PA - Construction & Engineering

About Gowling WLG

We have more than 1,400 legal professionals working around the world. Our offices span across 19 cities in Canada, the UK, Continental Europe, Asia and the Middle East. There's strength in our global presence – we embrace our differing cultures and work together as one team. We also understand the importance of investing in relationships that build knowledge and trust, while we provide legal advice that's tailored to our clients' world.

'Our people and distinct culture are what makes us different. We know this through client and employee feedback and this drives everything we do'' Chris Oglethorpe, HR Director.

There are great opportunities for all our people to flourish. Through training and personal development they can grow in their role. Our people are the cornerstone of our success, across legal, business support and early talent. We care about their happiness and believe in the power of teamwork. We want them to feel empowered and recognise that by supporting, respecting and embracing everyone's different contributions we achieve more.

Working flexibly, working fairly

Agile working offers people more freedom and flexibility in where, when, and how they work. As technology advances and our workforce becomes more diverse – and with clients often working to a 24/7 rhythm – having extra flexibility is key to helping us balance work and other commitments sensibly and productively.

By supporting people to choose where and when they get their work done, we help them to make a full and fair contribution to their team – while maintaining that all important work-life balance.

Where possible and depending on business needs, we will consider all flexible working options such as part-time working, job sharing, working from home and staggered hours. If in considering a role with Gowling WLG you favour flexibility in your working arrangements, please discuss this with the recruitment team in the early stages of the application process.

Main Purpose of the Job

Providing fee earners with the administrative support needed to provide seamless legal services to clients. Be proactively involved in all aspects of the management and execution of their fee earners’ day-to-day workload by providing exceptional and proactive administrative support. Act as workflow manager for other support services including delegating and supervising the completion of document production, file management and copying/scanning work. Take an active interest in and obtain a thorough understanding of all aspects of client requirements to provide exceptional service levels to fee earners and clients.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative

• Manage diaries, ensuring they are up to date and reminding fee earners of meetings etc on a daily basis. Ensure critical date diaries are up to date and circulate to team.

• Arrange meetings, book conference rooms, refreshments, check rooms prior to meetings etc and liaise with other attendees, both internal and external.

• Coordinate travel arrangements in the UK and internationally, book and confirm reservations and deal with related details/papers/itineraries.

• Arrange photocopying, printing, organising couriers, sending out of letters, etc.

• Arrange for files to be opened and closed, supervise general filing, e-filing, scanning requirements and record keeping.

• Use effective systems to ensure that both short and long term tasks are completed within required timescales.

• Support lawyers in marketing activities including involvement in preparation of pitches and presentations.

• Good working knowledge of the property process and terminology with an ability to carry out property searches and enquiries and liaison with appropriate authorities, preparation of completion statements, reports on title, leases and conveyances and property forms.

Communication

• Take internal and external telephone queries, responding as appropriate and/or ensuring that all messages are passed on in a timely manner. Ensure that all client-related correspondence is passed on to the appropriate fee earner and follow up to ensure that matters are dealt with proactively if the relevant person is out of the office.

• Monitor post and/or emails and deal with as appropriate. Respond to routine queries using own initiative.

• Manage outbound correspondence with supporting documentation.

• Liaise with business support departments on behalf of fee earners as required.

• Liaise with the Practice Coordinator over any planned absences, arranging cover as necessary and communicating this to the relevant fee earners.

Document Production

• Coordinate correspondence, attachments, documents, reports, presentations, etc produced by the DPC team before they are passed to the relevant fee earner for approval/sign off and undertake basic/minor amendments where appropriate.

• Type short correspondence and emails when required.

• Produce and maintain Excel spreadsheets as required.

Financial

• Coordinate the billing process and assist fee earners in the billing and credit control process by liaising with the fee earner and accounts and to produce financial/time reports through the system. Be aware of any service level agreements or arrangements with clients requiring bespoke billing information.

• Be competent in the delivery of more complex client reporting as and when required.

• Liaise with finance and cash functions as appropriate.

Team Duties

• Assist others in the Group whenever there is spare capacity.

• Pick up telephone calls for colleagues when they are away from their desk.

• Work effectively with other legal Groups and support departments as required.

• Seek out opportunities to pass on knowledge to colleagues.

• Any other relevant duties as reasonably requested by fee earners or Group Support Manager, or a person of an appropriate seniority.

Key skills and experience

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, research tools and other systems implemented by the firm.

• Excellent telephone manner. Confidence to deal with routine client queries and take the necessary action in the absence of fee earners.

• Excellent communication, organisational and team skills.

• Excellent attention to detail.

• Flexible, proactive and dependable with a results-orientated approach.

• Able to remain calm under pressure, work to tight deadlines and prioritise workload.

• Confident in taking the initiative.

Equal Opportunities

Gowling WLG is committed both to promoting equality and diversity in the firm and to Equal Opportunities in employment.  The firm believes in equality of opportunity regardless of race or racial group (including colour, nationality, ethnicity, national origins), religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender re-assignment and gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy, maternity and paternity.  This also includes any incidents of perceptive or associative discrimination and harassment.

At Gowling WLG we seek to attract and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, to create an exciting and rewarding place to work.  Our aim is to fulfil everyone's potential and together to achieve personal and business goals.