Legal PA

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 Real Estate group is one of the largest real estate teams in the UK, advising an impressive range of clients including commercial and residential developers, investors, major corporate occupiers and banks/funders. Offering exceptional market knowledge the team holds an outstanding reputation with clients and the market generally. “Clients are full of admiration for this team, noting it combines outstanding technical expertise with a “very” responsive service” (Chambers).

Our national Property Litigation team has extensive experience and unrivalled expertise in dealing with this complex area of the law. With one of the largest property litigation practices in the UK, we are able to assist clients in all areas of landlord and tenant litigation, and in any real estate dispute. We act, for example, in connection with break notices; dilapidations; forfeiture; land registration disputes; issues relating to landlord's consent; lease renewals; possession claims; recovery of rent and other arrears; rights to light and other easement disputes; service charge issues; property related insolvency; and restrictive covenants. We also advise on a number of niche areas of law, including property related telecommunications issues, judicial review, and agricultural law. Our clients include household names in the retail and leisure sectors, investment landlords, developers of both commercial and residential land, local authorities, and other public bodies.

Working alongside an existing PA to provide a full PA and secretarial service to the Northern Property Litigation Team which includes 4 Partners (one of which being the Head of the Manchester Office) and 6 other Legal Advisors, and where required cover any secretarial absences within the rest of the office.  This role requires proactive thinking to support the needs of the team.  This role includes but is not limited to the following:-

• Working closely with the Head of the Manchester Office on various initiatives/tasks;
• Liaising with clients mainly over the telephone.
• Organising meetings, travel arrangements etc.
• Travel booking for legal advisors
• Preparation of Expense claims.
• Minuting meetings.
• Assisting with the preparation of presentations.
• Full diary management.
• Email management.
• Collation and sending out of client reports.
• Undertaking regular billing /financial management relating to various clients.
• Preparing enclosures ready for signing and sending out with the post.
• Land Registry searches.
• Preparation of draft emails and correspondence for approval.
• Typing reports, file notes and attendance notes.
• Opening and closing client files in line with Real Estate and Firm policies.
• Undertaking all money laundering compliance on new client inception.
• Undertaking all conflict check compliance on new matter inception.
• Filing and eFiling of incoming and outgoing post and correspondence.
• Cheque requisitions.
• Undertaking all client filing management and archiving tasks.
• Updating Interaction with client contact details.
• Management of client data sites including uploading of documents and issuing invitations to third parties to access the site.
• Deeds management.
• Answering the telephone and dealing with routine enquiries

• Previous legal secretarial experience preferred within Real Estate or similar practice area.
• Ability to be pro-active and deliver a quality service to both internal and external clients
• Self-motivated and able to work without supervision and to a high standard
• Good working knowledge of various applications – Word, Outlook, digital dictation (Powerpoint and Excel helpful but not a necessity).
• Flexible with the ability to adapt to change, new practices and cope under pressure.
• 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.  The ability to meet competing client and Legal Adviser demands is fundamental to the role.
• Excellent presentation skills reflected in their work.
• Excellent document production skills in particular within Word.
• Excellent and accurate keyboard skills required, as you will be required to obtain typing speeds to a minimum of 60 wpm.
• Taking care and attention into all correspondence and documentation.
• Occasional ability to be flexible to meet the demands of the work.
• 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 one’s own initiative.
• Work as part of a team ensuring telephones/lunch cover.

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.