Legal PA- Arbitration

Our client is currently recruiting for a Legal PA to join the Arbitration group within the Litigation Department in London on a full time basis.  
 
Role purpose

To provide fee earners with effective high-quality PA support that appropriately meets their requirements, enabling them to focus on providing legal services and client development. In particular, support with effective diary management; all matters with regard to finance; travel arrangements; communication control (telephone, email and post); and preparation of complex and often confidential documents and presentations.

Role and responsibilities

General PA Duties – PA support, diary management, management of calls, emails and post etc.
•    Daily maintenance of diary events and organisation of the day-to-day schedule of fee earners, to include the identification and resolution of potential issues
•    Coordination of meetings, to include the consideration of and responsibility for ensuring all necessary arrangements are made
•    Proactive management of fee earners to ensure that they attend meetings on time and with the appropriate documents/presentations
•    Respond to telephone calls in a professional manner, acting as a filter to manage and control calls
•    Proactive management of emails, voicemails and general post, using initiative to route emails to the appropriate individuals for swift response and action, ensuring that tasks are followed up
•    Planning and coordination of comprehensive travel programmes, to include booking flights, hotels, car transfers, and preparation of itineraries etc.
•    Preparation of holiday/absence handover notes and liaison with team with regard to covering fee earner absences
•    Liaison with fee earners with regard to updating training records with CPD points
•    Document Support – Preparation of client documentation and correspondence
•    Type letters, correspondence, presentations, reports and legal documentation, including digital dictation if applicable
•    Proofread all work to ensure that completed documents are delivered accurately and to the appropriate high standard
•    Prepare and/or ensure availability of necessary agendas, presentations and meeting papers, including printing and timely distribution
•    Ensure that fee earners have papers and adequate preparation time for meetings
•    Take minutes at meetings and produce/maintain action lists where appropriate
•    Deal/Matter Support – Coordination of file opening, client care, and end of matter details

Complete Matter Inception process
•    Draft engagement letters and/or client-care emails and liaise with matter managers to ensure signed engagement letters are returned and filed appropriately
•    Complete Omnia virtual file set-up and file and scan all awaiting documents
•    Keep track of all deadlines and remind fee earners of timelines at regular update meetings
•    Carry out dataroom set-up and maintenance if required
•    Prepare client contact list if required
•    Carry out healthcheck and "tidy" of documents or SFP templates
•    Complete post-deal/matter activities including maintenance of paper files, bibling and closing matter as agreed with Matter Manager
•    Liaise with Professional Support Lawyer regarding know-how collation and submission, if required

Finance – Coordination and preparation of invoices and all expense claims
•    Demonstrate an understanding of the end-to-end billing process and financial system
•    Take responsibility for submission of expense claims on behalf of fee earners and maintenance of copies, ensuring cross-check against Corporate Amex expenditure if appropriate
•    Carry out mobile phone reallocation and reclaim process
•    Routinely update Carpe Diem; complete and close timesheets where appropriate and prompt fee earners where necessary
•    Chase missing timesheets
•    Attend WIP meeting (if appropriate) and liaise with billing team to ensure any write-offs are actioned before production of all relevant documentation
•    Edit time narratives within 3E
•    Use 3E to view time on matters; print billing guides and prepare invoices
•    Assist Revenue Controller in all aspects in relation to billing, ensuring disbursement invoices are authorised and added to the file in preparation for billing
•    Ensure copy of final bill is correctly filed

Business Development
•    Work on client pitches, to include awareness of date for submission to client; liaison with Business Development, Creative Services and Printroom for timely production of documentation
•    Coordinate/organise client events and ensure all details, post-event, are followed up
•    Undertake research on clients or potential clients, including putting together briefing packs as and when required
•    Demonstrate knowledge of business development materials to provide to fee earners when attending meetings
•    Maintain/update EPiC experience records and events calendar; liaise with fee earners and Business Development to ensure all information is collated
•    Monitor contact with key clients and prompt for a call, lunch, or meeting. Advise partner of key activities of client (e.g. birthdays, maternity leave etc.)
•    Understand and appreciate key client contacts and build relationships with PAs at key clients
•    Ensure databases are kept up to date, e.g. APEX, EPiC, CVs 
•    Action e-Alerts in timely fashion as required

The successful candidate will 
•    Show a proactive approach to tasks and situations
•    Demonstrate a positive attitude in all aspects of the role, taking personal responsibility and ownership and behaving professionally at all times
•    Maintain tact and diplomacy, trust and confidentiality
•    Exhibit strong professional communication skills, both oral and written
•    Build successful relationships with fee earners to identify individual requirements
•    Have an enthusiastic approach to change and adapt to an ever-evolving role
•    Provide exemplary standard of service to clients, whether internal or external
•    Ensure flexibility around contracted working hours, taking full responsibility for meeting the requirements of the role
•    Take responsibility with regard to team-building and providing a supportive environment to colleagues
•    Ensure familiarity and compliance with standard operating procedures and any group-specific procedures
•    Take responsibility for ensuring personal development and IT skills are maintained and improved