Your Role
and What You'll Be Doing
The role of Team Personal Assistant, in Public Law and Human Rights, is vital to the delivery of effective, efficient and professional service, to our clients and legal teams on behalf of the national Irwin Mitchell PLHR team. They are directly responsible for completing support tasks that are sometimes complex, client-facing and occasionally chargeable and often require legal process knowledge. Where required, the role also acts as the key communication route with our clients (and where necessary their families), taking into account any complex circumstances and needs.
Office attendance may be required 1 day per week
Responsibilities include:
Client Care
1. Handling calls from clients, families, and representatives with sensitivity and efficiency.
2. Acting as the primary escalation point for resolving client issues with empathy and professionalism.
3. Managing enquiries from Fee Earners regarding legal aid application information.
Diary Management & Team Administration
4. Arranging internal and external meetings with clients, counsel, and experts.
5. Preparing agendas, collating documents, taking minutes, and distributing them promptly.
6. Booking travel and accommodation for Fee Earners in line with policy.
7. Supporting PLHR SIG leads in bi-monthly meetings.
8. Coordinating ad hoc meetings as required.
9. Collaborating with Team PA colleagues across PLHR hubs to deliver seamless support.
10. Contributing to a positive team environment and promoting wellbeing.
11. Reporting IT issues promptly using the appropriate channels.
12. Supporting risk management processes, including file reviews and compliance with the SRA Handbook.
Legal Support
13. Carrying out complex legal support tasks such as CCMS applications, Delegated Function Notes, and high-cost case plan submissions.
14. Acting as a specialist in Legal Aid support, maintaining up-to-date knowledge and delivering training where needed.
15. Preparing and collating court bundles for case issue.
Training & Project Support
16. Supporting knowledge capture, training coordination, and information sharing across teams.
17. Collaborating with colleagues across CoP, PLHR, and the wider Group to ensure high-quality service delivery.
18. Mentoring and training less experienced administrative staff to support development and retention.
About You
19. Demonstrating discretion and trustworthiness when handling sensitive and confidential information.
20. Showing excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
21. Communicating with tact and diplomacy across all levels.
22. Building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, their representatives, and internal/external stakeholders.
23. Displaying high levels of accuracy and attention to detail.
24. Working effectively under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
25. Supporting and communicating with clients who have complex and unpredictable needs.
26. Showing empathy and understanding towards clients and their families.
27. Remaining highly motivated and willing to take on a variety of tasks to support the team and client experience.
28. Handling emotionally charged calls with professionalism and care.
29. Thinking ahead and solving problems in unpredictable situations.
Our Benefits - What We Can Offer You
30. 25 days holidays as standard plus bank holidays - You can ‘buy’ up to 35hrs of extra holiday too.
31. Generous and flexible pension schemes.
32. Volunteering days – Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid)
33. Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.
We also offer a wide range of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported. This includes our Flexible by Choice programme which gives our colleagues more choice over a hybrid way of working subject to role, team and client requirements.
We have been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2024!
Our responsible business programmes are fundamental to who we are and our purpose. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish, and we have established a number of inclusion network groups across our business to support this aim.
Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It’s made up of four strands: Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono.