Litigation Secretary / PA

Job Title: Litigation Secretary / PA to the Litigation Department and Managing Director

Location: Guildford

Salary: £24,000 - £30,000 per annum depending on experience

Job Type: Full Time, Permanent

The Company:

Lovetts Solicitors is an innovative, market-leading law firm who specialise in commercial debt recovery and litigation. Based in modern offices on the outskirts of Guildford with ample free parking, there is a vacancy within their focused, but friendly Litigation department.

Main Purpose of the Role:

To provide secretarial assistance to the lawyers in the Litigation Department, together with administrative support to enable the department to operate smoothly

Key Objectives:

• Completing typing, copying, the preparation of papers and file/diary management is carried out promptly and neatly
• Answer incoming calls to the litigation department, help direct the calls to the appropriate fee earner and/or assist with simple enquiries as required
• Prepare monthly billing
• Offer assistance to the Managing Director on an adhoc basis in arranging audits, insurance renewals, tenancy meetings etc
• Office administration may also be required for monthly orders of stationery etc.

Key Responsibilities:

Administrative:

• Answering calls for the Litigation department
• Attending to:-
  • General file management, including accurately inputting diary statuses  for all Court hearing dates in electronic diary
  • Adding disbursements to the files and ensuring disbursement fees are paid promptly
  • Preparing end of month invoices to clients
  • Internet research on legal and commercial web sites
  • Provide the MD with support for the business including insurances, holidays/sickness, business stats, assisting with incoming and outgoing post
  • Manage purchasing function for office supplies including regular stock checks, re-ordering, checking suppliers invoices and ensuring both the Kitchen & Storage/stationery room are kept tidy at all times/liaise with the cleaner and other maintenance people as required
  • Arranging appointments and ensuring electronic diaries are kept up to date, where required.
  • Attending tenancy meetings, where required.
  • Liaising with other companies in the building, where required.

Secretarial:

• Liaising with Counsels’ clerks.
• Liaising with clients by telephone.
• Audio typing
• Litigation filing and post
• Ensuring outgoing post is despatched daily
• Use of electronic filing system
• Complying with file opening and closing procedures
• Collating documents for witness evidence
• Assisting lawyers in preparing disclosure lists
• Preparation of Trial bundles for use by the Court and Counsel
• Preparation of Counsel’s instructions

Office Admin:

• Maintaining stock and re-ordering stationery as required
• Maintaining stock of tea, coffee, milk, biscuits etc and re-ordering as required
• Maintaining stock of supplies for the franking machine and re-ordering as required

About you:

Knowledge:

Training will be provided upon the following where needed:

• An understanding/knowledge of how a litigation department works; and
• An understanding of standard office procedures.

Skills:

• Attention to detail;
• Ability to prioritise and organise tasks;
• Mathematical and basic accounts;
• Diary control and record keeping;
• IT literate in all Microsoft programmes;
• Accurate and fast typing skills; and
• Work well in a team.

Experience:

• Administrative and secretarial

Decision Making:

Complexity and Creativity:

Most work is carried out under the instructions or supervision of the lawyers.  Initiative will be needed in relation to some dealings with clients and in the prioritisation of work.  All staff are encouraged constantly to seek more efficient ways of carrying out the work of the Department.

Judgment and decisions:

• Decisions are subject to overall supervision of lawyers but use of own initiative is required.  
• Interpretation and implementation of fee earner instructions.

Operational responsibility:

Responsible to the lawyers for the provision of support to Litigation department including:

Secretarial: Audio typing

Post:  Saving scanned morning post to the file and updating statuses

Files:  Creation, maintenance and closure of paper and computer files, logging of files transferred from other departments to the litigation department.

Benefits:

• Flexible working – ability to be office based or remotely subject to agreement.
• Quarterly bonus
• Employee benefit programme, including discounts at various high street brands.
• Regular staff events
• Employee Assistance Programme

Please click on the APPLY button to send your CV and Cover Letter for this role.

Candidates with the relevant experience or job titles of; Legal PA, Legal Secretary, Legal Client Secretary, Legal Administrator, Personal Assistant, Legal Office Support, Compliance Executive, Corporate Legal Secretary, Compliance Secretary, Legal Business Support, Fee Earner Support, Compliance Assistant, PA, Personal Assistant may also be considered for this position.