Purpose of job
You will work in the Private Client team to provide professional, pro-active, high level secretarial support on a broad range of issues relating to estates and private property, tax and planning. You will work with an allocated fee earner or group of fee earners as well as supporting the wider fee earning team.
The team covers :
- Will drafting
- Succession planning
- Tax efficient lifetime giving
- Disputed Wills
- Creation administration and termination of trusts
- Advice to Trustees and Beneficiaries
- Trust Taxation
- Offshore trusts
- Lasting Powers of Attorney
- Administration of Estates
Accountabilities
Technical ability
To produce and amend documents with speed and accuracyTo format, paginate, number and present documents in Birketts LLP house styleTo proof read all work, checking for spelling and grammarTo be a user of key software packages and take responsibility for any training needs to improve relevant skills needed to meet the needs of the businessTo proactively work with the fee earners to ensure relevant documentation is produced to meet clients’ expectations and deadlinesUse of Isokon for the administration of estates would be a benefitAdministrative skills :
Manage diaries of allocated fee earners in Microsoft Outlook to include :
Familiarity with the creation and management of datarooms and file management processesMaking appointmentsArranging meetings / conferencesSending and responding to invitesProcess expense claims, payment requisition forms, returned advancesTo process all forms including new client form, new matter form, money laundering form, training course booking forms etc.To ensure that all electronic filing and paper based filing is up to date and maintained at regular intervalsTo prepare narratives and bills and keep billing files up to dateTo carry out photocopying and scanning as requiredProfessional Skills :
To immediately clarify instructions from fee earners should they be unclear or if deadlines are not made explicitTo respond to internal and external telephone enquiries politely and professionally and take accurate telephone messages (name / number / company), passing them on to the relevant fee earners etc.To proactively support other members of the secretarial team and to provide cover as and when necessary to ensure that work is completed to a high standard and meets the required deadlinesTo provide full support to fee earners in the full range of activities that are performed and to carry out any other duties as reasonably requestedGeneral Approach :
To show a positive approach and interest in the work that your fee earners are undertakingShow initiative when responding to queries and actively try to seek solutions to problemsTo support your fee earners when clients are demanding the work product to be deliveredTo support and build working relationships with your own fee earners as well as other members of the team and to actively work for the interests of the whole teamTo support and build working relationships with your colleagues in the secretarial team and to actively get involved in working activities within the teamThe candidate
You will have the ability to contribute at an operational level, with excellent communication skills and can demonstrate general skills in :
Strong administration experiencePositive, enthusiastic and professional approachStrong attention to detail, high level organisational skills and reliableSelf-motivated with an ability to use own initiative with a desire to learnA desire to share new processes to support the wider teamSkills
Strong typing speed of at least 50 wpmExcellent spelling and punctuationExcellent written and verbal communicationsAbility to use discretionExcellent IT skills, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and ExcelPositive and enthusiastic approach to team workGood telephone mannerAdaptable and flexibleSelf-motivated, ability to use initiative and provide pro-active support to fee-earnersAbility to pay attention to detail and check own workReliable and well organisedAbility to remain calm and work under pressure to meet strict deadlinesCommitment to ongoing learning and developmentEqual opportunities
At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth. Alongside a flexible and inclusive work environment, we offer the following core benefits :
25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays (rising with service up to a maximum of 30 days).Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous servicePrivate Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus SchemeSalary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health InsurancePaid CSR DayEnhanced Maternity / Paternity LeaveSubsidised gym membershipElectric car schemeDress for your Day PolicyPlease note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.
Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal : we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.
We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.
