Legal Secretary - P&CR Manchester
DAC Beachcroft
Department: Professional and Commercial Risk
Location: Manchester
Working as part of a team, you will be required to provide an excellent standard of secretarial support to the Commercial Dispute Resolution team. You will also be required to provide support across the other practice groups in Professional & Commercial Risk as and when required. Working individually and as a team you will act as a point of contact for lawyers to ensure the effective completion of their work, and undertake a variety of secretarial tasks to provide a high‑quality, comprehensive workflow management and organisational service to lawyers in the group and exceptional client service.
Key Responsibilities
Client Relationship Management
* Keep up to date with client specific protocols and processes and implement them.
Administrative
* Handle outgoing correspondence including electronic communications.
* Create new case files as appropriate.
* Prepare and create client reports and documents for fee earners.
* Collate enclosures for outgoing correspondence and instructions to counsel, experts etc using electronic bundling and encryption software.
* Maintain general knowledge of case management systems.
* Manage email – filing, saving, locating, deleting, responding where applicable and referring incoming mail to others as necessary and managing inbox on behalf of colleagues as and when required.
* Print, file, photocopy, scan, fax and archive documents as and when required.
* Ensure that client contact information is kept up to date.
* Update document bundles for fee earners.
* Use OneDrive, ShareFile and Client Connect for the safe exchange of client information.
* Keep case files organised and logical.
* Assist with incoming billing and accounts queries.
* Answer telephone calls.
* Book client meetings.
* Plan and book travel arrangements.
* Support ad‑hoc business development and communications activities such as client contact reports, delegate packs etc.
* Organise client events as and when required.
* Maintain required knowledge for the role.
* Occasionally prepare correspondence and documents from digital dictation.
* Help maintain a clean office and clear desk.
* Handle confidential information in line with the firm's data security protocols.
* Assist the Team Partner/Austrian Honorary Consul with arrangements for Austrian citizens and families.
* Assist with appointments for clients applying for children’s passports, criminal record checks and proof of life applications.
Communication
* Key point of contact for lawyers to maintain relationships and ensure a high level of support.
* Monitor post and emails; pass client related correspondence to the appropriate lawyer and action as necessary; proactively respond to and draft responses on behalf of others.
* Liaise with immediate colleagues and other legal and support departments as requested.
* Answer phone calls for other team members when they are away from their desk.
* Liaise with the Senior Team Leader for guidance and planning absences.
Financial
* Assist lawyers with billing related tasks.
* Log accounts disbursements onto Chrome River and ensure appropriate matter allocation.
* Request cheques, bank transfers, and pay received money as appropriate.
* Co‑ordinate the WIP process.
* Manage finance administration including BACs, TTs etc.
* Submit fee earner expenses.
* Take ownership of billing and account queries and work with fee earners and support teams to resolve them.
* Maintain spreadsheets and assist with monthly MI report completion.
Customer Service
* Arrange and attend team meetings.
* Liaise with lawyers, Senior Team Leaders and Secretarial Managers to take instruction and liaise on work requirements.
* Consistently update service users on progress where appropriate.
* Regularly offer assistance wherever possible.
Firm wide
* Understand DAC Beachcroft’s international structure and operate as one team and brand.
* Actively operate in the best interests of the firm at all times internally and externally.
* Operate in a regulated environment, managing risk and compliance issues including data security.
* Work in partnership with others to manage and mitigate commercial risk.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
* Experience working in a legal or professional services environment.
* Aptitude for managing multiple priorities and producing high‑standard documents and client communications.
* Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office.
* Advanced knowledge of document management / case management systems.
* Effective communicator with an excellent customer and client service approach; striving to provide exceptional service at all times.
* Customer/client service focused.
* Proven experience of managing client‑facing tasks and priorities, with a hands‑on, practical approach.
* Effective at investigating issues and seeing a problem through to conclusion.
* Conscientious, taking personal responsibility for own work and accountability for its delivery and quality.
* Excellent team player, sharing in team goals to provide excellent quality and efficiency of service, with a willingness to take on new responsibilities and challenges.
* Positive can‑do attitude with the ability to adapt to change.
* Confidential and discreet but able to redirect information when appropriate to ensure areas of concern are resolved effectively.
* Well organised and methodical with excellent attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in all client communications and deliverables.
Note for Recruitment Agencies
DAC Beachcroft manages all vacancies via its in‑house recruitment teams, prioritising direct sourcing and referrals. When external support is required, roles are released to selected agencies on our Preferred Supplier List (PSL). Speculative CVs sent to any DAC Beachcroft employee without prior instruction from our recruitment teams will not be accepted, and no fees will be payable.
For PSL queries, please contact: recruitment@dacbeachcroft.com or csgrecruitment@dacbeachcroft.com
Seniority Level
Entry level
Employment Type
Full‑time
Job Function
Legal
Industry
Law Practice
We are happy to talk flexible working with our Flex Forward scheme. We would encourage you to talk to us about our approach to flexible working during the hiring process if you would like to explore this further.
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