The size of the firm means that you are given a good amount of responsibility, but that you will be able to draw on the expertise of colleagues around the firm.
Candice Johnson, Trainee Solicitor
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