Overview of the vacancy
The purpose of this role is to provide direct support to fee earners to enable them to operate at optimum efficiency and to provide wider administrative support to other team members as required. This will include but will not be limited to the main responsibilities given below which will require a high degree of self management and initiative.
Key tasks, duties and quality standards
- Handle and manage transaction completions, with assistance from fee earners.
- Prepare completion statements and address any outstanding financial queries post-completion.
- Handle all post-completion tasks, including timely filing, submission and lodging of documents with Companies House, HM Land Registry and/or other third parties, as appropriate (e.g. registration of title, discharge of mortgages, registration of new charges).
- Communicate with clients, third party solicitors and other relevant parties to provide updates on progress of matters, address any questions or concerns they may have and in respect of all necessary post-completion actions.
- Ensure all post-completion activities comply with relevant regulations and legal standards, including Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements and data protection laws.
- Prepare correspondence and documents to include transcribing digital dictation.
- Administer filing which will include daily filing and the opening, closing, storage and retrieval of client files in accordance with the detailed procedures contained in the office manual.
- Prepare mail and enclosures for dispatch.
- Arrange for all copying to be done, in person if an office assistant is not available to undertake the task.
- Make appointments, arrange meetings and to maintain an up to date diary for his/her principal(s).
- Provide support to other secretaries as required, including guidance to junior and temporary secretaries when required to do so.
- Progress client matters without fee earner supervision and in the absence of a fee earner.
- Attend clients both in person and on the telephone and to provide such support in a professional and friendly manner in keeping with the firm’s standards for client care.
- Provide general administrative support to the department, including document preparation, filing, and correspondence management.
- Undertake any specific training when required to do so and overall to have a responsibility towards self-development.
- Ensure the confidentiality of all the firm’s and clients’ documentation and information.
- Undertake on-line form filing requirements including Companies House and Land Registry forms and dealing with post-completion registration formalities including Land Registry requisitions.
- Operate the firm’s case management system.
- Consider improvements to the efficiency of the department.
- Undertake other duties as from time to time required.
This job description is non exhaustive and the firm reserves the right to vary the duties and responsibilities of the post holder at any time according to the needs of the firm’s business.
Qualifications
Good general level of education.
Essential personal qualities and attributes, skills, knowledge and abilities
- Substantial previous Legal Secretarial experience including at least 2 years’ experience in commercial property matters (for internal promotions from Senior Legal Secretary to PA this will include at least 1 year’s experience in the specialist area at TWM), specifically in relation to post-completion work.
- Prior experience with Companies House and Land Registry applications/Portal processes.
- Advanced IT skills in relevant packages including DocuSign and data room software (such as Egress).
- Excellent (speed) typing skills.
- Keeps up with fee earners’ work production and has a very good understanding of how their fee earner(s) like to work.
- High accuracy levels.
- Demonstrates a pro-active approach to work with a positive attitude.
- Demonstrates an excellent level of attention to client service, being able to interact well with both internal and external clients.
- Demonstrates ability and willingness to work to deadlines, cope under pressure, prioritise workloads effectively, work as part of a team including the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously.
- Demonstrates clear commitment to the firm and a genuine interest in legal work.
- Demonstrates a high level of courtesy and respect in dealing with all colleagues including colleagues, clients and business contacts.
- Demonstrates a willingness to take on other tasks as required by fee earner(s).
Desirable skills, knowledge and abilities
- Prior knowledge of Practice Evolve or other case management systems.
- Knowledge of law/legal practice.
Contact us
If you are interested, please send your CV and covering letter to jobs@twmsolicitors.com.
TWM Solicitors (www.twmsolicitors.com) is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
No agencies please
