Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship (6082) in Reading

We’re a national law firm with a local reach, here for life’s important moments – the ones you plan for and the ones you don’t expect. Our legal experts combine technical excellence with empathy, understanding, and a commitment to always put our clients first. You’ll feel part of a welcoming, inclusive environment where your individuality matters. We celebrate what makes you unique and support you to thrive. Together, we achieve incredible things and make a real difference to our clients and communities.

Your Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the largest national law firms in the UK. You will be supporting the busy Private Client Advisory team and the wider Private Client Group, acting as a key point of contact between the team they support and their clients, as well as the wider business. Your main focus will be to deliver an efficient, high level of administrative support to a group of lawyers. The Private Client Advisory team advise private individuals in various matters including estate planning, trusts, powers of attorney, will-writing, probate, wealth protection and succession planning. Whilst your local office will be Reading, you will be supporting case handlers nationally in all locations.

What you’ll be doing

• Ensuring our client files are in impeccable order, take responsibility for post coming into the business and methodically process important original documents in line with our policies and procedures.
• Support the delivery of high levels of client communication.
• Providing support wherever possible across the team and clients by dealing with queries and enquiries and ensuring Partners and fee earners are able to respond to queries from clients and other parties. This requires excellent written, verbal and telephone communication skills.
• The role must ensure that the fee earners are able to focus their time on activity which increases revenue by coordinating all other activities and taking responsibility for delivering consistency across the Group.
• Support fee earner email management, ensuring emails are filed in the relevant electronic system in accordance with procedures, processes and policies.
• Manage fee earner diaries via the electronic calendar system, arranging meetings and ensuring accurate information is included in invites to internal and external attendees.
• Arrange conference calls and in-person meetings, follow procedures to book meeting rooms and video conferences when required and cancel those as soon as possible if arrangements change.
• Ensuring that room bookings are made with sufficient information to enable Reception to have full details; use the appropriate room booking form to do this.
• Book travel arrangements and accommodation in accordance with our Policy.
• Prepare agenda for meetings, collate papers for meetings ahead of the meeting in a timely manner, take minutes of meetings and produce those minutes as soon as possible after the meeting.
• Coordinate an efficient and accurate billing process and support fee earners with providing the right level of information to clients to ensure swift payment of invoices. Liaise with our Finance Team in the delivery of this.
• Undertake regular reviews of matter lists with fee earners to ensure high levels of financial hygiene.
• Support our Group Sales & Marketing Team in the hosting of events in the relevant location or events in connection with Business Legal Services and/or Private Wealth.
• Undertake file opening procedures ensuring all aspects of the process are completed including all compliance checks, creation of letters of engagement and, where relevant, completion of the pricing and resourcing model.
• Work collaboratively with your Personal Assistant colleagues within your location and across the Group to provide a seamless and efficient, top quality service to the business.
• Maintain email distribution lists; ensuring they are kept up-to-date.
• Ensuring relevant pages of the intranet for your location, team, departments and kept up-to-date.

What we’re looking for

• 5 x GCSE’s (A- C or 9-4) or equivalent including English and maths.
• Professional telephone and face-to-face manner.
• The ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines and have exceptional organisational skills.
• Be a Team player and create a positive impression with clients and colleagues.
• Enthusiastic, confident, positive, professional and can-do attitude and work on own initiative.
• Good computer skills and the ability to use Word and Excel.
• Handling sensitive and confidential information properly.
• Ability to provide high quality work in a busy environment.
• Great accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Able to work with confidentiality and discretion.
• Reliable and trustworthy.

Who is it for?

This is a 24-month apprenticeship perfect for anyone who wants to gain hands-on experience at the UK’s largest full-service law firm. This apprenticeship is a great alternative to university, as it gives you the chance to earn while you learn. It also helps you to work towards the Level 3 business administration apprenticeship, helping to develop your career from day one. We are looking for the candidate to join us in May, with the apprenticeship beginning in September.

What are the entry requirements?

You’ll need 5 GCSEs at grade A* to C or 9 to 4, including maths and English (or equivalent) to meet the minimum academic requirements needed to complete this apprenticeship.

What We Can Offer You

• We pay our apprentices a starting salary of £24,479 (regional) and £26,936 in London.
• 25 days holidays as standard plus bank holidays - You can ‘buy’ up to 35hrs of extra holiday too.
• Generous and flexible pension schemes.
• Volunteering days – Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid).
• Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.
• We also offer a wide range of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported.

Best Workplaces for Wellbeing – Large Organisations 2024
Great Place to Work – 5 years running
Sunday Times Best Place to Work 2025

A Culture of Inclusion: Disability Confident Level 3 Leader. Colleague led inclusion networks across the business.

Responsible Business: Programmes that reflect our purpose and values. Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It’s made up of four strands: Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono.

Additional Information

As part of the Irwin Mitchell Group’s on-boarding process all successful applicants are required to complete the group’s employment screening process. This process helps to ensure that all new employees meet our standards in relation to honesty and integrity therefore protecting the interests of the Group, existing employees, clients, partners and other stakeholders. The background checks made will establish your eligibility to work in the UK, and criminal record check and financial checks with a credit reference agency will also be undertaken. The employment screening process will fully comply with Data Protection and other applicable laws. Irwin Mitchell LLP is an equal opportunity employer. We’re proud of our values, and we’re looking for people who share them.