Legal Secretary

Shakespeare Martineau is a leading law firm that combines creativity, commerciality and clarity. We work with blue-chip companies, leading organisations, high street brands and individuals across the country.

Our multi-disciplinary team delivers a broad range of specialist legal services, and particularly stands out for its expertise across sectors including, but not limited to: energy, education, banking and financial services, investment funds, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. 

We’re proud of our people’s varied backgrounds and expertise. Our different qualities stand out and make us interesting to our clients.

We firmly believe in working hard and being ambitious. We look to recruit and develop talented people to achieve their potential - and who will contribute to achieving ours too.

Here you can fulfil your ambitions, whatever they are and however rapidly you want to achieve them. Together, and individually, we create exceptional results.

Our multi-disciplinary real estate group has a long-standing reputation for delivering astute practical counsel. It comprises not only lawyers but also town and country planners and sector focused financial advisors. We therefore take pride in having one of the best integrated groups.

The role:

You will be a key player in a very busy team, providing critical secretarial and administrative support to help our Nottingham-based Commercial Development Property legal team to deliver great service to our clients.  This comprises real estate, construction, planning lawyers and planners.

You will deal with the production of documents, including:

• sale and purchase contracts
• development agreements
• funding
• construction documentation
• planning agreements

You will also handle file set ups, engagement letters and quotes, searches etc., as well as archiving files and retrieval, SDLT applications, Land Registry applications and assist fee earners on client updates and reports.

We have great but demanding clients and a deserved reputation for quality and speed of response; the team works hard but enjoys celebrating success.  This role would suit someone with solid experience, who can handle pressure when needed.

We are not hierarchical and appreciate the contribution of all.  We can only produce good work if everyone is pulling together!  

Your key duties will be:

• providing timely and effective support to requests for assistance from members of the team
• accurately producing and amending correspondence and documentation by tracked changes, including the use of digital dictation
• attending to clients in person and on the phone taking messages and assisting, where appropriate
• use of a case management system to process and progress files
• managing file opening, closure and archiving
• producing bills and other financial administration
• managing diaries for the team, planning and organising meetings and making travel arrangements
• organising and maintaining departmental filing systems and document storage
• photocopying, scanning, faxing, printing, filing and other general administrative tasks

Skills and experience you will have:

• solid previous secretarial experience gained predominantly in property work / conveyancing
• fast and accurate keyboard skills
• confidence with IT systems to include Microsoft Word, Excel and ideally PowerPoint
• a minimum grade C pass at GCSE (or equivalent) in English Language and Mathematics

Key competencies you will need:

• the ability to work in a high volume and fast paced environment
• the ability to work well in a team and develop good working relationships with colleagues and others
• confident interpersonal skills with the ability to liaise openly and clearly with colleagues and clients
• to be able to produce a high standard of work, often to tight deadlines, whilst maintaining accuracy and good attention to detail
• the ability to prioritise well and be able to cope with challenging and changing demands
• to be able to demonstrate professionalism, flexibility, initiative and self confidence

About you- you will be:

• highly enthusiastic and willing to go the extra mile
• respectful towards others and have a positive, willing and ‘can do’ attitude
• keen to learn, interested in driving your own career progression and be proactive in taking ownership of this

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. Details of the checks can be found here.

Shakespeare Martineau is a committed equal opportunities employer. We seek to attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. We value and respect individuality and encourage a culture within our business where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths and experiences. Everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.