The Role
There are five specific core areas of responsibility that the secretary will be required to provide. The work will include, but is not limited to the following:
Document management/document production
- Provide comprehensive and timely word processing service for the creation and amendment of documents using Word, Excel, Workshare Compare and other relevant technology. The majority of typing will come in the form of amendments to documents, anything from a few pages to 400 or more. The firm uses digital dictation and secretaries are required to operate as a team. (Digital dictation is also used to delegate tasks to secretaries as well as dictation for correspondence and documents).
- Ensuring documents returned to lawyers accurately reflect original request . This will include proof reading the document, checking spelling, grammar, sense, amendments and presentation.
- Prepare, collate and index legal documents.
- Binding of engrossed documents.
- Amending/re-formatting client documents.
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.
- Support the billing process e.g. ensuring that the bill is sent within agreed time and answering simple client queries, sorting out disbursements.
- Preparing, collating and sending out any monthly WIP charts to clients.
- Undertake online client searches and Companies House searches as requested by the lawyer.
- Undertake online insolvency/bankruptcy searches.
- Making payments by CHAPS/BACS, liaising with client regarding bank details beforehand.
Team Support
- A rota is operated within the department to ensure that there is cover during the lunch time period.
- Providing cover, as and when required, whilst other secretaries are away due to sickness or holiday.
- Providing additional support to other secretaries when they are busy.
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.
- Arranging couriers.
- Manage all filing activities, including opening new files, filing (mainly electronic), 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).
- Preparing invoices and uploading invoices to relevant client online billing systems.
- Answering calls, taking messages.
- Entering lawyer’s monthly expenses into Concur.
- Printing emails/attachments for lawyers.
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.
- 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.
- Arrange lunches for internal/external meetings.
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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. |