Legal Support Executive - Family

About the role

To enable us to deliver the right outcomes to our clients, with a commercial edge, we need an effective and efficient Legal Support Executive to support our Family team’s legal professionals in ensuring the smooth and efficient running of the Department. Responsible for a range of non-chargeable administrative tasks and client liaison, our Legal Support Executives must be exceptionally organised and maintain a very high service standard. This is a role which provides a great development opportunity for those at the start of their career in legal support to learn and grow with our forward-looking team.

Responsibilities

Financial Management

• Bill Processing to include preparation of billing guides, disbursements.
• Financial write-offs under the authorisation of departmental HoD.
• Client balances are controlled handled in line with SRA regulations.
• Proactively work with file handlers in debt chasing.
• Process digital bank payments in line with firm and SRA regulations.
• Coordinate and assign expenses to appropriate recharge areas (i.e. matter chargeable / client entertaining) subject to HoD approval.

Workflow and Administrative

• New client/matter onboarding to include adhering to AML and KYC procedures, and file opening.
• Produce legal documents and correspondence through methods of digital dictation and copy typing.
• Formatting of large contracts and agreements, typing and amending documents, comparisons, conversions, drafting correspondence, filing, printing and scanning.
• Lodge legal documents within deadlines and time frames on third party portals, such as CE-Filing.
• Continuous attention to effective filing both electronically (using CMS) and hard copy.
• Liaising with counsel and counsel’s clerk if and when required
• Preparation of court bundles in a timely and organised manner, and liaising with the courts (if required)
• Monitor and allocate incoming post (electronically and manually).
• Coordinate outgoing post, to include Royal Mail, Special Deliveries and Air Mail.

Compliance and File Management

• Proactively monitoring risk management obligations in relation to file handling, e.g. KYC and client engagement checks validated and recorded.
• Ensure file handlers are maintaining their risk compliance obligations in line with firm and SRA standards, i.e. engagement letters signed off, file reviews, inactivity on files, WIP, file closure/archiving.

Operational

• Manage and coordinate solicitors’ diaries; arranging meetings, setting up appointments, noting key deadlines.
• Meeting coordination to include, when necessary, room bookings, AV requirements, catering.
• Organise travel arrangements for file handlers.
• Liaison with clients and on the telephone, e-mail and in person.
• Act as conduit between central departments (I.T, Solution Delivery, Marketing) project plans and Legal Department.

Events and Client Entertainment

• Assist with the coordination of internal (cross-departmental) and external (client entertaining) events.
• Collaborate with the firm’s Marketing Head in ensuring events are organised and run smoothly.

Skills

• 3+ years supporting legal professionals in a fast-paced corporate environment.
• Expertise in programmes such as Microsoft 365, CMS systems and collaboration systems, e.g. MS Teams.
• Fast and accurate typing ability.
• Strong reactive and proactive organisational skills
• High attention to detail, crucial for tasks such as proof reading, avoiding errors and ensuring legal compliance.
• Familiar with legal services terminology, court procedures and legal documentation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for stakeholder liaison.
• Professional and courteous verbal communication skills for liaison with clients, third parties and colleagues.
• Ability to work calmly and professionally under pressure.
• Time management and prioritisation skills.
• Exceptional professionalism, confidentiality, discretion and integrity, promoting positive working relationships.