Role Overview

The Private Client Legal Secretary / Paralegal will provide high-quality administrative, secretarial and legal support to the Private Client team. The role will involve assisting fee earners with a broad range of private client matters, including wills, lasting powers of attorney, estate administration, trusts, inheritance tax planning and Court of Protection matters.

The successful candidate will be highly organised, client-focused and able to manage competing priorities in a professional legal environment. Depending on experience, the role may include both traditional legal secretarial duties and paralegal-level casework under supervision.

Please read the following required skills and attributes, and if you believe you would be a strong candidate, send in your CV together with a covering letter to our Head of Private Client matters, Karen Starkey k.starkey@kww.co.uk

Key Responsibilities

1. Secretarial and Administrative Support

• Provide comprehensive secretarial and administrative support to solicitors, legal executives and other fee earners within the Private Client team.
• Prepare, format, amend and proofread correspondence, attendance notes, legal documents, reports and forms.
• Manage diaries, arrange appointments, meetings and client calls.
• Deal with incoming and outgoing post, email correspondence and telephone enquiries.
• Open, maintain and close client files in accordance with the firm’s procedures.
• Undertake file management, including scanning, filing, document storage and archiving.
• Prepare bills, assist with time recording and liaise with the accounts team where required.
• Arrange client meetings and ensure meeting rooms, identification documents and relevant papers are prepared in advance.
• Maintain accurate records on the firm’s case management system.

2. Private Client Legal Support

Under supervision, assist fee earners with private client matters, including:

• Drafting and preparing wills, codicils and letters of wishes.
• Preparing lasting powers of attorney and related forms.
• Assisting with probate and estate administration, including collating asset and liability information.
• Preparing inheritance tax forms, probate applications and estate accounts.
• Liaising with clients, beneficiaries, executors, attorneys, deputies, financial institutions, HM Revenue & Customs, HM Courts and Tribunals Service and other third parties.
• Assisting with trust administration and Court of Protection matters where applicable.
• Conducting basic legal and factual research.
• Preparing first drafts of routine letters and documents.
• Monitoring key dates, deadlines and outstanding information.

3. Client Care and Communication

• Act as a professional and courteous point of contact for clients and third parties.
• Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Assist clients in a clear, empathetic and professional manner, particularly where matters involve bereavement, illness or vulnerable clients.
• Ensure that all client communications are dealt with promptly and accurately.
• Support fee earners in maintaining high standards of client service.

4. Compliance and Risk Management

• Assist with client onboarding, including identity verification, anti-money laundering checks and source of funds enquiries.
• Ensure compliance with the firm’s policies and procedures, including confidentiality, data protection, file management and regulatory obligations.
• Maintain accurate records of client instructions, communications and documents.
• Identify and escalate any risk, compliance or client care issues to the supervising fee earner.
• Work in accordance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority requirements and the firm’s professional standards.

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Previous experience as a legal secretary, legal assistant or paralegal, preferably within a Private Client department.
• Strong typing, document production and administrative skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage a varied workload and meet deadlines.
• Professional telephone manner and client-facing approach.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise tasks.
• Competence using Microsoft Office, including Word, Outlook and Excel.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
• A proactive, flexible and team-oriented approach.

Desirable

• Experience with wills, probate, estate administration and lasting powers of attorney.
• Familiarity with HMCTS probate applications and HMRC inheritance tax forms.
• Experience using legal case management systems.
• Knowledge of anti-money laundering and client due diligence procedures.
• Legal qualification or relevant study, such as CILEX, LPC, SQE preparation, law degree or equivalent experience.
• Experience dealing with elderly or vulnerable clients.

Personal Attributes

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate:

• Professionalism and discretion.
• Empathy and patience when dealing with clients.
• Reliability and integrity.
• A methodical and accurate working style.
• Confidence in dealing with clients and third parties.
• Willingness to learn and develop within private client practice.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Key Working Relationships

• Private Client solicitors, legal executives and fee earners.
• Other legal secretaries and support staff.
• Accounts and compliance teams.
• Clients, executors, attorneys, deputies and beneficiaries.
• Financial institutions, HMRC, HMCTS, medical professionals and other external organisations.

Performance Expectations

The Private Client Legal Secretary / Paralegal will be expected to:

• Provide timely and accurate support to fee earners.
• Maintain high standards of client care.
• Ensure files are organised, compliant and up to date.
• Demonstrate accuracy in document preparation and correspondence.
• Contribute positively to the efficient running of the Private Client department.
• Comply with all firm policies, procedures and regulatory requirements.