Legal Secretary / Personal Assistant - Wills & Probate

Legal Secretary / Personal Assistant - Wills & Probate

Location: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

Department: Wills & Probate / Private Client

Reports to: Head of Wills & Probate

Hours: Full-time

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Legal Secretary / Personal Assistant to provide high-quality secretarial, administrative and legal support to the Head of our Wills & Probate Department.

This role would suit an experienced Legal Secretary, Legal PA or established Paralegal with previous experience within a legal environment. Experience in Wills, Probate, Private Client or Estate Administration would be particularly advantageous.

The successful candidate will be organised, professional and confident working independently. They will need to be able to manage a busy workload, prioritise effectively and provide support with minimal supervision.

This is an experienced role and is not suitable for a new or trainee candidate requiring significant training. The successful applicant should be able to hit the ground running.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing day-to-day secretarial and PA support to the Head of Wills & Probate.
• Managing diaries, appointments, meetings and deadlines.
• Preparing and formatting correspondence, legal documents, reports and other documentation.
• Dealing with telephone calls, emails and routine client enquiries.
• Arranging client appointments and preparing relevant documentation.
• Maintaining accurate and well-organised client files and records.
• Assisting with the preparation and administration of Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney.
• Assisting with Probate and estate administration matters.
• Preparing correspondence and documentation for review by the relevant fee earner.
• Liaising with clients, executors, beneficiaries and third parties in a professional manner.
• Liaising with organisations such as banks, building societies, HMRC and the Probate Registry where required.
• Assisting with estate administration, including obtaining information relating to assets and liabilities.
• Assisting with estate accounts and other administrative aspects of estate work.
• Monitoring outstanding work and ensuring deadlines are brought to the attention of the relevant fee earner.
• Assisting with file reviews, compliance and general case management.
• Supporting the department with billing, time recording and general administration where required.
• Maintaining confidentiality and complying with the firm's policies and procedures.
• Providing support to other members of the department when required.

Client Care

The successful candidate will have regular contact with clients, including individuals who may be dealing with bereavement or other sensitive circumstances.

It is therefore important that the successful applicant is professional, approachable, patient and empathetic, with the ability to communicate clearly and sensitively.

The candidate should be comfortable dealing with clients by telephone, email and in person and should always maintain a high standard of client service.

Experience and SkillsEssential

• Previous experience as a Legal Secretary, Legal PA, Executive Assistant or experienced Paralegal.
• Previous experience working within a legal practice.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage a busy workload and competing priorities.
• Ability to work independently and use initiative.
• Good IT skills, particularly Microsoft Word and Outlook.
• Professional and confident telephone manner.
• Understanding of confidentiality and the importance of handling sensitive information.

Desirable

Experience in the following areas would be advantageous:

• Wills and Will drafting.
• Probate and estate administration.
• Private Client work.
• Lasting Powers of Attorney.
• Trusts and estate administration.
• Inheritance Tax matters.
• Estate accounts.
• Probate applications.
• Legal case management systems.

An experienced Paralegal with relevant Private Client experience will be considered, provided they have the practical experience required to undertake the role without extensive training.

Personal Qualities

We are looking for someone who is:

• Professional and approachable.
• Highly organised and methodical.
• Reliable and conscientious.
• Proactive and self-motivated.
• Discreet and trustworthy.
• Calm and professional under pressure.
• Client-focused and empathetic.
• Confident dealing with clients and third parties.
• Able to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Flexible and willing to assist colleagues when required.
• Committed to providing a high standard of work and client service.

What We Are Looking For

This position would suit an experienced legal support professional who understands the demands of working within a busy law firm and is looking for a responsible role supporting the Head of an established Wills & Probate Department.

We are particularly interested in candidates who already have experience of Wills, Probate or Private Client work and who can demonstrate a good understanding of the administrative requirements involved.

The successful candidate will be expected to work with a high degree of independence and professionalism and to become an effective member of the department quickly.

General

The duties outlined above are not exhaustive and the successful candidate may be required to undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the role and their experience.

The firm expects all employees to maintain high standards of professionalism, confidentiality, accuracy, client care and compliance with internal procedures and applicable regulatory requirements.

Please note: This is an experienced position. Candidates who are new to legal secretarial work or who require substantial training are unlikely to be suitable.