Legal & Office Accounts Assistant

**Company description**

At Berrys Solicitors, we are a growing family-run solicitors practice predominantly dealing with Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning, Probate, LPA’s, Contested Wills & Inheritance Disputes, Court of Protection & Residential Property matters. We are based in Blackpool & Lancaster and cover the wider Lancashire area. We have a friendly and professional atmosphere with a strong emphasis on teamwork and we strive to offer the best possible service for our clients.

**Job description**

We are seeking a Legal Assistant to work within our growing solicitors practice. We are a small legal firm; therefore, the role will involve helping support the Fee earners across a mixed caseload and also includes covering office management and accounts matters, while maintaining the highest standards of client care and service. The role will also include secretarial and client-facing duties. Part of the role also involves some general office management and accounts matters. Should the applicant wish to develop their role in either a legal role, office management or accounts role, this job provides experience in all areas.

Ideally, the applicant will have one year of experience in any of the above-listed practice areas that we offer, but we are willing to be flexible with this requirement, depending on the applicant's other areas of experience/ qualifications.

To give a broad overview of the likely tasks involved with this job, the job will include all of the following tasks, but is not limited to:

- Assisting Fee Earners in their matters in all legal areas/sectors
- Dealing with administrative tasks associated with the Fee earner's matters
- Communicating with clients and gathering necessary information & documents as required
- Setting up and opening physical files and case management files
- Advising clients on services that we provide and associated costs
- Attending upon clients' properties and reporting on possible maintenance/ insurance matters. Personal Items and Information collection.
- Securitisation and office recording of client's items & documents.
- General office administration tasks associated with files and office management
- Preparing and drafting matter documents
- Attending upon client appointments and instructions
- Assisting the accounting department and aiding accounts and office submissions where applicable
- Attending to Post Office and banking matters
- Filing of closed files and closing file procedures

**Criteria**
- GCSES grade 9-4, including English and Maths, or equivalent;
- Experience of working in and administrative role is essential, ideally within a legal environment;
- Experience of dealing with members of the public;
- Experience of communicating with individuals in writing and verbally;
- Experience of working as part of a team;
- Be thorough and have attention to detail;
- Knowledge of general office, telephone, including filling and correspondence;
- Able to use a computer and the main software packages/case management systems competently;
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
- Ability to organise your time and workload.
- Ability to work in a busy, but friendly, work environment
- Driving Licence (Full, clean and valid)

**Job Types**

Full-time, Permanent role / fixed-term contract

We are also open to ambitious applicants seeking a part-time position to fit around ongoing studies with a view to progressing in the firm and take on a full-time role.

**Schedule, Location & Salary**
- Monday to Friday, 9.00 am - 5.00 pm hours per week (Blackpool Office)
- £18,000.00 - dependent on experience, qualifications and type of contract undertaken.

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

Pay: From £18,000.00 per year

Ability to commute/relocate:

- Blackpool: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

**Experience**:

- Customer service: 1 year (required)

Work Location: In person