Legal Secretary – Tax

Overview

Mayer Brown is an international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. We are recognised by our clients as strategic partners with deep commercial instincts and a commitment to creatively anticipating their needs and delivering excellence in everything we do. 

We are a collegial, collaborative, and diverse firm where highly motivated individuals with an unwavering commitment to excellence receive the opportunity, support, and development they need to grow, thrive, and realise their greatest potential all while supporting the Firm’s client service principles of excellence, strategic partnership, commercial instinct, integrated strengths, innovation, and collaboration across our international firm.

If you enjoy working with team members whose defining characteristics are exceptional client service, initiative, professionalism, responsiveness, and adaptability, you may be the person we are seeking to join our Secretarial department in our London office as a Legal Secretary. 

Purpose of the Role: To provide a full secretarial and PA service for a selection of Partners, Associates and PSL’s.

Reporting Line: Secretarial Team Leader and Secretarial Services Manager.

Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with flexibility in accordance with the needs of the business. 

Responsibilities

Technical:

• Making diary appointments, arranging meetings (including booking rooms, confirming dates and locations, distributing agendas and preparing material where required) and diary management;
• Organising regular international travel arrangements and preparing itineraries where necessary;
• Preparing material (often using PowerPoint) for presentations;
• Attending monthly meetings with your allocated Partner and Accounts team to assist with WIP and billing;
• Quick and accurate preparation with a high volume of bills on a monthly basis ensuring they are sent out as quickly as possible, following up with Accounts or other departments as required and answering any queries relating to bills;
• Typing and amending correspondence and documents, which are often lengthy, and undertaking amendments as necessary.
• Accurate proofreading of documents, paying particular attention to headers/footers;
• Assisting with timesheet posting if required;
• Use and update InterAction;
• Prepare New Matter memos, ensuring accuracy and correct spelling of companies/individuals/checking with fee earners where necessary;
• Complies with all internal policies, procedures and processes and keeps technical skills up to date (i.e. identifies where refresher/new training is required in response to any changes in the role);
• Photocopying, filing and other general administrative duties

Personal Management

• Filing of paper documents, electronic filing and keeping administrative files up to date;
• Follows firm’s archiving process as set by Records Management;
• Closing files promptly, transferring files over when a fee earner leaves, etc.
• Arranging courier deliveries;
• Ensures distribution lists are kept up to date, amending as necessary after new conflicts checks.

Client Focus

• Assisting with client queries in a professional and timely manner;
• Assist internal clients (all groups within the business) with queries and respond in a timely manner;
• Assisting with business development initiatives, i.e. organising client lunches, etc.

Communication

• Liaising with clients and telephone callers when fee-earners are out of the office. Taking down accurate messages and dealing with queries or assisting callers wherever possible;
• Assist and take ownership for internal/external queries in a polite and professional manner using the most appropriate medium, seek out information and resolve queries;
• Maintains confidentiality and discretion at all times, flagging any concerns or issues at the appropriate level.

Teamwork

• Assisting with general office duties and providing back up support for other secretaries and/or fee-earners as required to ensure the smooth running of the business.

Results Driven

• Managing Partners’ e-mails as required and dealing with e-mail queries when appropriate;
• Assists/supports Partners with internal processes, i.e. organises work to Evening group, picks up IT issues and resolves accordingly;
• Checks new matter memos for accuracy, checks for clearance and keeps fee earners abreast with any issues or reminders. Co-ordinates a file where this may be cross-group.

Qualifications

Educated to GCSE or equivalent, A Level preferable.

Minimum RSA II typing.

A secretarial qualification an advantage.

Experience/Candidate Specification:

Experience:

• Knowledge of Tax work within a legal environment preferable.
• Experience of working in a partnership environment
• Experience supporting senior and high profile individuals

Technical Abilities:

• Accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Strong technical skills, advanced Word and Outlook and a working knowledge of Excel, PowerPoint and Internet.
• Typing speed 60 wpm +

Personal attributes:

• Personable, flexible and enthusiastic approach to team work;
• Good, articulate telephone manner;
• Self-starter, ability to use initiative and provide pro-active support to fee-earners;
• Ability to pay attention to detail, particularly with emails, and to check own work;
• Reliable and well organised.
• Ability to work under pressure within strict deadlines and takes responsibility for their work.

At Mayer Brown, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment that offers our people the opportunity and support they need to succeed.

Our culture promotes mutual respect, acceptance, cooperation and productivity among people from varying backgrounds and values different perspectives and ideas.

One of our core values at Mayer Brown is to promote diversity and inclusion at all levels within the business which is actively supported by our diversity networks – LGBT+, Fusion (Race & Ethnicity), Multi-faith, Women, Enable (Disability) and Work and Me (Family).

We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that individuals may require throughout the recruitment process and once they have joined the Firm.

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