Legal Support Secretary

The role

The Legal Support Secretary position is designed to provide a first-class, professional support service to Partners and Lawyers in the Abu Dhabi office. This role is essential in ensuring seamless operations and maintaining the highest standards of client service. As an LSS, you will be a trusted partner to the legal team, contributing to the efficiency and success of the practice.

Key Responsibilities

The support provided will be delivered as part of a collaborative team environment with shared responsibilities. The Legal Support Secretary (LSS) is expected to adapt and reprioritize tasks periodically to meet the evolving needs of their team. Reporting directly to the UAE Office & Legal Support Manager, the LSS plays a pivotal role in fostering a positive and professional working relationship with fee earners and the wider team on a daily basis. Outlined below are the core areas of the support service that an LSS is responsible for:

Core Services

• Calendar & Meeting Management: Coordinate and manage complex schedules, acting as the primary point of contact for fee earners. Ensure seamless communication and organization for both internal and external stakeholders.
• Travel Coordination: Arrange comprehensive travel plans, including flights, visas, and ground transportation, in close collaboration with local agents to guarantee smooth and efficient travel arrangements.
• Time & Expenses: Accurately handle time entry submissions and amendments, and process expense claims promptly to support fee earners’ billing and compliance requirements.
• Reception Liaison: Organize and oversee meetings and video conferences, ensuring all logistical and technical details are managed to the highest standard.
• Document Support: Prepare and draft professional correspondence, manage printing and scanning tasks, and maintain accurate client contact information in Interaction.
• Client & Team Support: Provide proactive assistance with client-related activities, support onboarding of new fee earners, support coverage during team absences, and occasionally assist with Reception duties to maintain smooth office operations.

Practice Support Services

• Risk & Compliance: Carry out comprehensive conflict checks with team in London, coordinate matter setup processes, and ensure strict adherence to engagement letters and compliance requirements, following up on on-compliances.
• Matter Management: Coordinate matter set up in liaison with Partner/fee earner to ensure minimum mandatory information has been provided, liaising with clients on behalf of matter team and coordinating client secondment setup with HR.
• Administration: Scheduling meetings & calls, creating matter folders, managing document uploads and archiving, creating working parties lists, facilitating timely and accurate matter closure, assisting with originals when required and liaising with print room for bibles, bundles or bulk printing.
• Document Production: Supervise document processing tasks such as formatting, proofreading, and quality control, while liaising with global support team when additional support is required.
• Business Development: Provide support for client development initiatives by assisting with pitch amendments and ensuring fee earner CVs are current and professionally presented.
• Finance: Update and maintain all system information for fee earners' clients, including working with the local billing team to generate monthly bills and running matter financial reports.

Key Working Relationships

• Fee earners and their clients
• UAE Office & Legal Support Manager
• Local Finance, Business Development, Best Delivery, and IT teams
• Office Services team (LSS and Reception)
• Global Business Support Team (London)

Your experience

Skills & Experience

• Typing Speed: Minimum 60+ words per minute with high accuracy.
• Technical Proficiency: Advanced in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint; experience with legal software preferred.
• Professional Background: Prior experience in professional services, ideally within a law firm.
• Education: A-level or equivalent; additional certification in legal studies or office administration desirable.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal skills.
• Organization: Strong self-management and ability to prioritize.
• Problem-Solving: Sound judgment and decision-making.
• Teamwork: Collaborative and resilient under pressure.

Networking: Effective at building internal and external relationships

Who we are

Clifford Chance is recognized as one of the world’s leading law firms, committed to helping clients achieve their goals by combining the highest global standards with deep local expertise. The firm offers unparalleled scale and depth of legal resources across the three key markets of the Americas, Asia, and Europe, and focuses on the core areas of commercial activity:

• Capital Markets
• Corporate and M&A
• Finance and Banking
• Real Estate & Construction
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Our Business Professionals Team

In addition to world-class legal careers, Clifford Chance provides exceptional opportunities within the support functions that drive and sustain its business operations. By joining our Business Professionals Group, you will play a vital role in innovating how we deliver services and in enabling the firm to operate as a dynamic, successful multinational business that never stands still. Business professionals are integral to the firm’s day-to-day operations and are critical to its long-term success.

Equal opportunities

Clifford Chance is committed to equality of opportunity and experience for all. We value diversity and inclusion, ensuring fair treatment in recruitment, employment, and advancement. Our networks support Gender Parity, Ethnicity, and Disability initiatives

Find out more about our inclusive culture here

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