Legal Secretary - Birketts LLP : Job Details

The Firm

Bristol is our seventh office opening in the early Autumn so come and be part of the founding team. Since January 2021 we have had a 'hub’ which has hosted our Southwest based partners but to reflect our growth in this area and the firm strategy we are now here to stay. We are establishing a full-service presence in Bristol, and this is an exciting opportunity to be part of that and help form the office as we grow.

Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership. Sustainability was a key factor in determining our choice of office in Bristol.

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and lel professionals with our other offices being located in in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: real estate, corporate services, litigation and private client advisory.

The department

The international private client team is a cross office team and consists of 8 lawyers, currently located in our Bristol, London and Cambridge offices.

We act as trusted advisers to international individuals, families, trustees, family or owner-run businesses and trust companies.

We place particular priority on continuity and fostering close long-term relationships with contacts and clients in order to provide practical advice and commercial solutions on a very wide variety of tax, trust and estate planning situations that arise.

Purpose of job

You will work in the international private client team to provide professional, pro-active, high level secretarial and administrative support on a broad range of issues relating to tax, trusts and succession advice. The team work mainly on a paperless basis although original documents (eg; Wills, trusts, LPAs) will need to be produced and stored appropriately once executed.

Accountabilities

Technical ability

• To produce and amend documents with speed and accuracy
• To format, paginate, number and present documents in BirkettsLLP house style
• To proof read all work, checking for spelling and grammar
• To be a user of key software packages and take responsibility for any training needs to improve relevant skills needed to meet the needs of the business
• To pro-actively work with the fee earners to ensure relevant documentation is produced to meet clients’ expectations and deadlines

Administrative skills

• Familiarity with the creation and management of datarooms and file management processes
• Manage diaries of team leader and fee earners in Microsoft Outlook to include:
  • Making appointments
  • Arranging meetings and booking meeting rooms
  • Arranging conferences - internal & external
  • Sending and responding to invites
• Arranging national and international travel, preparing itineraries and booking /confirming travel arrangements; managing travel and business development budget
• To deal with client on-boarding including the processing of all forms (new client form, new matter form, money laundering form for file opening) and Arranging AML requests through Thirdfort
• To ensure that all electronic filing and paper based filing is up to date and maintained at regular intervals
• Assisting with billing and financial processes including:
  • Raising bills and assigning to fee earners
  • Producing WIP breakdowns for invoices
  • Preparing reports for monthly billing meetings
  • Producing credit notes
  • Preparing monthly billing information for team
• Photocopying and scanning as required
• Reviewing files to ensure compliance with Lexcel reviews
• Reconciling the team leader’s firm credit card each month
• Processing expenses
• Dealing with file closures
• Adding contacts, referrals and meeting activities to Intapp

The candidate

You will have the ability to contribute at an operational level, with excellent communication skills and can demonstrate general skills in:

• Strong administration experience
• Positive, enthusiastic and professional approach
• Strong attention to detail, high level organisational skills and reliable
• Self-motivated with an ability to use own initiative with a desire to learn
• A desire to share new processes to support the wider team
• Strong typing speed of at least 50 wpm
• Excellent spelling and punctuation
• Excellent written and verbal communications
• Ability to use discretion
• Excellent IT skills, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel
• Positive and enthusiastic approach to team work
• Good telephone manner

Equal opportunities

We are committed to recruiting individuals on merits of suitability for each role, on the basis of qualifications and experience. All applications are treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation, race, disability, religious beliefs and any other protected characteristic, ensuring that there are equal opportunities at all stages of the recruitment process.

Benefits

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays rising with service
• Long Service holiday award - 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare - BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
• Staff Profit Share / Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Season Ticket Loan
• Gym Flex membership
• Electric car scheme
• Dress for your Day Policy
• Agile Working Policy