Legal Support Secretary

Role Overview

Legal Support Secretary at Clifford Chance, Abu Dhabi office. This role provides professional administrative and operational support to Partners and Lawyers, ensuring seamless office operations and maintaining the highest standards of client service.

Company Overview

Clifford Chance is one of the largest international law firms in the world, with over 30 offices across the globe. The firm is recognized as a leading global law firm 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, and Litigation and Dispute Resolution. Business professionals are integral to the firm's day-to-day operations and critical to its long-term success.

Role Purpose

The Legal Support Secretary is a trusted partner to the legal team in the Abu Dhabi office, delivering first-class professional support to fee earners and Partners. The role ensures seamless operations, maintains the highest standards of client service, and contributes to the efficiency and success of the practice through collaborative teamwork and adaptive task management.

Key Responsibilities

Calendar & Meeting Management

• Coordinate and manage complex schedules 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.
• Collaborate with local agents to guarantee smooth and efficient travel arrangements.

Time & Expenses

• Accurately handle time entry submissions and amendments.
• Process expense claims promptly to support fee earners' billing and compliance requirements.

Reception & Meetings

• Organize and oversee meetings and video conferences.
• Ensure all logistical and technical details are managed to the highest standard.
• Occasionally assist with Reception duties to maintain smooth office operations.

Document Support

• Prepare and draft professional correspondence.
• Manage printing and scanning tasks.
• 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.

Risk & Compliance

• Carry out comprehensive conflict checks with team in London.
• Coordinate matter setup processes.
• Ensure strict adherence to engagement letters and compliance requirements.
• Follow up on non-compliances.

Matter Management

• Coordinate matter setup in liaison with Partner and fee earner to ensure minimum mandatory information has been provided.
• Liaise with clients on behalf of matter team.
• Coordinate client secondment setup with HR.
• Schedule meetings and calls.
• Create matter folders and manage document uploads and archiving.
• Create working parties lists.
• Facilitate timely and accurate matter closure.
• Assist with originals when required.
• Liaise with print room for bibles, bundles, or bulk printing.

Document Production

• Supervise document processing tasks such as formatting, proofreading, and quality control.
• Liaise with global support team when additional support is required.

Business Development

• Provide support for client development initiatives by assisting with pitch amendments.
• Ensure fee earner CVs are current and professionally presented.

Finance

• Update and maintain all system information for fee earners' clients.
• Work with the local billing team to generate monthly bills.
• Run matter financial reports.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum typing speed of 60+ words per minute with high accuracy.
• A-level or equivalent education.
• Prior experience in professional services, ideally within a law firm.
• Additional certification in legal studies or office administration desirable.

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with legal software preferred.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong self-management and ability to prioritize.
• Sound judgment and decision-making.
• Collaborative and resilient under pressure.
• Effective at building internal and external relationships.

Additional Information

Reports directly to the UAE Office & Legal Support Manager. The Legal Support Secretary is expected to adapt and reprioritize tasks periodically to meet the evolving needs of their team. Support is delivered as part of a collaborative team environment with shared responsibilities. Key working relationships include fee earners and their clients, UAE Office & Legal Support Manager, local Finance, Business Development, Best Delivery, and IT teams, Office Services team, and Global Business Support Team in London.

Clifford Chance is committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age.