Personal Assistant - Employment Commercial

Hill Dickinson LLP is a leading and award-winning international commercial law firm with offices in Birmingham, Hong Kong, Leeds, Limassol, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Monaco, Newcastle, Piraeus and Singapore. With more than 1000 people including 200 partners and legal directors, the firm delivers advice and strategic guidance spanning the full legal spectrum, from non-contentious advisory and transactional work to all forms of commercial litigation.

Hill Dickinson acts as a trusted adviser to a wide portfolio of clients across a range of specialist sectors: from transport and logistics and international trade, through to retail, insurance, marine, health, education, manufacturing, public sector and banking and financial services.

Job role: Personal Assistant

Hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 17:00 (35 hours per week)

Happy to talk flexible working.

Team: Employment Commercial

Location: Leeds

Benefits: At Hill Dickinson we understand that incentives go far beyond a good salary, so we have created a comprehensive benefits package tailored around our people. Here are some examples of what we offer:

• Annual leave starting at 25 days
• Birthday privilege day and Christmas shutdown
• Holiday buy, sell and carryover scheme
• 2 charity volunteering or pro bono days
• Optional private medical insurance via BUPA
• Annual fitness allowance
• Flexible pension scheme
• ISA saving scheme and independent financial advice
• Electric or hybrid vehicle lease scheme
• Medicash
• EAP with access to counselling
• Enhanced family leave policies
• Access to 10 days fully subsidised emergency or back-up care per year
• Life assurance
• Group income protection
• Annual travel season ticket loan
• Hybrid working and dress for your day policy
• Bespoke training and development opportunities
• Financial contribution towards home working equipment

Role Overview:

You will provide an effective and flexible service to the Employment Commercial team on a national basis, alongside another PA in Leeds and two secretaries who are based in Liverpool and Manchester. You will become familiar with the team’s various client matters and provide support and assistance to other members of the secretarial team when required.

Introduction To The Team:

Experts in their field, the Employment Commercial team provides advice to company owners, HR professionals, in-house lawyers and senior employees and executives on a range of both contentious and non-contentious issues. The team in Leeds is headed up by Glenn Hayes, Partner, and also consists of another Partner, 1 Legal Director, 1 Legal Executive, 1 Associate and 1 Trainee Solicitor with a further Associate joining shortly. The team is part of a national team of 32 which is growing, who are currently based across our Leeds, Liverpool, London and Manchester offices. The team has a strong culture of collaboration, respect and transparency both with our clients and our people, which reflects the Hill Dickinson core values.

Key Responsibilities:

• Coordinating administration of the Employment Commercial team including diary management / arranging meetings
• Coordinating team diaries and arranging travel
• Opening of client files
• Ensuring regular and efficient billing and monitoring retainer arrangements
• Carry out copying, archiving, organisation of client files and filing systems, including electronic filing
• Make and receive telephone calls, ensuring all calls are managed
• Arrange couriers/deliveries
• Dealing with invoices
• Prepare monthly client billing, expense claims and general finance tasks
• Maintain database with client and contact details
• Organisation of meetings, domestic and international travel, accommodation and attendance at external events and conferences
• Developing good working relationships with both internal colleagues and external clients and contacts as required, promoting a positive working culture and environment
• Working across teams, including in particular business development, in promoting the interests of business and working with the other support functions already in place
• Draft correspondence and prepare standard documentation from audio/copy
• Developing industry knowledge and attending training as may be necessary or desirable to assist in performance of the role

What Are We Looking For:

Important criteria:

• Previous experience working in a legal environment
• Willingness to travel and support at external events when required
• Fast and accurate typing speeds
• Previous experience using a case management system
• Conversant in document formatting including track changes, auto-numbering and creating table of contents
• Conversant in document version control
• Proficient in Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Digital dictation and any other in-house systems in use throughout the firm
• Proficient in diary management; meeting arrangements, telephone and email communication
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to prioritise tasks and to work under pressure
• Able to demonstrate adaptability and flexibility
• Able to produce accurate work with strong attention to detail
• Team player who is able to work as part of a team and use initiative but also able to work independently

It would be beneficial for you to have some of the following:

• Previous experience working in a law firm
• Secretary qualification or a similar related qualification
• Conversant with a Document Management System (DMS)

If you don’t meet all of the criteria above but feel that you could add real value to Hill Dickinson, we encourage you to apply and if successful, we can help you develop along the way.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

Hill Dickinson is committed to providing fairness and equal opportunity for all regardless of age, gender, gender identity, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital or transgender status, nationality, religion or belief. We understand that our power as a firm comes from empowering our people and that it is only by encouraging and enabling individuals to be themselves at work that we can truly benefit from their rich and varied strengths. Hill Dickinson is an equal opportunities employer. All applications received by the firm will be considered based on their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background and from all routes to qualification, with both the SRA and CILEx.

Disability Support:

We are a Disability Confident employer, which means if there is anything that we can do to make your visit easier, so you are able to perform at your best, please let us know. You can contact the HR team at hrteam@hilldickinson.com should you require any adjustments to the application or interview process.

Values: Trust - Respect - Innovation - Collaboration

At Hill Dickinson, we welcome applications from individuals that are looking to return to the law as well as all routes to qualification, with both the SRA and CILEx. All successful candidates will be subject to our standard pre-employment screening, including a basic criminal record check via Disclosure and Barring Service. Any offer of employment made is conditional upon completion of all checks.

Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Seniority level: Entry level

Employment type: Full-time

Job function: Administrative

Industries: Law Practice