Owen Reed is looking to recruit an independent Evening Legal Secretary / Receptionist to join a top law firm in London.

JOB SUMMARY

To provide evening secretarial assistance to a senior day-time Secretary who supports a senior Partner.
In addition, to also provide evening reception cover, including secretarial support to visiting Partners and
Lawyers who are normally based on the Reception Floor (6th floor) and who often have work
commitments during the evening due to time differences.

The role will entail effective crossover of work to and from the daytime Secretary and Receptionists. With
an emphasis on efficient prioritization to successfully switch between roles to provide a high client service
within both areas.

In this sophisticated, multi-national practice, a team-oriented, proactive and enthusiastic approach is
essential.

The role will be office-based and located at the Park Lane office.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Evening Legal Secretarial – Support to Senior Secretary

• Carrying out all secretarial services, including at times lengthy document production, editing and
formatting.
• Preparing documents, letters and memos from the Firm’s templates.
• Answering and dealing with telephone calls and correspondence.
• Using the Firm’s technology, including all Microsoft Office applications, information and document
management systems.
• Organising and maintaining electronic and hard copy filing systems.
• Carrying out conflict checks and opening new clients and matters on the database system.

•Occasional managing of diary and schedule of senior Partner (in absence of daytime senior
Secretary), including at times very complex travel arrangements, preparing itineraries and
addressing last minute changes.
• Liaising with clients and other third parties to organise internal and external meetings and
conferences.
• Handling time entries.
• Processing expenses and preparing invoices for clients as and when required.
• Communicating and liaising with colleagues and the Firm’s other offices on day-to-day matters.
• Maintaining a professional and effective dialogue with clients with exemplary client care,
proactively supporting Firm-wide client service initiatives.
• Maintaining an up to date and accurate client contact database (e.g. InterAction).
• Liaising with other support functions (Facilities, Reprographics, IS, etc.).

Evening Reception

• Booking conference rooms for business meetings using the Firm’s conference booking system,
liaising with the secretary or internal client on meeting room requirements.
• Greeting all visitors, announcing their arrival, managing catering requirements.
• Answering and dealing with telephone calls in a professional and courteous manner, ensuring calls
are answered quickly, taking complete and accurate messages and treating all callers professionally.
• Work collaboratively in a team with the daytime Receptionists.
• Seamless transition of duties to the daytime Receptionists.
• Booking of Firm Corporate Apartments.
• Handling travel amendments/bookings for visitors to the office.
• Ordering taxis and airport transfers as necessary.
• Carry out general administration tasks, including making arrangements and preparing itineraries for
business travel, photocopying, scanning and document preparation.
• Provide secretarial duties to visitors, as and when required.
• Evening point person for ad-hoc Building, out of hours issues. To advise and liaise with Building
Maintenance Officer as necessary.
• Booking and monitoring of evening courier requests. Dealing with courier deliveries and liaising with
recipients as necessary.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Required Skills

• Fully proficient in word processing and document production with a fast and accurate speed.
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office applications, in particular Word and PowerPoint with the
knowledge to resolve complicated formatting issues, charts and tables etc.
• Knowledge of document management systems (e.g. iManage, Teams / OneDrive ) and client
databases (e.g. InterAction).
• Familiar with the workings of an international law firm or professional services environment
(accounting, consulting or financial services) supporting both Partners and other professionals.
• Experience in providing a professional front of house service including experience in dealing with
caterers
• Confident interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate at all levels with clarity, timeliness
and appropriateness to achieve a positive outcome.
• Project and time management skills – ability to manage assignments, organise and prioritise work.
• Attention to detail with the ability to complete assignments with minimal supervision, especially as
working largely outside of core business hours.
• Appreciates the need for accurate and error-free work.
• Team orientated with the ability to build strong working relationships with staff from all offices
across the Firm, internal and external clients.

Preferred Qualities

• Confidentiality and discretion.
• Organisational skills.
• Professional and confident with the ability to represent the Firm to external clients.
• Committed, enthusiastic and proactive.
• Very flexible with a positive attitude.
• Common-sense approach.
• Willingness to work longer hours during busy periods.
• Confidence to ask questions and make suggestions.
• Able to work as part of a team but also independently

Hours of Work:

20 hour week with a need for a flexible working pattern to meet the requirements of the Firm and clients,
but normally based on 5pm-9pm, Monday to Friday. A taxi home will be provided at the end of each
evening worked.