Legal Assistant in Glasgow

We are seeking a Legal Assistant to join the UK’s most prestigious firm of specialist driving offence solicitors. Geoffrey Miller Solicitors is a highly respected law firm specialising in motoring criminal defence law in the UK. Recognised as industry leaders with offices in Salford and London, we provide expert legal representation and guidance to clients. We are not a legal aid firm and only deal with private paying clients.

You will enjoy traditional business hours, a competitive salary, bonus and benefits, and the opportunity to be part of a dynamic team who are at the top of their game in this niche area of law. Everyone who works for us is properly valued not just in monetary terms but with recognition, progression opportunities and much more. Our head office is based in Salford, in Media City (walking distance of the tram, and parking is available). The office is modern, spacious and bright.

Here’s the Basic Details:

• Location: Suite 1, Level 11, Blue Tower, MediaCityUK, M50 2ST.
• Hours: 35 hours per week/Monday to Friday 9am-5pm with a flexible 1-hour lunch break.
• Salary: £23,500 – £27,000 (depending on experience).

Benefits: You can enjoy a range of benefits including a discretionary bonus scheme, Life Insurance benefit, Private Healthcare (tenure based), Pension, Health Cash Plan, Career Progression programme, Discount memberships, Savings club, Charitable support, Casual dress, Wellness programme, Training and development support, and Loyalty incentives.

Key Responsibilities: The successful candidate/s will be working within a small team from a shared inbox to provide comprehensive legal support to our Paralegals & Solicitors. You are expected to have open communication with your colleagues and work as an integral part of the team to meet/exceed common firm goals. Your workload will include a variety of tasks such as:

• Answering calls including taking new enquiry details swiftly but accurately from potential clients and transferring to case handlers.
• Obtaining and combining dates of availability for trial Counsel and Experts daily.
• Resulting cases in court the same day.
• Opening client files upon receipt of instructions.
• Booking Counsel and Experts daily to attend all court hearings.
• Chasing responses daily as instructed, from the courts, prosecution, police, GP surgeries, hospitals, clients, witnesses etc.
• Chasing & taking payments from clients, raising invoices and acknowledging payments.
• Drafting correspondence and documents daily as instructed by case handlers.
• Confirming court listing details to all parties required to attend.
• Collating and sending briefs to counsel and/or chambers for all court hearings.
• Collating case law cited in skeleton arguments/applications and producing corresponding index of enclosures.
• Preparing claims to recover costs from the court for clients at the end of successful cases.
• Assisting the paralegals and solicitors in sending emails to the court and logging all correspondence clearly and correctly.

Person Requirements: An optimistic mind-set/approach; Enthusiastic, passionate & motivated by helping others; Reliable – punctual with an outstanding attendance rate; Resilient; Strong attention to detail and accuracy under pressure; Ability to manage multiple tasks and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment; Confident in asking the right questions and seeking clarification when needed; Strong sense of responsibility and ownership of tasks; Ability to remain calm and clear-thinking when dealing with tight deadlines or complex matters; Proactive and highly productive; Accountable and solution orientated; Approachable and non-judgmental of our clients.

Skills and Competencies: At least 2 years’ administrative experience is essential (legal is preferable); Experience using Proclaim or an equivalent case management system is essential; Strong IT skills including using Outlook, Word and Excel; Excellent communication skills including telephone customer service; Strong prioritisation skills; Strong organisation skills; A keen interest in criminal defence law, particularly motoring defence; Comfortable working in a fast-paced deadline-driven environment.

Qualifications: GCSE’s in English, Maths and IT at Grade C or above.

Training: We hold the position of the market leader in the niche of motoring law. This is a highly technical area of criminal law where even the most experienced general crime solicitors have little knowledge of the various strategies we apply to our cases. Our Legal Assistants are not here to do general basic admin; the role is much more comprehensive and fast-paced. We expect very high standards and maintain those with regular performance management and training for all new starters regardless of experience.

Application Process: We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and encourage candidates with disabilities to apply.