Team Administrator (Part Time) in Durham

A little bit about us:

EMG Solicitors is an award winning Legal 500 law firm with offices across the UK, specialising in Court of Protection, Deputyships, Mental Health Law, Family Law and Mediation, Residential Conveyancing, Education Law and Wills, Trusts & Probate services.

Our mission is to provide the legal support our clients require in order to achieve anything from their basic needs to their wildest dreams and everything in between.

What are we looking for?

We are currently looking to recruit an Administrator to provide dedicated support to the Court of Protection – Property and Affairs Expert Witness team on a firm-wide basis.

Where will you be based?

This role will be based in our Durham office, but we would expect you to travel and work from other offices from time to time.

How many hours will you be working?

This is a part-time role working 21 hours per week, with your core hours being 9am to 5pm. During probation, you’ll usually work from the office three days a week, though flexibility may be possible.

A brief overview of the role:

To support Court of Protection expert witness team colleagues to ensure the accurate preparation of expert witness reports for use in court proceedings. Ensuring all evidence is appropriately referenced and accurately assigned to the correct case file in a timely manner. Keeping in regular contact with clients and refers of work and dealing with any requests for changes to reports and timetables. Maintaining a core spreadsheet of current and future reports and ensuring their timely allocation and the completion of reports by fee earners. Supporting fee earners with ad-hoc requests in the preparation of reports including requesting and obtaining supplementary evidence where required. Dealing with the billing and payment of invoices for reports.

What will we expect from you:

Undertaking work

You should be passionate about providing:

• Support to your colleagues.
• To undertake your duties professionally and with the utmost skill and care.
• We take the view we stand and fall as a team - you will need to work both on your own and as part of a team.
• To always put clients first and respect their confidentiality at all times.

Getting paid for the work you do:

Expert Witness File Administration

• Provide administrative support across Expert Witness matters, acting as a key point of contact for instructing solicitors regarding availability, evidence preparation and trials.
• Open Expert Witness files, manage initial enquiries, and issue client care documentation and correspondence.
• Allocate files, accurately diarise all key dates, and regularly review upcoming deadlines to ensure work progresses as planned.
• Monitor team inboxes and manage general telephone and email correspondence.
• Download, save and organise incoming evidence, ensuring case plans are kept up to date.

Document and Evidence Support

• Assist with the initial drafting of witness statements, including basic case information.
• Accurately input claimant and EMG figures into response statements and summaries.
• Read, review and summarise evidence and reports.
• Liaise with opposing parties to arrange joint statement telecommunications.

Enquiries, Tracking and Diary Management

• Manage new enquiries, including conflict checks, file opening information, timescales and pending file records.
• Maintain and update trackers with instructions, deadlines, status updates and diary entries.
• Co-ordinate diarising of statements, meetings, conferences and trials, liaising closely with Fee Earners.
• Proactively chase outstanding evidence, updates and statement progress and provide status updates as required.

Billing and File Closure

• Support billing activity by prompting Fee Earners, ensuring WIP is up to date, generating bills and issuing billing correspondence.
• Respond to billing queries and liaise with Finance where required.
• Manage file closures, including confirming readiness to close, drafting file closing letters, and updating matter lists and records.
• Reopen files when instructed and maintain accurate file records.

General Administration

• Ensure all associated administrative tasks are completed accurately, efficiently and in line with Court of Protection and Expert Witness requirements.

  To be able to perform this job you will need:

• Strong typing skills and high proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word and Excel, with confidence using email systems, portals and other relevant IT platforms.
• Previous administrative or legal support experience, ideally within a Court of Protection or Property & Affairs environment (desirable but not essential).
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage diaries, meetings and deadlines accurately, using initiative and a high level of independent judgement.
• The ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team, supporting Fee Earners and wider colleagues as required.

• A strong commitment to following firm policies and procedures, maintaining strict client confidentiality at all times.
• A positive, proactive and well-organised approach, with the confidence to identify, resolve and escalate issues appropriately.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to work calmly and accurately under pressure.

A little bit about the colleague we’re looking for:

We’re looking for a colleague who aligns with our core values of:

• Cooperation - we proactively support our clients and each other.
• Courage - we are ambitious and think big.
• Excellence - we deliver excellence.
• Integrity - we are open and transparent.
• Kindness - we value people, communities, having fun and being happy.

We want someone who will work proactively to deliver exceptional client service through the knowledge and skills they bring to the role. We want someone who will go the extra mile for both their clients and their colleagues, so we can all achieve anything from our basic needs to our wildest dreams and everything in between.

What you can expect from us:

• Firm wide annual bonus scheme, in addition to a competitive salary.
• 4% Pension employer contributions offered through Standard Life.
• 25 days holiday entitlement per year (FTE) with an additional three days off at Christmas.
• 5 extra days paid leave on your 5-year anniversary – (and every 5 years thereafter).
• Life Assurance providing your loved ones with a 3 X salary death in service benefit.
• Employee Assistance Program – a Freephone number you can call 24/7 for personal, legal and financial issues; to arrange counselling and a GP helpline.
• Free annual flu injection.
• EMG Rewards – Vivup well-being & Tastecard apps offering discounts across a large number of retailers & restaurants.
• £50 Gift card on your birthday as well as a late start or early finish.
• £50 Gift card at Christmas plus Christmas closure (subject to variation).
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Salary Sacrifice Electric Car scheme.
• Fruit and refreshments in each office.
• If you want to take the family or friends out, we have two passes for Beamish open air museum which you can book out and take up to 10 people.
• Opportunity to join EMG working groups, such as our Green Team, Purpose Team, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Team & our Social Impact Team.
• Regular surveys to understand issues our team care about.Includes regular guest speakers on a wide range of topics.

EMG Solicitors are an equal opportunities employer

To apply for this role you must have the right to work within the UK