Real Estate, Legal Assistant, 6 month FTC (possibility of extension),

The Group/Team

The Real Estate Division is one of Addleshaw Goddard’s largest comprising a team in excess of 230. In addition to the Legal Assistant team within the Leeds office, the Real Estate group currently comprises 11 partners, 38 fee earners and 5 trainees in Leeds.


The Role

We currently have a requirement for a Legal Assistant based in Leeds who will be multi-skilled and capable of working on different processes - ultimately to provide administrative support in connection with Commercial Property transactions reporting to the Legal Assistant Team Supervisor .

The work of the group is varied and includes:

• Supporting the legal team in each stage of the property management transaction process which includes requesting property Searches; registering applications with the Land Registry; completing Stamp Duty Land Tax Returns, drafting Licences

• Liaising with third parties and external agencies to seek and provide relevant information i.e. Land Registry, Stamp Office, Searches Agencies, Local Councils, clients, etc.

• Administering and processing documentation to support each stage of the property transaction from file opening to file closure, e.g. deeds checking, deeds scheduling, drafting letters and correspondence, drafting licences, maintaining records and spreadsheets, diarising files, archiving, etc.

• Acting on instructions from fee earners to help deliver effective levels of service on client care matters, i.e. producing monthly reports, monthly billing, administration of client deeds, etc.

• Liaising with the Finance Department as necessary, to ensure compliance with relevant financial procedures involved with property management transactions, e.g. banking cheques, requisition of cheques, dealing with Rent Deposit monies, preparing Bill Request forms, organising file closures, etc.

• Helping to train new members of the team.

• Accurate time recording on client matters.


Skills & Competencies required

Accordingly any successful applicant will need the following ESSENTIAL skills:

• IT literate with good working knowledge of Word, Excel and Outlook.

• Effective personal organisational and time management skills.

• Excellent administrative skills.

• Have a positive and proactive approach and the ability to work on their own initiative.

• Be a strong team player.

• Effective communication skills with the ability to communicate with people at all levels.

• Have the ability to work to tight timescales with a sense of urgency.

• Numeric competency.


Background

• The successful applicant will ideally have experience working in legal environment, preferably within real estate.

• Excellent administration skills are essential as is common sense and the ability to exercise sound judgement when cases need referring.

• As we are currently developing new working practices, we need people who are keen to develop the role possibly to the point of training others.

• Full training on all processes will be provided.

• Candidates should have the ability to achieve continuous improvement and development