PA

We currently have an opportunity within our Commercial Disputes & Regulation (CDR) division for a PA based in Edinburgh on a 12 month fixed term basis.

The role is to join our CDR Division to assist with PA support within the Division.

The successful candidate will provide effective and efficient PA and secretarial support and assist the PAs across the Division and the wider business where capacity allows.

Essential skills

• Strong organisational skills
• Attention to detail
• Previous experience as a PA/Executive Assistant
• Litigation experience

Job Responsibilities

• Accurately produce correspondence, documentation (including any related matters e.g. mailslips, forms, couriers etc.) and presentations, utilising efficiently relevant software e.g. Word, Excel. Foxit, PowerPoint, BundleDocs and Big Hand dictation software (when used) to its full advantage, maintaining a reliable service to all fee earners.
• Liaise where necessary with Document Production in the production of larger documents but be capable of creating and amending large documents using track changes or Litera Compare as required, at all times keeping the fee earners appraised as to progress.
• Assist in the preparation of relevant papers for lodging at Court when required.
• Communicate effectively with line manager and/or fee earners regarding workflow and ability to assist across the Division/business as directed.
• Drafting correspondence on behalf of fee earners.
• Proof reading documents to ensure accuracy and consistency is maintained at all times.
• Work to stated deadlines and adjust work priorities to accommodate the changing requirements of the business.
• Carry out client and matter opening and closing in accordance with the firm’s processes and procedures, including  liaising with the Finance and AML teams, carrying out and recording conflict checks and producing letters of engagement, updating the letter of engagement tracker for fee earners as and when required.
• Diary management checking weekly, monthly and annual commitments in advance and responding to queries relating to availability, including room bookings using the Eptura room booking system, updating all catering and IT requirements and communication with attendees, responding to invites as required and ensuing communication of all meeting arrangements with attendees.
• Use the Eptura room booking system to its full advantage, assisting at meetings as required.
• Identify, liaise and provide support in connection with procuring of IT assistance, equipment or presentation documentation for any meeting.
• Manage attendance, rooms and technology and attend and take Minutes for meetings (where appropriate) and assist in ensuring fee earners complete agreed tasks.
• Manage email accounts, including reviewing fee earner inboxes of all fee earners on holiday or otherwise absence (including travelling) including email storage and file management.
• To understand and apply correct procedures for administration duties for all fee earners.
• To liaise and proactively act on behalf of all fee earners with all members of staff or external client as appropriate.
• Carry out active matter reviews with fee earners in connection with regular billing and payment of invoices.
• Manage billing process for producing invoices (at month end and throughout the year as required), using the Expert Billing system and sending these on to clients.  Completion of all required information for clients’ fee portals.
• Complete Expert Billing reporting as required
• Dealing with relevant disbursements on a client file, checking they are correct, having them approved, uploading to correct client, dealing with suppliers, where appropriate.
• Dealing with queries regarding invoices, including managng and obtaining client purchase orders where applicable.
• Processing team’s expense forms, collating receipts and processing claims on behalf of the fee earner using Emburse Enterprise system.
• Assist with accurately updating time recording for fee earners as required.
• Arrange and, as necessary, assist with photocopying/binding as required.
• Undertake filing/scanning as required.
• Deal with clients and contacts and assist/redirect as required
• Proactively planning and managing itineraries and updating diaries with all relevant travel and hotel details) and reclaim all travel related .expenses for fee earrners.
• Manage contact information for clients and contacts (including updating Interaction database) ensuring details are correctly logged.
• Assist with court invoicing process when required.
• Undertake ad hoc administration e.g. organising team training as required and updating requirements on Intellek system.
• Check QZebra system for fee earners daily (ensuring document distribution and saving and naming protocols are followed).
• Manage the team’s paper storage requirements – including indexing, local storage of papers and updating Store system with details of all off-site papers to be sent to external storage.
• Liaise with all support teams .e.g Finance, Facilities, IT, Reception, Marketing , Business Development and Communications teams.
• Use the firm’s systems and procedures to their fullest advantage.
• Create and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues.
• Provide support to the wide PA group, including other divisions and offices, as and when required.
• Keep system knowledge up to date and actively seek and undertake training where any need is identified.
• To undertake any other reasonable duties as requested by the fee earner or line manager.

HR Contact 

If you would like further information on the role or require accommodations to make your application please contact Rory Osborough on rory.osborough@shepwedd.com.

Equal Opportunities 

At Shepherd and Wedderburn we strive to provide a supportive, inclusive and high performance working environment, where everyone feels they belong. Diversity and inclusion is at the heart of our business and we therefore welcome applicants from different backgrounds to all levels of the organisation. To foster inclusivity we particularly encourage applications from those who may be from underrepresented groups, including candidates from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBT+ people, people with disabilities or who are neurodivergent and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Data Protection

Shepherd and Wedderburn is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information that we collect as a “controller”. The information provided by you will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice for Applicants. If you are successful in obtaining paid employment with us we will hold your information in accordance with our Privacy Notice and Data Retention Policy for Personnel, which will be provided to you at the relevant time.

Relevant information will be disclosed to the interview panel and Human Resources staff members. We may contact any referees provided for the purposes of discussing your application and will ask your permission before doing so.

If you provide any information deemed to be “special category” information under the General Data Protection Regulation, we may use this as follows:

• We will use any information provided in relation to reasonable adjustments to make appropriate arrangements for interview or other selection processes.
• We will use any information provided in our diversity monitoring form to ensure meaningful monitoring and reporting. Any analysis of this data will be done on an anonymous basis.

Should your application be unsuccessful, the information provided will be deleted on the basis of the timescales set out in our Privacy Notice for Applicants.

If you have any further questions about how we process and store your information, or your rights in relation to this, please refer to our Privacy Notice for Applicants.