Legal PA – Pensions in Birmingham

The role involves providing a full PA and secretarial service supporting the Partners and Legal Advisers, as well as covering for any secretarial absences in the team where necessary. This role requires proactive thinking, exceptional organisation, and the ability to use one’s initiative to support the needs of the team.

The team is a national Pensions team highly regarded for providing pragmatic, commercial and timely advice to trustees, employers and pension scheme stakeholders. Ranked Tier 1 in the South East by Legal 500 and Band 1 in the South by Chambers, the team advises on a broad range of pensions matters, delivering tailored, practical solutions through a client-focused and collaborative approach.

Main responsibilities:

• Typing of correspondence and documents including reports, deeds, file notes and attendance notes
• Opening and closing client files
• Filing of incoming and outgoing correspondence, emails and other documents and keeping this up to date
• Reconciling payments, compiling, and sending bills
• Chasing bills as per legal adviser instructions
• Monitoring of financial hygiene for the team
• Interaction with clients
• Setting up Docusign envelopes
• Diary management including acting proactively where possible and highlighting diary clashes
• Organising meetings, conferences, travel arrangements etc.
• Travel booking for legal advisers
• Occasional photocopying
• Preparing enclosures ready for signing and sending out with the post
• Keeping records of closed files
• Answering the telephone and dealing with routine enquiries

Skills and qualifications:

• Previous Legal PA experience in a similar role looking after Partners and a broader team
• Self-motivated and able to work without supervision to a high standard
• Accurate keyboard skills required
• Good working knowledge of various applications – Word, Outlook, digital dictation (PowerPoint and Excel helpful but not a necessity)
• Attention to detail and quality in relation to all correspondence and documentation
• Able to integrate within a team
• Flexible with the ability to adapt to change, new practices and cope under pressure
• Excellent presentation skills reflected in their work
• A methodical and organised approach with keen attention paid to every detail
• Good organisational skills to ensure that tasks are effectively scheduled within working time available, and that urgent work is completed and returned within specified timescales
• Excellent communication skills and telephone manner
• Ability to prioritise
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Good listening skills
• Ability to be proactive and deliver a quality service to both internal and external clients
• Adapt and manage the differing demands and working patterns

The firm: Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking and above all for our ability to focus on what matters. From offices across the UK and Brussels, we support some of the world’s most exciting and ambitious businesses. We empower our people to be their authentic selves and deliver together in supportive teams committed to excellence and innovation. We have an outstanding benefits package to complement our competitive remuneration system.

Shoosmiths is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, demonstrating our commitment to employing disabled people and developing their abilities. We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to everyone.

Equal opportunities: Our approach to our people is underpinned by our commitment to diversity, inclusion and well-being. Our ambition is to build a diverse and ambitious workforce that reflects all backgrounds and talents, and a workplace that is supportive and inclusive.