Hours of work
Monday to Friday 9.00 to 18.00 with flexibility to meet the demands of the job. A hybrid role with the option to work remotely for up to 40% each week where this is consistent with client and business needs.
Summary of role
Responsibilities will include scheduling and coordinating for a busy team, matter management, billing, supporting on client related matters, assisting to organise and run events, and playing a critical role in managing all routine and daily administrative tasks. A flexible and adaptable attitude is essential - as is the ability to take ownership, drive processes and support change within the business.
Key responsibilities
This role is for a proactive and highly competent Executive Assistant (EA) who will operate successfully in a professional and fast-paced environment. The ability to collaborate with fee earners and clients, provide professional and client-focused support, and build effective relationships, is key to the success of this role. It is critical that the chosen EA is highly organised and excels at coordinating meetings, conferences and appointments across time-zones and offices.
Administrative
- Proactively manage, control and fully understand fee earner diary using discretion and business knowledge to prioritise commitments. This will include extensive arrangement of appointments, conferences and meetings across different time zones and offices, using different processes and IT infrastructure (video-conferencing, tele-conferencing, client office software etc.).
- Develop and maintain a robust file management system for all electronic and hard copy correspondence and documents, ensuring adherence to the naming conventions policy.
- Regular liaison with fee earners to identify work commitments, prioritising workloads accordingly, weekly submission of team work list.
- Prepare for all meetings including preparation of all pre-reading documentation (if appropriate), follow up and coordinate all meeting actions, ensure they are properly recorded and dealt with, including any necessary follow-up communication.
- Extensive travel arrangements including liaison with travel company, arranging visas, booking travel and accommodation, arranging currency, preparing itineraries, printing all necessary documents, ensuring compliance with the firm's Travel Policy at all times.
- Coordinate and assist with global visitors.
- Arrange photocopying, printing, scanning, organising post and couriers etc.
- Ensure partner PDPRs are up to date.
- Assist in documenting the storage of wills and other original documents.
- Bind and prepare wills, trust deeds and other legal documents.
Client relationship management
- Build strong and effective relationships with both internal and external clients and their teams.
- Support lawyers in marketing activities, such as researching and obtaining client information and data, as well as involvement in preparation of pitches and presentations and hosting of client events.
- Support the internal business development team by undertaking an event secretary role, managing the e-alert process, assisting with legal directory administration and delegating tasks appropriately.
- Proactively maintain and update the client relationship management system, ensuring any follow-ups are actioned.
- Attend and contribute to team meetings as required, detail and progress action points as appropriate.
Financial
- Ensure all new client/matter onboarding processes are completed accurately and proactively, following up as appropriate and adhering to risk and compliance requirements at all times.
- On a weekly basis, produce and review Intapp new matter report to ensure all new matters are cleared for billing, following up to action as appropriate.
- Coordinate and action the production of accurate compliance documents (including drafting engagement letters, critical information and collection proforma etc.).
- Attend and actively participate in WIP and credit control meetings, undertaking and driving actions as agreed.
- Produce and review WIP reports, identifying matters for billing, write-offs, debtors, client credits and to identify matters that can be closed.
- Manage partners' billing processes: agreeing billing dates, gathering disbursements, initiating prebills, complete billing checklist (to include: time transfers, write-offs, applying discounts, returns to WIP, producing drafts and updating Expert as appropriate). Submitting prebills for approval.
- Prepare covering emails/letters and ensure completed invoices are dispatched in a timely manner and uploaded into delivered bills.
- Use Aderant to assist fee earners with financial queries, producing reports if required.
- Ensure disbursements and all client payments are processed accurately, having completed all relevant pre-checks.
- Undertake client audits and prepare draft documentation.
- Ensure expenses, receipts and contact reports are completed, uploaded and filed appropriately.
- Chase bills at fee earners' request and monitor fee estimates.
Communication
- Act as gatekeeper for fee earners, taking appropriate messages (including via telephone and email) and ensuring they are passed on/followed up appropriately.
- Use own initiative to manage post and email accounts: screening, prioritising and dealing with incoming emails and post in fee earners absence; develop and maintain systems to promote efficiency.
- Draft high quality correspondence, engagement letters, documents, agendas, presentations and spreadsheets or other (non-legal) correspondence on behalf of fee earners, actioning responses if appropriate.
- Manage fee earners calendar to ensure meetings are sufficiently spaced out and, if in person, are scheduled for days when the fee earner is in the office.
Document and File Management
- Proactively delegate document production and dictation transcription to appropriate resource, providing appropriate timeframes for work and checking returned work if required.
- Actively file documents appropriately within iManage, ensuring compliance with the Stephenson Harwood naming convention policy.
- Follow the Records Management policy and procedure, undertaking regular management of files and papers for fee earners, ensuring all documents are recorded electronically and recording original documents in the Records Management system prior to off-site storage. There is a clear desk policy and original documents should always be locked away before leaving the office.
- Undertake regular file reviews, closing finished matters when appropriate.
Additional Responsibilities
- Engage with your fee earners more extensively by proactively supporting them to be more efficient and effective in their jobs, identifying areas of responsibility and tasks to take ownership of.
- Drive processes through to delivery via appropriate workflows (i.e. partners, business service teams, etc.).
- Support additional stakeholders and colleagues as and when required.
- Identify and facilitate knowledge sharing within peer group and wider team.
- Mentor and coach junior members of the team.
- Identify areas for continuous improvement and implement solutions.
- Maintain strong knowledge of own practice, key matters, business issues and ‘hot topics; so that appropriate priority is given to queries and requests.
- Book restaurants, flights, hotels etc. and plan a clear itinerary for fee earners.
- Assist in the will management system.
- Help prepare regular follow ups for client and key contacts.
- Assist in preparing power point presentations.
Key requirements
- Strong academic background.
- Advanced Microsoft Office and Power Point skills.
- Commercial and financial acumen.
- A thorough understanding of working in a professional, service driven environment and maintain stakeholder/client/business confidentiality.
- Confident and professional manner with the ability to build strong relationships with fee earners and clients.
- Excellent communication skills and ability to interact at all levels.
- Collaborative and supportive of the business and its initiatives.
- Adaptable and open to change, demonstrating a willingness and confidence to make suggestions where appropriate and to learn new skills.
- Strong organisational skills and excellent attention to detail.
- Ability to remain proactive and flexible at all times.
- Reliable, hardworking, work to tight deadlines and remain calm when under pressure.
- Anticipate and identify potential problems and provide innovative solutions.
- A strong team player.
