About us:
At Colin Biggers & Paisley, we’re here to make a difference. We are a unique legal practice and we believe in what we do. This applies to the solutions we create for our clients, the contribution we make to our communities and the careers we build for our people.
We are lawyers of choice in the construction, property and insurance industries and maintain a strong presence in the areas of employment and safety, banking and finance, corporate and commercial and litigation and dispute resolution.
Our values of balance, respect, loyalty and integrity underpin everything we do. Our culture focuses on excellence without losing sight of work-life balance. We are committed to supporting the health, safety and wellbeing of our people.
We continually invest in our people, including learning and development opportunities and offer a formal mentoring program. We also offer other benefits such as health and fitness perks, rewards and recognition, complimentary massages and professional memberships.
We don’t just recognise our role as a corporate citizen, we put words into actions. The Colin Biggers & Paisley Foundation brings together our entire community offering and is comprised of three streams - pro bono legal services, volunteering and charitable contributions. To ensure maximum impact, the core strategy of our Foundation is to promote and protect the rights of women and children and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
About the role:
Opportunity for a legal assistant to join our Property group in our Sydney Office. Responsibilities include:
- Provide high level of secretarial and administration support to allocated teams and individuals
- Maintain a high level of professionalism and service excellence at all times
- Work in a timely and effective manner to ensure all tasks are promptly followed through to completion
- Work efficiently and proactively to ensure you assist your allocated authors to maintain an organised practice
- Assist other legal assistants within the team when required
- Ensure electronic and physical filing is undertaken on a daily basis for all authors, including making sure all file notes are scanned and up to date
- Produce standard practice correspondence including but not limited to, legal documents, reports, memoranda, contracts, Court documents, briefs to third parties, agreements
- Produce typed work of a high standard of grammar, spelling and layout (in line with the Colin Biggers & Paisley (CBP) Style Guide); utilising the Document Production team when required or when more efficient
- Work on lengthy documents applying the CBP Style Guide
- Ensure all correspondence being issued has been collated correctly with all attachments included
- Prepare court documents to a high standard complying with CBP's Style Guide and court requirements
- Finalise and file documents with Courts and Tribunals where required
- Use CBP's document management system (iManage) to accurately save and retrieve all documents using CBP's document naming protocols
- Review of authors' emails and ensuring emails are saved to the relevant matter on iManage including saving attachments separately where appropriate
- Initiate new client and matter opening in the ICM platform, including running pre-opening conflict checks and ensuring all information entered into ICM is accurate
- Understand and work with AML policies and procedures
- Prepare cost agreements and cover emails for all new matters where required and file digitally within ICM
- Prepare updated costs agreements or estimates on a yearly basis for continuing clients and/ or when necessary
- Prepare or update matter specific summary of invoices compared to estimates each month
- Initiate and prepare draft bills for the team every month and also as required, including editing time entries and ensuring all third party invoices are captured and any relevant client service standards and requirements of retainers are met
- Ensure bills are finalised before end of month and issue finalised bills to clients
- Where required upload finalised bills to third party electronic billing systems (for example Chubb Tymetrix platform) and perform bill status enquiries in these systems
- Prepare finance reports in relation to clients and matters as required
- Perform matter enquiries and be able to update authors on fee and disbursement WIP and invoice paid statuses
- Ensure trust statements are issued on a yearly basis to relevant clients
- Manage authors' calendars and update our CRM software, InterAction, where appropriate
- Answer all phone calls promptly, take accurate messages and pass messages on to the relevant person immediately
- Use DocuSign when required and as instructed by your authors
- Open and close matters within 24 hours of receiving instructions ensuring you adhere to CBP's relevant policy and including where necessary creating the physical file
- Book travel and accommodation when required, in accordance with CBP travel protocols
- Enter authors' timesheet (if required), daily and follow up if daily timesheet is not received (ensuring everything is posted before end of month or other billing)
- Maintain authors expenses through Zeno, ensuring that the appropriate entries are entered and process in a timely basis and in line with CBP policy
- Maintain contact and marketing information using InterAction
- Develop excellent working relationships with external and internal clients
- Other tasks that may arise from time to time as requested by your direct supervisor(s) or People & Culture representative
About you:
- 3 years' experience in a property administration/legal assistant role
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
- Experience working with Elite Practice Management system or similar
- Experience working with iManage or similar document management system
- Highly organised and able to prioritise workload, be flexible, work autonomously and to tight timeframes
- Knowledge of legal terms, procedures, trust accounting requirements
- Thorough understanding of key clients
- Communicate effectively with all members of the practice
- Excellent grammar, spelling and attention to detail
- Strong communication skills
- Strong time management skills
- Maintain practice and client confidentiality at all times
- Respect and enhance CBP's culture and align with CBP's strategic goals
- Alignment with CBP's vision and values
Our culture focuses on excellence without losing sight of work-life balance. We work hard for our clients but we also make sure we put our people first. Whether it's taking advantage of our discounted gym memberships across Australia, joining one of our all-star sports teams or enjoying a complimentary massage, Colin Biggers & Paisley offers a suite of unique employee benefits.
Our people are given every opportunity for both career progression and personal growth. We continually invest in our people and support and encourage them as they grow within the practice.
Inclusion and Diversity is a priority for us. “Diversity” to us means diversity in gender, age, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and ability, and “inclusion” for us means inclusion for all. We are committed to fostering a truly diverse workforce that is inclusive of everyone. Our aim is to be recognised as a leading provider of inclusion and diversity in the legal profession.
We welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of gender identity, age, sexual orientation, disability or ethnicity.
We look forward to receiving your application 