Personal Assistant

Personal Assistant - Insurance & Reinsurance

We are looking for a Personal Assistant to support two Partners, a Consultant and four Associates.
The  Personal Assistant will take an active interest in and obtain a thorough understanding of all aspects of client requirements to provide exceptional service levels to both lawyers and client. English speaker with some basic knowledge of Spanish (to transcribe occasional dictations for the Industry Group Leader).

Key Responsibilities of the Personal Assistant
Administration:
• Manage diaries, ensuring they are up-to-date, and reminding lawyers of meetings, etc. on a daily basis;
• Arrange meetings, book conference rooms, refreshments/catering, check room set-up prior to meetings 
  and liaise with other attendees, both internal and external;
• Arrange for travel bookings and related details, including travel expenses;
• Arrange scanning, photocopying, printing, organising couriers, sending out of letters, etc.
• Arrange for files to be opened and closed, supervise general filing requirements and record-keeping;
• Use effective systems to ensure that both short and long-term tasks are completed within required
   timescales;
• Support lawyers in marketing activities, including involvement in preparing pitches and presentations.

Communications:
• Take internal and external queries, responding as appropriate and/or ensuring that all messages are
   passed on in a timely manner;
• Monitor post and/or e-mails and deal with as appropriate and ensure that all client-related 
  correspondence is passed on to an appropriate fee earner if the relevant person is out of the office;
• Liaise with business support departments on behalf of lawyers as required;
• Liaise with the Team Leader regarding arranging cover for planned absences, as necessary and 
  communicating this to the relevant fee earners.

Client relationship management:
• Opening and closing cases in compliance with case management procedures;
• Become an active part in the care of clients and be wholly familiar with contacts/clients;
• Deal with basic client queries and general administration;
• Arrange client meetings.

Document production:
• Check correspondence, attachments, documents, reports, presentations, etc. produced by the Document Production team are returned in good time and undertake basic/minor amendments where appropriate;
• Type urgent/short/confidential correspondence;
• Produce and maintain Excel spreadsheets as required.

Financial:
• Assist lawyers in ensuring their time is recorded properly and entered onto the system on a daily basis;
• Assist lawyers in the billing and credit control process by liaising with the lawyer and Revenue &
  Collections to produce standard financial/time reports through the system;
• Request cheques, bank transfers and pay in money received, as appropriate.
• Team Work:
• Assist others in the Group, both proactively whenever there is spare capacity or it is evident that a
  colleague needs assistance with their workload and at the request of the Team Leader;
• Pick up telephone calls for other members of the Group when they are away from their desk;
• Participate in a lunch time (telephone) rota within the PA team;
• Work effectively with other legal and business services departments as required.
• Any other ad hoc duties as reasonably requested.

Key Skills & Experience
In addition:
• Two years' previous experience in a law firm.
• Accurate typing speed of at least 60 words per minute.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, research tools and other systems implemented by the firm.
• Excellent customer service skills, dealing with people and tasks in a professional, polite and considerate manner.
• Excellent telephone manner and competent knowledge of telephone system.
• Excellent communication, organisational and team skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Flexible and dependable, able to take the initiative.
• Able to remain calm under pressure and work to tight deadlines.
• Conscientious, approachable and enthusiastic.
• Able to build confidence, respect and trust with others quickly.
• Have a positive approach to daily tasks and have a solutions-focussed working method.
• Flexible with regard to working hours, arriving earlier and staying later when the job or business requires.

For more information please contact Aimee Baker