Client Services Specialist (formerly secretary/PA)

About Withers

A law firm focused on people, performance, and collaboration.

For the past 125 years, we have supported some of the world’s most remarkable people and organizations at defining moments in their lives.

As the global private client firm, we are trusted advisors to families, founders, fiduciaries and businesses – and more than this, to governments, charities and financial institutions. We structure, grow and preserve capital. We protect reputations and relationships, ideas and innovations. We secure our clients’ legacies across generations. We are united in our commitment to integrity, quality and collaboration. We have a culture of high performance and deliver excellent service consistently across the firm. We provide tailored solutions built on trust and partner with our clients to achieve their goals.

Many of our clients are shaping the future, and creating solutions to tackle many of the world’s problems. It makes for a fascinating and challenging practice. Our role is to get to know each individual client, find out where they want to be, and help them to get there – whether they are building a business, buying a home or protecting and defending their interests. To meet their unique needs we are exceptionally collaborative, working together across teams and time zones. And we are agile – focusing on strategy rather than rigid ideas and traditional hierarchy.

We are delighted that we have been awarded Mansfield Certification Plus in relation to our recruitment and leadership progression efforts in the US and UK. This certification is an encouraging milestone as we continue to champion diversity within our organization and in the wider legal sector.

Join us to be part of a team that is always looking to the future. Where initiative, big ideas and bold moves are always encouraged. Where you can truly be yourself.

The Role

This role will be working for  fee earners in the Private Property team of the Private Client and Tax Division,  working as part of a team of Specialists and Coordinators providing support and assistance across the team.  This is an exciting role for a good communicator with a high level of interpersonal skills.  The ideal candidate will be a self-starter experienced in property work, you will be very organised and accurate with excellent attention to detail, you will need to be an efficient worker and team player who is extremely flexible, can prioritise, multi-task and remain calm under pressure. 

The role will be categorised as 'hybrid' in line with the firm's Mobile Working policy.  

Areas of focus and responsibilities (not an exhaustive list):

• This role will be working with multiple stakeholders across the business providing an experienced level of support to clients and fee earners, including but not limited to the below tasks:
• Assisting fee earners and clients as part of a team of Specialists and Coordinators.
• Proficient in document creation and/ or communication work including running comparisons using Litera software (comparison tool), converting documents (e.g. from pdf to Word or vice versa), amending correspondence and emails, creating and updating tracker documents and spreadsheets.Liaising with clients, agents, bankers etc
• Property specific tasks eg carrying out searches; producing sales packs, drafting basic documents, dealing with post-completion matters including production and submission of SDLT returns and Land Registry applications
• Supporting with team specific tasks delegated either by fee earners or Client Services Executives.
• Assisting fee earners in locating documents by researching e-files and searching in the firm's document management system (iManage) as necessary.
• Checking fee-earner in-boxes during their absence due to holiday, sickness, part-time working etc if required.
• Working with Client Services Coordinators (CSCs) and Admin Assistants to ensure e-files are up to date and items are filed in the correct folders, providing guidance where appropriate.
• Assisting the Client Services Executives generally and completing any tasks which may be delegated by them as well as covering during absences when required.
• Dealing with electronic signature requests.
• Diary management.
• Setting up Zoom/Teams or video conference meetings.
• Assisting with updating the firm's client relationship management system (InterAction), including updating telephone numbers and email addresses and any amendments that may be needed to existing entries, ensuring that duplication is avoided. This involves the collecting and maintaining of client relationship data and accessing this data to support fee earners in being able to cater for their clients' needs. Working with the marketing team to help fee earners to access client intelligence when undertaking targeted campaigns or events.
• Creating and updating tracker documents – including marketing trackers.
• Organising internal events and team meetings for teams and the division.
• Promptly answering all calls, taking complete and detailed messages. 
• Collaborating with the marketing team on pitches, liaising with DPC to ensure they are standardised, creating and populating marketing lists and assisting with external and internal activities and events as well as assisting with LinkedIn and other social media as requested. 
• Coordinating business development and travel activities for the Division.
• Collaborate with all Business Support teams.
• Completing tasks in priority order and regularly checking the group inbox to ensure no tasks are missed and all deadlines are met. Escalating any issues to the Divisional Supervisor as necessary.
• Providing ad hoc cover for partners and providing guidance for Client Services Coordinators when they require assistance.
• Pro-active and eager in approach to learning, being supportive of change within the organisation and continuously developing knowledge of specialisms within the team.
• Keep up to date with latest technologies, including awareness of AI.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive.  It is intended to describe the general content and requirements for the performance of this job and, as such, the role may include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

• To be successful in this role, you must be able to demonstrate:
• Previous experience in private property work in a law firm
• The ability to use your initiative to pick up unfamiliar work quickly and be proactive.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Collaboration and team working attributes with a flexible and co-do attitude and approach
• Strong IT skills with the ability to use both existing and new tools and technology
• Expert working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams)
• A self-starter who is competent to work independently
• A calm nature, with the ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines 
• A professional, willing and proactive approach, with keen attention to detail 

The Essentials:

• This role will be categorised as 'hybrid' under the firms mobile working policy.
• 2/3 days a week in the office
• 12 week probation period and 4 week notice period. 

Information for Recruitment Agencies

Withers endeavours to recruit and fill vacancies directly. However, when we do need to engage with agencies, Withers operates a preferred supplier list and will not be accepting unsolicited applications from non-PSL agencies for this role.

Equal Opportunities Employment Statement

It is the policy of Withers to provide equal opportunities for all employees in relation to recruitment, training and promotion. Decisions in these areas will be made only by reference to the requirements of the job and shall not be influenced by any consideration of ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability.