Owen Reed are looking to recruit an Executive Assistant to join a top law firm in London.
Department: Operations
Practice Group: Energy & Natural Resources
Working Pattern: Monday-Friday (9.30-5.30) hybrid (3 days office/2 home), flexibility required
Contract Type: 12-month fixed term contract – Maternity cover
Description:
Key Responsibilities:
Meetings and Travel Management:
- Manage fee earners’ calendars and inboxes
- Arrange conference calls, meetings, video conferences, and catering
- Coordinate all travel arrangements, including taxis, accommodation, and expense forms
- Prepare and collate papers ahead of meetings
Administration:
- Handle incoming and outgoing mail
- Monitor and forward/action emails as necessary
- Establish and maintain effective and accurate filing systems (both hard copy and electronic)
- Assist in opening new clients and matters (including KYC and AML processes)
- Utilize all global resource hubs
Customer Service:
- Handle internal and client calls in a timely, confident, helpful, and polite manner, passing on accurate messages and taking action where necessary
- Interact professionally with visitors
- Keep client contact details up to date
Document Production & Technical Skills:
- Produce, format, and edit legal documents efficiently and accurately sourced through digital dictation, hard copy, and audio
- Prepare PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets
- Draft simple correspondence
- Undertake photocopying, scanning, and faxing
Teamwork:
- Attend training courses as required
- Attend EA meetings to stay current with firmwide procedures and issues, adding value to the EA practice
- Be proactive and helpful to colleagues and other fee earners by providing assistance during busy periods and covering for absences
Billing:
- Assist in monitoring the billing process using 3E
- Prepare bill narratives, financial edits, and draft cost details as required
- Raise, monitor, and issue appropriate cheques for clients or third parties
- Record time for fee earners in their absence or as required
- Communicate with clients and/or outside co-counsel on fees, invoices, and ad hoc queries
- Maintain records of client-specific rates and billing requirements
- Maintain and update trackers for key clients or projects
Key Skills, Attributes, and Experience:
Skills:
- Strong EA skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Extensive organizational skills and attention to detail
- Ability to manage pressure and conflicting demands on time
- Committed team player
- Proactive and enthusiastic
- Commercially aware
- Interest in Energy & Natural Resources is desirable
Practical Experience/Academic Qualifications:
- Minimum of 5 GCSEs or equivalent, including English and Maths
- Minimum of 4 years’ EA experience in a corporate/professional services environment
Office Skills:
- High proficiency with Microsoft Office, specifically Word and Outlook
- Good knowledge of PowerPoint and Excel
- Typing speed of at least 60 wpm
- Knowledge of iManage and 3E
Career Competencies:
- Clients/Customers: Provides high quality and timely customer service; acts on ways to add value to the team and firm
- Innovation & Improvement: Contributes to the team being proactive and helpful to colleagues and other fee earners by providing assistance during busy periods and covering for absences
- Business Skills: Highly organized and thoughtful in approach to work; demonstrates appropriate workplace behavior; communicates effectively orally and in writing
- Citizenship: Maintains good relationships with co-workers; addresses own development needs and assists others to develop
Functional Skills:
- Understands the organizational structure of the firm, including office locations, roles, and responsibilities of key people and firm strategy
- Utilizes accounting, operational, and administrative applications relevant to area of responsibility
- Understands legal industry requirements and guidelines relevant to role
- Can identify and classify legal documents, and organize and file them according to standard firm practice
- Files documents electronically with third parties
- Maintains accurate court information regarding local rules and procedures for different courts and jurisdictions serviced
- Understands basic terminology and transactions of applicable practice area and clients
- Understands the client engagement process and ensures compliance with time and expense reporting requirements