Role Summary
The Assistant is expected to use a high degree of self-management and initiative with a proven ability to provide comprehensive secretarial and administrative support to the Legal Advisors and team to ensure achievement of business objectives and assist in the provision of an efficient, personal and professional service at all times.
Location: Malton and Pickering
Department: Commercial Property
Reports to: Head of Commercial Property
Hours of Work: Full time
Key Responsibilities
- Preparing correspondence and documents through audio and copy typing, ensuring that such correspondence and documents are checked for errors before passing to Legal Advisor.
- To administer filing in correct date order and on a timely basis. This will include daily filing and the opening, closing, storage and retrieval of client files in accordance with the detailed procedures contained in the Office Procedures Manual and Departmental Guidelines.
- To prepare mail and enclosures for despatch, ensuring that all mail to be posted is given to the Legal Advisor with all relevant enclosures.
- To arrange for all copying to be done, in person if Administration staff are not available to undertake the task.
- To make appointments, arrange meetings, book meeting rooms and to maintain an up-to-date diary for the Legal Advisor.
- To provide support and guidance to other secretaries as required and at all times work as a team player.
- To attend clients both in person and on the telephone and to provide assistance in a professional and friendly manner in keeping with the firm’s standards for client care.
- To ensure that any telephone calls are answered promptly by answering colleagues’ telephones if they are not available and ensure that telephone messages are passed promptly and accurately to Legal Advisors.
- To undertake any specific training when required to do so and overall to have a responsibility towards self-development.
- To ensure the confidentiality of all the firm’s and client’s documentation and information.
- To be responsible for the opening of files on firm’s case management system (Proclaim) and their day to day maintenance in accordance with the department’s Risk Management procedures.
- To carry out copy typing of documents, amending and formatting complex documents e.g. leases and dealing with tracked changes and use of package precedent documents/documents.
- To comply with the firm’s procedures and standards for correspondence and documents (including typing, saving and printing) and to make the best use of facilities including Proclaim and Word to ensure maximum efficiency.
- To ensure compliance with Money Laundering regulations.
- To prepare invoices and complete accounts documentation as and when directed by the Legal Advisor.
- To prepare completion statements and assist with billing.
- To use Companies House Direct to carry out searches and property searches using agents.
- To use the Land Registry Portal for downloading official copies, copy documents and plans and relevant registrations and saving to matter number, and carrying out priority and Land Charges searches.
- Preparation and submission of SDLT forms online.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Educated to GCSEs level - Essential
RSA Level 2 – typing (or equivalent) - Desirable
Knowledge
Working knowledge of IT systems: MS Word and Outlook, digital dictation and CMS - Essential
Knowledge of Proclaim - Desirable
Skills, abilities and competencies
Excellent client service skills, with a calm and supportive nature which is sympathetic to client needs - Essential
Ability to work to tight timescales and under pressure - Essential
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both face to face and over the phone - Essential
Ability to work with initiative and minimum supervision - Essential
Experience
Experience in audio and copy typing - Essential
Experience and competence in obtaining accurate messages from clients over the phone - Essential
Personal attributes
Integrity to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately - Essential
‘Can Do’, flexible approach and team player - Essential
Demonstrate enthusiasm and commitment – Essential
This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this role. It is not designed to contain or to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of staff assigned to the job.
About Us
Crombie Wilkinson is one of North Yorkshire's largest and most long-established firms. With offices in York, Selby, Malton and Pickering we are uniquely placed to serve the region with a comprehensive and high-quality legal service and we place much importance on our local knowledge, as well as our speedy and personal service and our down to earth approach.
We are an ambitious firm, with high standards of client care. We are also passionate about developing our people and we are both Lexcel and Investors in People accredited.
Interested?
We offer a competitive salary and benefits package – which includes 25 days holiday a year (plus bank holidays), Birthday off work, Health Plan, Employee Assistance Programme, Staff Discounts, plus more.
We provide a fully supportive background to your Continuous Professional Development within a friendly team environment.
To apply for a job vacancy we are advertising, please email your CV with a covering letter to hr@crombiewilkinson.co.uk