Legal Secretary – Conveyancing in Bury St Edmunds

Churchgates is a unique and powerful combination of Accountants, Tax Advisors, Solicitors, Financial Planners and Investment Managers under one roof. We believe that all people should be treated with respect and our culture is to maintain a friendly, professional environment where traditional values still count.

Our dedicated Legal team has a wealth of experience across a diverse range of services. This role will predominantly involve supporting a fee earner with residential and commercial conveyancing transactions, helping to ensure matters progress smoothly from initial instruction through to completion and post-completion. Duties will include:

The Role

• Preparing, formatting, checking and proofreading correspondence, legal documents and forms under the supervision of a fee earner, including audio and copy typing where required.
• Opening new client files, preparing engagement documentation, and ensuring matter details are recorded accurately on the relevant systems.
• Supporting the conveyancing process by preparing standard sale, purchase, transfer and remortgage documentation from precedents, and assisting with routine searches and associated paperwork.
• Liaising professionally with clients, estate agents, lenders, solicitors and other third parties, providing updates where appropriate and ensuring messages and enquiries are dealt with promptly.
• Managing fee earner diaries, arranging appointments and assisting with key conveyancing dates, deadlines and completion arrangements.
• Maintaining client files, including electronic and paper filing, scanning, saving correspondence and ensuring records are accurate and up to date.
• Assisting with post-completion administration, including preparing documents for submission, dealing with file closure and archiving, and supporting any billing or accounts paperwork required by the fee earner.
• Carrying out general administrative duties, including photocopying, scanning, filing and other support tasks needed to keep the department running efficiently.

Skills Required

The ideal candidate will have:

• Previous experience in a legal secretarial or conveyancing support role, ideally with exposure to residential and/or commercial property transactions.
• A good working understanding of the conveyancing process, terminology and key stages from initial instruction through to completion and post-completion.
• Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Office, Outlook, case management systems, document management systems and legal document production software.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage a busy workload, prioritise tasks and keep track of key dates and deadlines.
• A high level of accuracy and attention to detail when preparing correspondence, forms, reports and legal documents.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to liaise professionally with clients, colleagues, estate agents, lenders, solicitors and other third parties.
• A commitment to delivering a high standard of client care, including dealing with enquiries promptly, sensitively and professionally.
• The ability to work well as part of a team, while also taking initiative and working independently where appropriate.

What you will receive

• A competitive salary
• 22 days holiday (excluding bank holidays)
• Birthday Leave
• Holiday purchase/sale scheme
• Flexible home working policy
• Matching employer pension contributions up to 6% of salary
• Salary sacrifice available for pension contributions
• Income protection if you are off work due to long term illness or injury equal to 50% of salary until State Pension age
• Death in service benefit (4 x basic salary)
• Private health insurance - individual cover paid for
• Employee assistance programme
• Length of service recognition
• Social events paid for or subsidised by the firm