Legal Staff – Legal Secretary (Practice Support Coordinator) – Perth, WA
Job Title: Legal Secretary (Practice Support Coordinator)
* Location: Perth
Overview
The Legal Secretary, serving as a Practice Support Coordinator, provides proactive practice and administrative support to the law firm's lawyers, primarily for billable client work. This role supports client service in alignment with the firm's policies and procedures and is an integral part of client matter teams, aiding in all matter-related processes from inception through project completion, billing, and collection.
Responsibilities
* Matter Management:
o Handle client and matter clearance and opening procedures.
o Execute AML (Anti-Money Laundering) processes.
o Draft and manage engagement letters.
o Maintain MTM (Matter Tracking Management).
o Oversee matter project administration from opening to closing, including setting up SharePoint sites, updating email distribution lists, supporting post-closing activities such as billing and archiving, and ensuring all appointments and conference calls are scheduled in lawyers' calendars.
o Coordinate client and matter-team meetings and updates.
o Monitor and record project scope, adjustments, estimates, caps, and billing agreements.
o Prepare matter balance reports and client fee updates.
o Manage working capital by organizing monthly meetings between the relevant partner and the working capital team to review WIP/debt positions.
o Prepare drafts for fee earners' review, with final review by the lead associate; rearrange meetings as needed to occur monthly.
o Support billing and collection tasks, including raising timely and accurate GMPS bills, invoices, tax computations, and write-offs for billing team review.
o Liaise with the billing team and dispatch invoices securely to clients.
o Draft bills, amend narratives as required, and prepare accompanying bill letters.
* Business Development Support:
o Assist Partners and the BD (Business Development) team with business development activities.
o Amend business development and client-focused materials, including CVs, pitches, presentations, and client briefings.
o Monitor BD collateral (CVs, MIS) to ensure accuracy and currency, including updates to the BD tracker and InterAction.
o Organize, facilitate, and provide host support for events (including virtual events).
o Inform the BD team of visiting partners' schedules and assist with related logistics.
* Matter Team Support:
o Produce documents and liaise with the Document Production Unit (DPU), including transcribing, editing, and amending legal and other documents.
o Convert, compare, copy-type, and proofread documents to ensure compliance with house style.
o Manage signing pages where applicable.
o Handle e-filing and post-closing activities as required.
o Prepare and distribute bibles.
* Best Delivery / Legal Tech / KETL Opportunities:
o Support the use of legal technology, including facilitation and management of matter-specific solutions.
o Apply knowledge of the Best Delivery tools and processes.
o Facilitate end-of-matter reviews to identify follow-on opportunities such as deal reviews and KETL (Knowledge, Expertise, and Thought Leadership) initiatives.
* Education and Experience:
o Minimum of 5 years' work experience in a similar or relevant role within a law firm or professional services environment.
o Prior experience supporting a litigation and dispute resolution practice is preferred.
o Proven ability to thrive in a high-performing environment.
o Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
o Strong organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail.
o Proactive, mature, and collaborative approach to managing work and relationships across teams.
o Respectful of colleagues and committed to working in an inclusive team environment.
o Effective at working both independently and as part of a team.
o Demonstrated ability to innovate and streamline processes and tasks.
Additional Information
Equal opportunities statement: The law firm recognizes its people as its true asset and values inclusion for the benefit of its team, their families, the firm, and society. The firm is committed to ensuring fair and equal treatment for all employees and applicants, irrespective of gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, color, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. The firm supports various employee networks, providing platforms for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change where improvements are needed. The firm's goal is to deliver equality of opportunity, aspiration, and experience to everyone working within the organization.
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