Legal Secretary - Commercial Litigation - London

Department

Global London Insurance - Commercial Litigation

Location

London

Working as part of a team, you will provide excellent secretarial support to the commercial disputes team and other practice groups as required.

You will act as a point of contact for lawyers, ensuring the effective completion of their work and undertaking a variety of secretarial tasks.

The hours are 9.30‑17.30 Monday to Friday.

This role is hybrid requiring three days in the office and two days working from home.

Key Responsibilities

• Client Relationship Management
• Keep client specific protocols and processes up to date, train staff and monitor ongoing compliance.
• Administrative
• Assist with use of secure systems and passwords.
• Email management – filing, saving, locating, deleting, responding where applicable and managing inbox on behalf of colleagues.
• Print, file, photocopy, scan, fax and archive documents when required.
• Maintain up to date client contact information.
• Update document bundles for fee earners and keep case files organised and logical.
• Assist with incoming billing and accounts queries, answer and make telephone calls, book client and internal national meetings.
• Plan and book travel arrangements and support ad‑hoc business development activities such as client contact reports and delegate packs.
• Maintain required knowledge for the role, including handling outgoing correspondence, secure data transmission, and client case management systems.
• Collate enclosures for outgoing correspondence, instructions to counsel, experts using electronic bundling.
• Run ad‑hoc documents in the case management system and manage new client set up, money‑laundering regulations, documentation and conflict checks.
• Provide occasional dictation preparation and maintain a clean office environment.
• Handle confidential information in line with firm data security protocols.
• Communication
• Key point of contact for lawyers to maintain relationships and ensure high level of support.
• Monitor post and emails, pass client related correspondence to appropriate lawyer, respond proactively, prioritise emails, collate paperwork and e‑file.
• Liaise with colleagues in the department and other legal/support departments as requested.
• Answer phone calls for team members away from desks.
• Take direction from the senior team leader and coordinate absences and cover.
• Financial
• Engage in billing process including time entry, rates knowledge, billing narrative, and coordination with fee earners.
• Review and update time allocation and disbursements.
• Request cheques, bank transfers, pay received money appropriately.
• Co‑ordinate WIP process and deal with matter related finance administrations such as BACs, TTs and expenses.
• Customer Service
• Arrange and attend team meetings, liaise with lawyers, team leaders and secretarial managers for instruction and work coordination.
• Update service users on progress and offer assistance regularly.
• Firm Wide
• Understand and operate within DAC Beachcroft’s international firm structure as one team/brand.
• Act in the best interests of the firm, manage risk and compliance issues including data security.
• Partner with others to manage and mitigate commercial risk.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Experience working in a legal or professional services environment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, produce high standard documents and client communications.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Advanced knowledge of document management and case management systems.
• Excellent communication, customer and client service approach.
• Customer/client service focused and hands‑on practical approach.
• Effective issue investigation and resolution.
• Conscientious, personal responsibility and accountability for quality.
• Excellent team player with willingness to take on new responsibilities.
• Positive can‑do attitude, adaptability.
• Confidential and discreet, redirecting information appropriately.
• Well‑organised, methodical, attention to detail and accuracy.
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