The role of the secretary is to provide a first class professional support service, to partner(s)/lawyer(s) within the department. The support provided will be as part of a team with shared responsibilities. The job content will be approximately 50% typing and document production and 50% administrative duties although the workload will vary on a day to day basis depending on the needs of the business.
Document management/document production
- Provide comprehensive and timely word processing service for the creation, amendment of documents using Word, Excel, DeltaView and other relevant technology i.e. PowerPoint, Laserforms and on line services. The majority of typing will come in the form of amendments to documents and are sometimes very lengthy, anything from a few pages to 400 or more. The firm uses digital dictation and secretaries are required to operate as a team to ensure that work which has been prioritised as urgent is dealt with first and within timescales set by the lawyer. (Digital dictation is also used to delegate tasks to secretaries as well as dictation for correspondence and documents).
- Ensuring documents returned to the lawyer accurately reflect original request before returning work. This will include proof reading the document, checking spelling, grammar, sense, amendments and presentation.
- Prepare, collate and index legal documents.
- Binding of engrossed documents.
- PowerPoint presentations.
Client Support
- Ensure the names of clients are known and the job holder is established as the point of contact in lawyer’s absence and on a day to day basis.
- Raising bills as part of the billing process e.g. ensuring that the bill is sent within agreed time and answering simple client queries, sorting out disbursements. Liaising with the finance department printing off reports, guides and work in progress (WIP) reports.
- Undertake online client searches and Companies House searches as requested by the lawyer.
- Making payments by CHAPS/BACS particularly in respect of completion monies.
Team Support
- Ensure detailed handover notes are provided so other team members can assume task responsibility in job holder’s absence.
- A rota is operated within the department to ensure that there is cover during the lunch time period and you will be notified about how this is organised.
- Providing cover, as and when required, whilst other secretaries are away due to sickness or holiday.
Administrative Support
- Undertake photocopying of documents, which can include agreements, bibles and disclosure bundles.
- Scanning of documents.
- Carry out management of post (internal and external), including replying and drafting replies to routine correspondence such as drafting and sending faxes and emails with attachments.
- Manage all filing activities, including opening new files, filing (including printing and filing emails and lawyer generated emails), archiving and sending files for storage.
- Setting up new clients and new matters on Lawsoft.
- Money laundering checks.
- Organise travel arrangements within the UK and abroad.
- Keep contacts lists up to date (Lawsoft and Outlook).
- Answering calls and taking accurate messages.
- Entering lawyer’s monthly expenses into Concur.
Diary/Meeting management
- Keep the lawyer’s diary up to date using Outlook and ensure it is available for others to view.
- Arrange internal and external meetings, liaising with reception for refreshments and car parking arrangements where necessary. Schedule forward meetings, appointments, diary notes.
- Ensure lawyer’s whereabouts is known and communicated to team and department at all times.
- Check lawyer's emails and telephone messages when away from office and ensure emails are correctly dealt with and/or fielded to the appropriate person.
- Any other ad hoc requirements from time to time.
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Stevens & Bolton is one of the largest teams of lawyers in the South outside London. Independently recognised as one of the UK's leading national law firms we build deep relationships with our clients, whose satisfaction with our services is the true measure of our success.
Our single office approach ensures excellent communications and efficient co-ordination of our resources. We handle complex and strategic work for our clients, but appreciate the importance of value for money, commercial awareness and flexibility. International work is as important to us as our domestic practice and we regularly work with many carefully selected law firms around the world.
We want enjoyment to be a primary driver in the working day - and a key 'reason to be here' for our employees. It's a philosophy that comes from the top and cascades through the organisation. It is upheld through a combination of factors: delivering quality in everything we do; securing stimulating, challenging work that stretches and rewards; employing truly distinctive, diverse people who willingly engage, collaborate and support; committing to continuous development for everyone; and providing a sustaining environment in which people can learn and grow. |