Practice Assistant

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with 48 offices in 29 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.

Department purpose

A&O Shearman is one of the few major global law firms with a full-service, cross-border intellectual property capability and the only magic circle firm to offer a trade mark and design prosecution practice. As a firm A&O Shearman considers that trade marks and designs are crucial to protect the innovation and investment that goes into developing brands - which are significant company assets for today’s leading businesses. Our trade mark practice supports brand owners in developing, protecting and exploiting their brands on every level: from initial trade mark clearance and selection, to filing, managing complex international portfolios, enforcement and disputes and any transfer of IP rights.

Role purpose

To provide effective high-quality administrative support to the UK Brands Practice. Working closely with the Brands team, Billing Clerk and the Working Capital Controller (“WCC”) to ensure efficient monthly billing and successful client matter management from the client inception process through to matter closure.

Role and responsibilities

Matter Support and Administrative Tasks
- Maintaining records for billing purposes and communicating with the team client entity changes and updates from BAU.
- Filing of disbursements invoices and all related correspondence to the appropriate client matter on systems (iManage).
- Support with diary management.
- Support and filing of correspondence and tracking of Trade Mark Certificates.

Billing Support
- Working alongside the Billing Clerk, WCC, and Credit Control team to provide support in all aspects in relation to billing, this may include:

- Checking and amending narratives on pro forma billing guides to ensure compliance with client requirements, working extensively in 3E.
- Maintaining accurate Excel spreadsheets demonstrating status of monthly invoices for clients.
- Working within Intapp Time to amend timesheets where appropriate.
- Processing and tracking all disbursement invoices.

Who we are looking for
- Exceptional attention to detail.
- Advanced organisation skills.
- Strong technical skills with experience in Excel.
- A positive attitude in all aspects of the role.
- Strong professional communication skills, both oral and written.
- Flexibility around contracted working hours, taking full responsibility for meeting the requirements of the role.
- Responsibility for ensuring personal development and IT skills are maintained and improved.
- Billing or secretarial experience is advantageous but not essential.

**Additional information - External**
- This role is based in the A&O Shearman Belfast office.