Junior Practice Assistant London 2024

Farrer & Co is synonymous with the highest quality legal advice and service.

We advise individuals, families, businesses, financial services, educational and not-for-profit organisations on every aspect of the law, wherever the need arises. From our offices in London we work with trusted professionals around the world to deliver a seamless international service.

Our clients present us with complex and varied challenges. Whether that's a complicated family trust issue, a multinational corporate transaction, or an emerging threat to their reputation, they need clear thinkers who can advise on the best solutions, fast thinkers when speed is of the essence and agile thinkers who can produce a fresh approach to get the job done. That's why they choose us.

Our clients value our in-depth knowledge, technical excellence and diversity of disciplines. But what really binds our long-standing relationships with them is our approach: pragmatic, plain speaking and always steadfast in our values, which we hold dear. Values which mean we gain our clients' trust, always strive to do the right thing, and aim for the best results for them.

Superb client service sits at the heart of everything we do. We are modern lawyers with timeless values.

The team

The Intellectual Property & Commercial team advises clients operating within any sector rich in intellectual property on almost all aspects of IP law. The team’s work includes advising on copyright, IP due diligence, trademarks, data, IP & technology disputes and IP licensing and technology transfer. The team also advises on commercial contracts and data protection law. The team's clients include leading charities, museums and galleries, independent schools and HEIs, as well as private businesses.

Scope

The Intellectual Property & Commercial team is recruiting for a Junior Practice Assistant on a permanent basis.

Responsibilities

Overview

• Proficient typing, organisational and administrative support to fee earners (whether partners, associates or trainees), dealing with client, practice area, pillar, sector and firm matters. Demonstrates an interest in and commitment to practice area and the firm strategy

Organisational Support

• Personally organised and aware of fee earners’ workload and organisation requirements
• Works efficiently and effectively with other practice assistants and Business Services staff, providing support and responding positively to requests and in a timely manner
• Responds to the needs of the business by working additional hours when required to ensure deadlines are met
• Updates own voicemail, out of office, Outlook calendar and HR system to ensure they are an up-to-date indication of availability (including external and internal meetings, training sessions, annual leave and annual appointments)
• Processes relevant applications, forms, or searches, seeking advice and guidance where necessary
• Developing a good knowledge of all systems/processes used within the team
• Developing an understanding of the scope of work undertaken by the firm’s Business Services teams and works effectively with them, for example Word Processing team, Docucentre and Finance

BD and Client Relationship Management

• Fosters excellent relationships with clients and colleagues and is seen as a point of contact for fee earners
• Proactively seeks out tasks and new responsibilities and supports others in the team when required
• Recognises, respects and honours client confidentiality always. Raises any concerns regarding breaches of confidentiality to their fee earner or DSM

Document Production

• Creates new documents from the firm’s templates and precedents, using contact data from the CRM system where appropriate
• Ensures that documents are generated as new documents and not copied from old documents unless working with the firm’s precedents
• Saves new versions of documents if major changes/amendments need to be made. Ensures an accurate document comparison can be performed later if needed.
• Proof-reads all documents for spelling, grammar and sense, querying wording where appropriate

IT Skills/Systems

• Saves all client related documents (including the Terms of Engagement and Client Care Letter) to the relevant client folder in the document management system rather than to personal folders. Ensures documents can be shared electronically with confidence. Seeks guidance from others if unsure where to file the document(s)
• Attends training sessions, as required, to develop a proficiency in all of the firm’s core IT applications

File Management

• Follows file management guidelines as specified in BASS
• Adopts a pro-active approach and works with fee earners to ensure effective file management, including maintaining filing on a daily, or at least weekly basis to ensure all files are organised, processed and recorded appropriately

Financial Risk Management

• Develops a good understanding and knowledge of all finance forms
• Assists in the preparation of bills
• Develops an understanding of the file opening process, including AML practices and conflict searches, seeking fee earner guidance where necessary
• Undertakes / engages with the firm’s regular compulsory FarrerCompliance training

Additional Contribution

• Pro-actively invests time and effort and encourages others to do the same into firm-wide business activities to help improve the working environment. For example supporting the firm’s work on purpose; equity, diversity and inclusion; corporate responsibility; wellbeing, or other economic, social and governance activities. This could be, for example, as a working party, committee, employee impact group, steering group, or software testing panel member, or as a [mental health] first aider.

Person specification

• Aligns with the firm's values, vision and strategy
• Arrives ready and prepared for the working day and demonstrates excellent timekeeping (whether related to meetings, arrival at the office or going to and from lunch)
• Has a positive outlook, friendly approach and is respectful to others (e.g. communicates in a positive and constructive manner and interacts in good faith)
• Demonstrates effective listening and questioning to ensure clarity of a situation, issue or request
• Works as a team player, offering help when with spare capacity and is willing to assist other fee earners in the practice area or department during busy periods
• Demonstrates an interest in and commitment to the practice area, departmental and firm aims and objectives
• Has a caring approach to self and colleagues
• Ensures Learn.Know.Grow mandatory and elective training is complete for own level
• Respects diversity and acts fairly and inclusively
• Reflects on and learns from mistakes and other people
• Has excellent timekeeping and prioritises work effectively
• Is flexible, reliable, co-operative and has a professional approach to work
• Works as a positive, friendly and helpful team player
• Communicates in a positive and constructive manner
• Interacts in good faith and demonstrates effective listening
• Recognises, respects and honours client confidentiality at all times

Special aspects

Happy to talk flexible working. This role is suitable for individuals looking to work full time. Flexible working patterns will be considered within the firm’s agile working framework.

The hours of work for this opportunity are 09:30am-5:30pm but it is essential to be committed, flexible and prepared to work beyond the normal office hours when necessary and in response to client demand.

Farrer & Co is an equals opportunity employer who welcomes applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We look to employ the best candidates regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, social or economic background, religion, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, or any other protected characteristic.

We are keen to ensure candidates have the best interview experience possible, if you require any adjustments during the interview or application process please let the recruitment team know.