Private Client Secretary

Our client based in Hertfordshire is recruiting a Private Client Secretary to join their busy and friendly team. The successful candidate will be appointed to assist the members of the Private Client practice area in carrying out their duties and responsibilities.

This is a full-time maternity cover contract until April 2026, working 36 hours per week. The working hours are 9.00am - 5.15pm, Mon-Thurs and 9.00am-5.00pm on Friday. Our client offers the option of hybrid working after completing initial training. The role offers a competitive salary, plus excellent company benefits.

The purpose of the role is to support a Senior Solicitor and Legal Executive undertaking administrative work and minor fee earning work and the preparation of standard documents. Our client is looking for a flexible, hardworking individual who thrives on variety and is prepared to take ownership of tasks. It is essential that the successful candidate has a sound knowledge and practical experience of Legal Secretary work and preferable that the successful candidate is already experienced in a similar role within Private Client.

Duties include:

• Provide secretarial and administrative support within the Private Client practice area
• Maintain the highest level of confidentiality always.
• Proactively manage diaries and possess time management skills
• Liaise with clients (and third parties) by correspondence, telephone, or attendance.
• Answer queries and relay necessary information in a professional and confident manner
• Type a wide range of documents with speed and accuracy and pay attention to detail
• Draft routine correspondence
• Assist in the preparation and proof reading of legal documents
• Assist the other members of the Private Client practice area in organising their work effectively
• Build and maintain client relationships
• Carry out any reasonable instruction from the HOPA and other members of the team in a quick efficient manner.
• Prepare bills, covering letters and take responsibility for the monitoring and reporting of unpaid bills to fee earners and carry out follow up tasks
• Monitor client ledgers and liaise with fee earners regarding housekeeping matters, including dealing with accounting issues and file closures
• Carry out procedural file reviews
• Maintain the orderly running of client files and update file labels and outlook with key dates as and when necessary
• Participate in practice area meetings
• Comply with the Firm’s file management and file organisation procedures
• Comply with the Firm’s, SRA and the Law Society’s rules about accounting procedures
• Under the overall guidance of the relevant team member to assist in dealing with clients’ matters in an efficient manner
• Record messages and attendances and to ensure that the relevant team member receives information in an appropriate and timely manner
• Assist with Seminars if required

About the person

• Appropriate Secretarial qualifications and/or experience
• Experience and ability to work in a confidential manner
• Ability to multi-task and cope with a busy and varied workload
• Excellent IT skills
• Exemplary level of attention to detail
• Efficient time-management skills
• Efficient, reliable, helpful, and enthusiastic
• Confident, professional, and friendly with the ability to build good working relationships internally and externally
• Initiative, drive and motivation to work at home
• Effective and proactive team worker
• Flexible and adaptable mindset
• 'Hands-on’ approach
• Meticulous organisational skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent client service skills
• Personable and professional manner
• Honesty and discretion
• Ability to work under pressure and within deadlines
• Ability to problem solve

General requirements

• To work within the Private Client team and within the Firm if require.
• To perform any duty not specifically referred to above, which may be reasonably requested by the Private Client team
• To maintain a level of confidentiality appropriate to role
• To deal with colleagues, clients, and other external contacts in a friendly and efficient manner
• To observe the Firm’s policies, rules, and procedures
• To act in the best interests of the Firm always
• To have a suitable workspace at home and efficient broadband