Legal PA

Shoosmiths - UK Law Firm of the Year Winner at the Legal Week British Legal Awards 2015.

A leading UK law firm with a network of offices from the South Coast to Scotland, working together as one national team. An innovative practice and the first top 100 law firm to achieve “Gold Standard” Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm. The lack of barriers between departments, a real lack of hierarchy, zero tolerance for arrogance and pomposity makes Shoosmiths a fantastic place to work.

Our specialist private client team is experienced in managing and implementing the strategies required to safeguard our clients' personal wealth and business assets. They are renowned for providing the specialist knowledge needed for even the most sensitive of cases. Our expertise ranges from wills, estate planning and probate matters, inheritance tax and succession planning to legal advice concerning mental capacity issues, dealing with the Court of Protection and charity law matters. In your private affairs doubtless you expect solutions that combine expertise, diligence and imagination to protect your assets and safeguard your wealth. Thoughtful and informed planning as well as professionally executed strategies are the hallmarks of the service provided by Shoosmiths' Wealth Protection Team. Their proven expertise in protecting assets and safeguarding wealth for high net worth private individuals ranges from advising salaried professionals and high profile business leaders to stars of stage and screen and National Lottery winners.

Providing a full PA secretarial service supporting Legal Advisors and, where required, covering any secretarial absences within the rest of the national team where necessary.  The national team are used to working cross-office, so the ideal PA will be flexible and adaptable often working on files purely electronically.  This role requires proactive thinking to support the needs of the Legal Advisor. 

• Typing of correspondence, documents and bills.
• Typing reports, file notes and attendance notes
• Preparing enclosures ready for signing and sending out with the post. 
• Filing of incoming and outgoing post and correspondence.
• Compiling and sending bills
• Chasing bills as per Legal Advisor instruction
• Expenses
• Cheque requisitions
• Keeping records of closed files
• Interaction with clients and third parties involved in the matter mainly over the telephone
• In house forms, laser forms (credit notes)
• Diary management
• Organising meetings, travel arrangements etc.
• Travel booking for legal advisors
• Answering the telephone and dealing with routine enquiries
• Attending meetings with clients to sign documents
• Updating the case management system
• The ability to open and close files to be able to cover the national role if the administrator is away from the office

• Excellent and accurate keyboard skills required, as you will be required to obtain typing speeds to a minimum of 60 wpm. 
• Good working knowledge of various applications – word, outlook, digital dictation powerpoint and excel.
• Taking care and attention with all correspondence and documentation
• Flexible with the ability to adapt to change, new practices and cope under pressure
• Excellent presentation skills reflected in their work
• A methodical and organised approach with keen attention paid to every detail
• Good organisational skills to ensure that the tasks are effectively scheduled within working time available, and that urgent work is completed and returned within the specified timescales.
• Friendly and helpful approach to dealing with queries
• Excellent communication skills and telephone manner
• Ability to prioritise, be organised and efficient
• Ability to work under pressure
• Good listening skills
• Able to integrate within a team as well as working on ones own initiative
• Work as part of a team ensuring telephones/lunch cover
• Ability to be pro-active and deliver a quality service to both internal and external clients

Shoosmiths is a committed Equal Opportunities employer promoting equality of opportunity. This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.