Barristers Clerk

Plowden Facilities is the administration, facilities and management organisation for Parklane Plowden Chambers, a leading Barristers Chambers in Leeds and Newcastle, offering the services of Barristers to clients throughout the UK in commercial and personal legal cases.

We are currently looking to recruit an experienced and professional Barristers Clerk or Legal Administrator to join our Civil Team, supporting, administrating, and scheduling the work of the Barristers in that area to an exceptionally high standard.

**Barrister Clerk - 37.5 hours per week - up to £25k - Hybrid Remote**

This role would suit either an experienced Barristers Clerk who is looking to join a leading Chambers or a highly experienced administrator, ideally with legal experience, who can demonstrate a willingness to learn and take on new challenges. In either case you will consider yourself to be highly professional, dependable, and diligent with an ability to build relationships quickly.

**Core duties**
- Liaising with solicitors and clients
- Developing productive relationships
- Maintaining accurate databases
- Negotiating and arranging fees on behalf of Chambers
- Administering the initial billing of fees
- Dealing with fee enquiries and updating fee records
- Managing complex diaries
- Making and confirming appointments
- Identifying suitable cover for hearings and cases if needed
- Chasing papers
- Logging on briefs / instructions / correspondence on Chambers systems
- Allocating cases to Barristers

**Experience / Knowledge**
- 3 years prior experience in a clerking role is highly desirable
- At least 3 years administration experience in a professional or legal environment is essential
- Knowledge of the administrative requirements of managing the practices of Barristers is desirable
- Experience of negotiating with others
- Experience in workload planning and diary management / scheduling
- Experience of establishing meaningful and productive relationships with clients and 3rd parties at all levels
- Experience of working within strict regulations and professional boundaries
- Knowledge of administrative systems and processes
- Knowledge of marketing and business development processes

**Skills and Abilities**
- Ability to prioritise and to work to strict deadlines
- Excellent face-to-face communication and interpersonal skills to appropriately deal with clients, barristers, solicitors, court officials and judges alike
- Communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills
- Excellent telephone manner and strong written communication skills
- Attention to detail and accuracy
- Initiative, integrity, and self-motivation
- Organisational and planning ability, to handle several cases at different stages concurrently
- The ability to quickly determine which barrister might be appropriate for a potential (un-named) case
- Capacity to work as part of a team with other barristers' clerks and barristers working on a case
- Computer literacy, particularly advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office
- Ability to develop relationships with people across all levels of seniority and to communicate effectively and be persuasive at a senior level
- Ability to think clearly and find effective solutions to problems

**Personal Attributes/Qualities**
- Outstanding coordination and supporting skills
- Drive, enthusiasm and eager to learn and mentor
- Willingness to meet the demands of the role through extended hours when required
- Adaptable and be able to work well within a diverse team
- Proactive and willing to be hands-on when resolving issues

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

**Salary**: Up to £25,000.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Additional leave
- Company events
- Life insurance
- Sick pay
- Wellness programme

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday

COVID-19 considerations:
social distancing and sanitiser available and optional wearing of masks

**Education**:

- A-Level or equivalent (preferred)

**Experience**:

- Administrative: 3 years (preferred)
- Clerking: 3 years (preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3AE