Personal Assistant (Dubai)
Freshfields · Dubai
Role summary/purpose of job
The primary focus of this role is to provide support to the fee earners across MENA to ensure a high level of administrative support received. The key responsibilities of this role relate to personal assistant duties, and to participate in office operation activities when required to meet business needs.
Key responsibilities and deliverables
Client engagement
Responds to, assesses and prioritises clients’ requests, however communicated, and offers appropriate efficient and business-like help and assistance to meet their needs.
Maintains a good knowledge of current matters and carries out client liaison duties including regular WIP updates.
Develops and maintains an up-to-date knowledge of the stage of the matter upon which the fee earners are working, current matter workloads, potential issues and sensitivities.
Marketing and Business Development activities
Proactively supports fee earners’ MBD responsibilities. Includes submitting content to MBD systems (CV database, pitch/experience lists etc), intranet/LinkedIn publishing, prompting fee earners to provide material for uploading, conducting basic research on potential clients, running regular activity and tracking reports to support MBD initiatives.
Carries out basic business development duties such as updating contacts and sending out business development materials.
Updates firmwide software systems Introhive and Salesforce with new contacts and BD activities
Assists with administrative support for both internal and external business development and client events, working in conjunction with the relevant central and practice based MBD teams as appropriate.
Supports fee earners with maintaining BD database Foundation to ensure firmwide credentials are captured
Support the MBD department as required on the production of pitches, client presentations and maintaining up-to-date CVs for fee earners.
General administrative support
Helps to manage incoming communication (including fee earners’ e-mail), drafts and transcribes replies when directed by fee earners and ensures all mail is processed in an accurate and timely manner.
Pro-actively manages fee earners’ diaries, makes appointments, arranges meeting rooms and organises travel arrangements and expense claims to ensure all work activities are scheduled effectively. Able to make reasoned decisions when conflicts occur, or know when to refer to fee earner for the decision.
Arranges all travel effectively and efficiently. This must include understanding fee earners’ preferences, anticipating additional requirements (accommodation, currency, returns, transfers) and planning in contingency.
Types letters, correspondence and legal documentation (often involving confidential material). Proofreads all work to ensure that completed documents are delivered accurately and to an appropriately high standard.
Establishes and maintains a robust electronic filing system and other administration systems (such as client files if required) to ensure completeness and accuracy of technical, professional and matter information. Uses Worksite for e-mail filing as per departmental standards.
Carries out day-to-day administrative tasks to ensure provision of high quality service in all areas, including liaison with department business centres and other service departments as appropriate.
Provide administrative support and cover to the Receptionist on office administration/ operations tasks as required.
Assists fee earners with basic technical queries allowing them to make best use of available IT and KBD resources. Ensures own knowledge of technical packages is up to date.
Assists with administration, co-ordination and logistics for internal seminar and training events, ensuring relevant events are diarised for fee earners.
Carries out risk checks, matter openings and draft engagement letters.
Assists fee earners with the billing processes, preparing first drafts of bill narratives and managing process of sending bills end-to-end.
Provides fee earners with appropriate support in managing personal matters, such that fee earners are able to focus their time on providing efficient services to clients.
Aware of department’s policy on confidentiality walls and acts accordingly.
Communication
Communicates on a daily basis with all of their fee earners, ensuring a high level of awareness of current priorities, fee earners’ whereabouts and service requirements.
Proactively communicates with Team Supervisor on issues of workload and any other difficulties.
Team support
Is proactive in providing support to other business services teams where necessary.
Contributes to departmental support projects on an ad hoc basis.
Key requirements (Communication/skills/experience)
Essential
Formal legal secretarial qualification.
Excellent communication skills (written and oral).
Administrative support experience.
Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to prioritise and act on own initiative.
Able to work fast to tight deadlines.
Able to work as part of a team.
Ability to adopt a flexible and proactive approach and retain a professional attitude under pressure.
Flexibility to work in evenings and/ or weekends as required.
Excellent IT Skills, including fast, accurate audio and copy typing (60 wpm).
Able to produce high quality Word and PowerPoint documents.
Able to create, manipulate and interrogate Excel spreadsheets.
Experience in using FileSite, Intapp, WorkDay, SalesForce, Foundation, IntroHive or industry equivalent
Willingness to broaden experience and develop skills further.
Desirable
Experience of working as a legal secretary in a professional services environment.
Sound knowledge of legal environment, including legal terminology appropriate to their department.