Legal Secretary - Residential Estates in City of Westminster

Legal Secretary - Residential Estates in City of Westminster

City of Westminster Full-Time 35000 - 45000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
Cripps LLP

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Provide top-notch admin support and help manage client relationships in a dynamic legal team.
  • Company: Join a leading law firm known for its expertise in high-value residential property matters.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a varied role with opportunities for growth and collaboration in a supportive environment.
  • Other info: Work closely with senior lawyers and enjoy a vibrant office culture focused on teamwork.
  • Why this job: Be at the heart of a busy team, making a real impact on client success and business development.
  • Qualifications: Experience as a Legal Secretary or PA, strong organisational skills, and excellent communication abilities.

The predicted salary is between 35000 - 45000 £ per year.

We are looking for an experienced and proactive Legal Secretary to join our highly regarded Residential Estates team in our London office. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys being at the heart of a busy but small, high-performing team and who is looking for a role that goes beyond traditional secretarial support.

Alongside providing first-class administrative assistance, you will play a key role in helping the team manage client relationships, coordinate business development initiatives, support conference activity and presentations, and keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. You will work closely with senior lawyers who advise major landed estates, developers, high-net-worth individuals, trusts and property companies on complex residential property matters, including leasehold enfranchisement, asset management and residential landlord and tenant issues.

The Residential Estates team is recognised for its expertise in complex and high-value residential property matters, particularly within prime central London. The team advises a broad range of clients including landed estates, developers, investors, trusts and private individuals on strategic and often highly sensitive matters. This role offers the opportunity to become an integral part of a close-knit and ambitious London team within one of the South East’s leading law firms.

You will provide high-level secretarial, organisational and administrative support to the partners and wider team, enabling fee earners to maximise the time they spend on client work, business development and strategic activities. The role will suit someone who is highly organised, confident managing competing priorities and comfortable building relationships with both clients and colleagues.

Alongside traditional legal secretarial responsibilities, the role will involve:

  • Supporting partners with diary and inbox management
  • Assisting with business development initiatives and events
  • Preparing and refining PowerPoint presentations for conferences and speaking engagements
  • Coordinating travel and meeting logistics
  • Helping to maintain client relationships and communications
  • Acting as a trusted point of contact for internal and external stakeholders

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking for a varied and fast-paced role with genuine involvement in the wider success and growth of the team.

Key Responsibilities

  • Extensive diary management including arranging meetings, calls, lunches, travel and conference attendance
  • Coordinating complex schedules and liaising with internal and external stakeholders
  • Managing incoming emails, post and telephone calls on behalf of fee earners when required
  • Preparing, formatting and amending legal documents, correspondence and reports
  • Assisting with document management, filing and matter administration
  • Supporting billing, expenses and financial administration tasks
  • Producing standard financial reports and maintaining relevant spreadsheets and dashboards
  • Supporting meeting preparation including document collation and agenda coordination

Business Development and Marketing Support

  • Assisting with the preparation of pitches, presentations and client materials
  • Supporting conference and speaking engagement preparation
  • Producing and refining high-quality PowerPoint presentations
  • Coordinating team events, networking activities and client hospitality
  • Maintaining and updating client information on the firm’s CRM system
  • Helping partners stay organised around follow-ups, contacts and relationship management activities

Relationship Management

  • Building strong relationships with clients and becoming a trusted point of contact
  • Developing effective working relationships across the wider business
  • Demonstrating excellent client care and professionalism at all times
  • Supporting the collaborative culture of the London office and wider Real Estate group

About You

We are looking for someone who is proactive, personable and highly organised, with the confidence to work closely with senior stakeholders in a fast-moving environment. You will ideally have previous experience in a legal environment and enjoy working as part of a small but collaborative and ambitious team.

Skills and Experience

  • Previous experience working as a Legal Secretary or PA within a client facing legal environment
  • Must have experience or knowledge of the Long Leasehold Property Market.
  • Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Strong attention to detail and high levels of accuracy
  • Confident managing diaries and coordinating busy schedules
  • Experience producing professional documents and presentations
  • Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint, Word and Excel
  • Comfortable liaising with clients and senior stakeholders
  • Proactive and solutions-focused approach
  • Strong team ethic and willingness to support others
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism at all times
  • Experience using BigHand and Peppermint would be advantageous but is not essential.

This role offers genuine variety and responsibility, making it ideal for someone who enjoys being involved in the wider success of a team rather than purely providing administrative support. You’ll spend at least 60% of your working week in the office, though we know there is no one-size-fits-all and arrangements may vary from role to role. Our strong culture is founded on working together in the office, which we aim to maintain through our people being regularly co-located, working cohesively and in collaboration with one another.

Legal Secretary - Residential Estates in City of Westminster employer: Cripps LLP

Join our esteemed Residential Estates team in London, where you will thrive in a dynamic and supportive environment that values collaboration and professional growth. As a Legal Secretary, you will not only provide essential administrative support but also engage in meaningful client interactions and business development initiatives, all while being part of a close-knit team recognised for its expertise in high-value residential property matters. With a commitment to employee development and a vibrant office culture, this role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the success of one of the South East's leading law firms.

Cripps LLP

Contact Details:

Cripps LLP Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Legal Secretary - Residential Estates in City of Westminster

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to connections in the legal field, especially those who might know about opportunities in Residential Estates. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to job openings that aren't even advertised.

Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the firm and its Residential Estates team. Understand their recent projects and clients, so you can show off your knowledge and enthusiasm during the interview.

Tip Number 3

Practice your communication skills! As a Legal Secretary, you'll need to build relationships with clients and colleagues. Role-play common scenarios with a friend to boost your confidence.

Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining our team.

We think you need these skills to ace Legal Secretary - Residential Estates in City of Westminster

Legal Secretarial Experience
Diary Management
Client Relationship Management
Business Development Support
PowerPoint Presentation Preparation
Document Management
Organisational Skills

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Legal Secretary role. Highlight your experience in a legal environment and any specific skills that match the job description, like diary management and document preparation.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to showcase your personality and explain why you’re excited about joining our Residential Estates team. Mention how your proactive approach aligns with our values.

Showcase Your Organisational Skills:Since this role involves managing multiple priorities, give examples of how you've successfully juggled tasks in the past. We love seeing candidates who can keep everything running smoothly!

Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity in our London office.

How to prepare for a job interview at Cripps LLP

Know Your Role Inside Out

Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the responsibilities of a Legal Secretary in Residential Estates. Familiarise yourself with key terms like leasehold enfranchisement and asset management. This will not only help you answer questions confidently but also show your genuine interest in the role.

Showcase Your Organisational Skills

Since this role requires excellent organisational abilities, prepare examples from your past experiences where you successfully managed competing priorities or complex schedules. Be ready to discuss how you keep everything running smoothly, as this is crucial for supporting senior lawyers effectively.

Demonstrate Your Communication Skills

As a Legal Secretary, you'll need to liaise with clients and colleagues regularly. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. You might even want to prepare a brief presentation on a relevant topic to showcase your ability to create professional documents and presentations, especially using PowerPoint.

Be Proactive and Personable

The team is looking for someone who is proactive and personable. During the interview, express your enthusiasm for building relationships and supporting business development initiatives. Share instances where you've taken the initiative in previous roles, as this will highlight your fit for their collaborative culture.