Team Administrator / Legal Secretary

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 500 lawyers and legal professionals based in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: property, corporate services, litigation and private client advisory.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.

Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do.  RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 5th best law firm to work at in 2024.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.

Our highly regarded Social Housing Team acts for a broad range of national and regional RPs, local authorities, private house-builders and funders on a wide range of issues affecting the sector.

To work as part of a very busy and rapidly growing Social Housing team to provide professional administration support to fee earners.

• To support and help with the Social Housing Partners, Legal Directors, Team Leaders and Paralegals
• File opening, general file management, file invoice preparation and case management support, including dictation and court bundle preparation support
• Accurately maintain and update client and other relevant contact details on the firm’s database
• Develop and maintain a good level of understanding of firm policy and process
• To carry out photocopying and scanning in accordance with the firm’s paper-lite and clear desk policies
• To proof read all work, checking for spelling and grammar
• Diary management, processing of expense claims and attending to travel and other business development arrangements
• Proactively support other secretaries within the team and provide cover as and when necessary
• Ensure that work is completed to a high standard and meets the required deadlines

• Previous administration and/or Secretarial experience essential
• Any experience working with Housing Associations or Local Authority’s welcome but not essential
• Excellent computer/technical skills in particular working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of software including Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint;
• Excellent spelling and punctuation;
• Ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels of seniority and liaise effectively with other internal departments and external contacts;
• Ability to use discretion;
• Positive and enthusiastic approach to team work;
• Good telephone manner;
• A flexible, highly motivated, proactive and ‘can do’ working style;
• Self-motivated, ability to use initiative and provide pro-active support to the Social Housing team;
• Good organisational skills, able to prioritise, make decisions and work effectively within a sometimes pressurised environment;
• Commitment to ongoing learning and development

We are committed to recruiting individuals on merits of suitability for each role, on the basis of qualifications and experience. All applications are treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation, race, disability, religious beliefs and any other protected characteristic, ensuring that there are equal opportunities at all stages of the recruitment process.

Core Benefits 

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays
• Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
• Staff Profit Share / Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance   - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid ESG day (Environmental, Social and Governance)
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Electric car scheme
• Eye Care Voucher
• Agile Working Policy
• Dress for your Day Policy

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile and part time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.