Personal Assistant - DLA Piper

We operate globally across more than 40 countries, but we’re still locally connected. That’s because trusting, collaborative relationships with our clients and each other are at the heart of our success.

We thrive on our clients’ complex challenges and deliver exceptional results. We are trusted advisors, innovators and game-changers, going above and beyond to open new opportunities and accelerate growth.

DLA Piper's growing South Africa office located in Johannesburg is pleased to present an exciting opportunity for an experienced and passionate individual, who will be joining our Finance, Project & Restructuring practice group as a Personal Assistant/ Senior Secretary.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The role's objective is to provide full secretarial and administrative services to the said legal practice group, provide fee earners with effective and high quality secretarial support that appropriately meets their requirements, enabling them to focus on providing legal services to clients.

Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

• Pro-actively managing and maintaining fee earners' diaries, making appointments and coordinating internal and external client meetings
• Dealing with external or internal telephone calls and queries in a professional manner and taking clear and concise messages
• Organising and taking responsibility for file management

• Creating bills, disbursements, creating/amending narratives as well as requesting credit notes, inter-office bills, including liaising with international offices
• Carry out client matter opening, client reporting and client balances
• Complete financial reports where required, from internal systems highlighting outstanding monies to be billed and updating particular client financial schedules where necessary
• Manage group and fee earner contacts to ensure they are up to date
• Assisting on ad-hoc projects as and when required

ABOUT YOU

• Very strong 'people skill', demonstrating the ability to work alongside different types of character
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise work calmly and effectively in often demanding situations;
• Strong teamwork ethos
• Client service orientated approach
• Excellent problem solving skills and ability to use initiative
• Adopts a 'can do' approach demonstrating a collaborative working style
• Excellent communication skills at all levels
• Demonstrate accountability and professionalism
• Have a good working knowledge of own practice group and awareness of key business issues
• Desire for self-development
• Excellent attention to detail and thorough understanding of fee earner requests
• High level of integrity when dealing with confidential information
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft applications

ABOUT US

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES

In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive - we care about others, value diversity and act thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative - we give, we share and we join in
• Be Bold - we stand tall and challenge ourselves to think big
• Be Exceptional - we exceed standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

We support anyone with a disability or long term health condition to ensure they have the opportunity to perform at their best. If you have not done so already, please let us know if you require any support so we can make the right adjustments and considerations should they be required.

AGILE WORKING

We know that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That's why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and references from previous employers.