Legal Secretary, Construction (12-month FTC)

This role is to provide secretarial support, centrally, to a group of Senior Associates and Associates. The role requires excellent organisational, communication and prioritisation skills and the ability to juggle conflicting demands and deadlines. The Legal Secretarial role is the day to day contact, internally and externally, and will work closely with the Executive Assistants. Reporting to the Secretarial Team Leader, the individual needs to be flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of the business. A degree of flexibility around working hours is expected.

Key Responsibilities:

• Take ownership of and manage workload, delegating/working with central support departments as appropriate.
• Proactively and accurately monitor/oversee inboxes on team’s behalf, during absence, as agreed with (e.g. Associates).
• Proactively and accurately monitor/oversee calendars, set up all meetings, events and related logistics, and ensure all arrangements are made (rooms booked, and calendars updated with changes).
• Prepare, edit and proofread all work, adhere to house-style with attention to detail and a focus on quality.
• Work closely and effectively with Executive Assistants, central teams and in collaboration with other Legal Secretaries, providing support in cases of holidays and absences.
• Respond to tasks promptly and manage deadlines, to ensure expectations are managed.
• Be an effective and professional point of contact, to include managing telephone calls, taking accurate messages and being an ambassador both internally and externally for the team.
• Manage/co-ordinate finance and compliance processes on behalf of the team, including proactively driving cash collection and billing.
• Ensure expense claims are submitted in a timely manner.
• Use initiative and actively identify and resolve issues when they arise.

Are you right for this role? This role is for a proactive and highly competent Legal Secretary who can operate successfully in a pressurised and fast-paced environment, to provide client and business focussed secretarial and administrative support to a team of Associates. The individual will need to be able to adapt to different working styles of Associates. It will include providing high-level and flexible organisational support and working collaboratively with the team of EAs and Legal Secretaries. Reporting to the Secretarial Team Leader, the individual needs to be flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of the business. A degree of flexibility around working hours is expected.

Other skills required:

• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Organised manner with ability to prioritise workload.
• Motivated and pro-active with a ‘can-do’ approach.
• Ability to interact with people at all levels.
• Calm and efficient under pressure.
• Proficient in use of MS Office (specifically Word, Excel and PowerPoint) with minimum typing skill of 60 WPM.
• Excellent administration, organisational and prioritisation skills with ability to manage time efficiently.
• Experience of providing a first-class legal secretarial service to a busy team within a professional environment.
• Supports and adapts to change.
• Eager to develop within role and enhance skills including anticipating needs and thinking ahead.
• Proactive approach with an ability to understand and interpret what the team needs.
• Enthusiasm and resilience to cope with a busy role.
• Highly developed communication skills, updating group when delays may occur.
• Good organisation and prioritisation skills, working to deadlines.
• Team player with the ability to interact and build relationships with people at all levels.
• Punctual, flexible and responsive approach to work.
• Experience with 3E Elite desirable but not essential.
• Experience in a law firm is essential.

Equal opportunities: Forsters LLP is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for everyone. We strive to attract and encourage applications from all candidates regardless of their gender, age, race, nationality, marital status, disability, sex, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.