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 Recoveries Services Group provides a complete range of debt recovery services utilising cutting edge technology and with specialists dealing with different debt types, all operating under a centralised management structure allowing us to deliver consistently excellent service. Our structure ensures we can provide a full range of volume recoveries and litigation options, whilst ensuring that we have the expertise and experience to deal with complex and technical issues arising from volume recoveries.

Main Purpose of job

The successful candidate will join the new Leeds branch of our Recovery Services Group (RSG) team, who act for banks and finance houses and help them with disputes. They deal with all aspects of dispute resolution, which usually, but not always, involves litigation, using cutting edge technology to manage their caseload and provide an excellent service to clients both locally and nationally.  The Partner who leads the team is looking for a PA who will be a people person, with good organisational skills, an enthusiastic approach and ideally some experience of working within a litigation department.

• Diary management
• Organising meetings, travel arrangements, expenses, etc.
• Electronic filing of incoming and outgoing post and correspondence
• Typing of correspondence, reports and other documents
• Liaising with Finance and arranging cheque requisitions and other payments
• Interacting with clients and colleagues at other offices, mainly by telephone

• Previous experience of working within a litigation department within a law firm.
• 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, document management systems (PowerPoint and excel helpful but not a necessity).
• Taking care of, and paying attention to, 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, helpful with a positive can-do approach.
• Excellent communication skills.
• 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.
• Ability to deliver a quality service to both internal and external clients.

Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted.  These checks will include employment  references covering the last 5 years, proof of ID, proof of address covering the last 5 years, Personnel Vetting credit search (which will only highlight insolvency or County Court Judgments - should any adverse data show on the Personnel Vetting search then any offer of employment made will be withdrawn).

A Disclosure Barring Service check will also be carried out (previously known as a Criminal Records check). 

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.