Junior Legal PA

What can you expect? We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Legal PA to join our leading Dispute Resolution practice. In day-to-day business as in life, conflict can be unavoidable. Our team of highly experienced dispute experts offers specialised, professional and strategic commercial advice when it matters most. Skilled in litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution procedures such as mediation, our lawyers are committed to the client's best outcome.

Responsibilities

• Diary management: Ensure client meeting clashes do not occur.
• Ensure fee earners have all the required materials for their client meetings.
• Arrange meetings on behalf of partners/fee earners/clients.
• Ensure business travel information is entered into calendars.
• File management responsibilities - opening and closing files including ensuring electronic filing systems are maintained accurately and up to date.
• Mailbox management with the ability to prioritise, categorise and respond to basic client requests and draft responses accordingly.
• Monitoring and being the gatekeeper to fee-earners' mailbox in their absence.
• Communicate regularly with fee earners to ensure that both parties are clear on priorities and what is on the 'to do' list.
• To undertake limited typing i.e urgent short documents (digital and non-digital dictation).
• Client liaison including take messages, pass on information and deal with simple queries.
• Delegate work to the relevant secretarial resource e.g Document Production team, Practice Administration to ensure that PA time is maximised and the newly introduced model is being followed.
• Proactive billing and credit control: Assisting with Partners’ billing and financial requirements which includes Check InTapp time to ensure that fee earners' time recording is up to date.
• Check with Senior Associates to ensure that all matters they want to invoice have been billed.
• Build relationships with accounts department to ensure that billing issues are resolved quickly.
• Marketing Support: Liaise with Concierge to have new fee earner photos taken. Saving photos in correct house style and in appropriate Marketing filesite folders. Assisting with uploading and updating content on the website including; creating lawyer profiles, blogs and briefing papers. Assisting with upload of files to the website to create links for hyperlinking in emails. Proof reading and hyperlinking keywords in the text to relevant target pages on all content added to the site.
• Bids: Assisting with collating and maintaining Master CVs for each fee-earner and sorting by partner, director and other grade. Assisting with updating bids credentials lists with matters from Chambers after each directories round. Assisting with maintaining credentials database – adding to it by practice and sector. Assisting with maintaining bidding library - adding to it by sector and sub-sector.
• Business Development: Assisting with management of fee earners' contact data including recording BD activities, updating marketing lists, assisting with pipeline/opportunity updates. Assisting with collating information for expressions of interests and credentials documents. Assisting with providing About Us documents. Assisting with organising conference calls on behalf of the fee earners. Assisting with organising transport, accommodation and related documentation for international travel as required - produce itinerary as appropriate. Assisting with workload of team members within practice group and across the firm as required. Any additional ad hoc tasks as required.
• Other: Assisting with the opening of new matters with the firm's client onboarding platform, InTapp Intake. Assisting with preparing Engagement letters to ensure new client/matter processes are completed with Contract Express. Undertake ad hoc conflict queries.

Experience and Knowledge

• All necessary training will be given to provide required support to the team and the successful candidate must be willing to engage with all training and development offered.
• Experience of working in a corporate environment, such as legal or finance is not essential but would be useful.
• Ability to liaise effectively with colleagues and professionals.
• Understanding of diary management, organisation and prioritisation skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively and build good relationships with clients and staff within the firm.
• Must work well as part of a team.
• Competent, and accurate typist.
• Professional telephone manner and the ability to accurately record and pass on messages.
• Understanding of the following packages: Microsoft Office IT skills – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook (Fieldfisher uses Microsoft 2010).

Who are we looking for?

We don't have a type. We believe our differences are our strengths; varied cultures, approaches and experiences can only benefit us.

What do we offer?

• You can be yourself: It takes everyone to make us who we are. We’re a culture of diverse perspectives, with each of us making unique contributions that make us better together.
• In the office or WFH?: We think the best balance is more time in the office than at home, so we operate a 60:40 rule.
• Beyond salary: We offer plenty of benefits; private medical insurance, health cash plan, dental insurance, life assurance, critical illness insurance, matched pension contributions up to 7%, holiday trading, plus many more.
• Modern Office Space: Situated in the prestigious Paradise Birmingham at 2 Chamberlain Square, Fieldfisher Birmingham has become renowned for working closely and collaboratively with colleagues across the UK and international Fieldfisher Networks.
• Nurturing your talent: Take a 'build a career' approach to your training. You'll be on a pathway but free to wander if you see something you'd like to study more closely.
• Funnel your interests: You have a life outside work, and we can help it to flourish. Join clubs, affinity networks, inclusive events, and pro bono/charity initiatives.