Secretarial Coordinator - Private Client

Secretarial Coordinator - Private Client

Wedlake Bell is recruiting for a Secretarial Coordinator to lead our busy Private Client secretarial services team. This is a full-time, permanent role, with the expectation of four days' office attendance.

As Secretarial Coordinator, you will take day-to-day responsibility for coordinating and supervising secretarial support across the Private Client team.

The Secretarial Coordinator role combines hands-on secretarial support with day-to-day leadership of the wider secretarial team, ensuring fee-earners and clients receive a consistently high standard of service. You will oversee workflow and fee-earner allocations, coordinate cover and absences, support the development of the secretarial team and act as a key point of contact between the secretarial team, SGLs, Partners and other stakeholders across the firm.

The successful candidate will be an experienced senior secretary or coordinator with strong leadership, organisation and communication skills. You will need to be confident making day-to-day decisions, balancing competing priorities and building constructive relationships across the team. You will take a proactive approach to identifying issues, improving ways of working and maintaining high standards of secretarial support.

Professionalism, discretion and sound judgement will be essential given the confidential and sensitive nature of Private Client work.

Find out more about our Private Client team here.

About Us:

Located in the heart of the City of London, Wedlake Bell is a Top 100 law firm offering full services across Private Client, Real Estate, Business Services, and Disputes. The firm has 81 Partners and a total headcount of around 400. We have grown year-on-year, attributed to the continual success of our legal teams, and the dedication of our staff members.

Our culture is widely-recognised as one of the best in City law, built on trust, collaboration, and mutual respect. Joining us, you will be part of a firm which supports work/life balance, personal development, and building strong connections. With regular cross-firm socials and events (including our renowned yearly ski trip and walking trips!), you will quickly feel like part of the WB team.

Secretarial Coordinator Responsibilities:

The Secretarial Coordinator leads the Private Client secretarial team, comprising a Deputy Secretarial Coordinator, six Legal Secretaries, and a Team Assistant.

Supported by the Deputy Coordinator, who provides cover in their absence, the Secretarial Coordinator retains overall responsibility for the team’s secretarial function and the delivery of consistent high-quality secretarial support to Partners and fee-earners—a service essential to enable focus on client work and facilitate success.

Responsibilities include:

• Being the first point of contact for Private Client Partners and fee-earners regarding the secretarial support function ensuring feedback is promptly addressed;

• Managing fee-earner allocations and overseeing workflow, ensuring the fair allocation of work and exposure is given to aid development;

• Providing day-to-day direction, coaching and support to the legal secretaries and team assistant;

• Taking ownership of the performance review process for the secretarial team;

• Promoting consistent and effective working practices by regularly reviewing their effectiveness, introducing improvements, and striving for excellence;

• Organising and setting the agenda and chair quarterly secretarial team meetings;

• Planning and approving holiday and other absence requests to maintain suitable cover levels;

• Managing and communicating relevant team developments and changes in an appropriate and timely manner;

• Anticipating and proactively resolving procedural and operational issues within the team;

• Actively build effective working relationships and engage with other Secretarial Coordinators and Business Support teams on matters affecting secretarial support;

• Taking ownership of operational and performance issues escalating to the Head of Private Client and HR Business Partner when necessary;

• Support the Head of Private Client on non-fee earning group projects Manage and communicate changes to the Secretarial Team in a timely and appropriate

• Taking an active role in the recruitment, induction, onboarding and training of secretarial staff;

• Providing hands-on secretarial support during periods of increased demand or reduced capacity;

• Identifying training and developmental needs and escalating them when required, supporting the continued development of direct reports through the provision of informal regular feedback; and

• Other ad hoc duties as required.

Legal Secretary Responsibilities:

Alongside the Coordinator responsibilities, the role will provide high-quality secretarial and administrative support to a small allocation of fee-earners. Confidence and comfort with undertaking the coordinator and secretarial components of the role is therefore required.

Responsibilities include:

• Preparing, formatting and managing legal documents, correspondence, presentations, business development materials and other documentation from dictation, drafts or existing documents;

• Responding promptly to work allocated through BigHand (and other means) and helping to ensure work is appropriately prioritised;

• Managing fee-earner diaries, including arranging appointments and meetings in person or via MS Teams;

• Organising UK and international travel arrangements where required;

• Liaising with clients and other external stakeholders and responding to administrative enquiries promptly and professionally;

• Opening, maintaining and organising electronic files through iManage, ensuring documents and information are appropriately filed and readily accessible;

• Liaising with the firm's AML team in relation to new matters and assisting with obtaining and collating required client documentation;

• Supporting the Private Client team's business development activities, including maintaining relevant client and activity information in InterAction;

• Supporting matter administration and billing through 3E Elite, including liaising with fee-earners and Accounts and Finance on billing requirements and invoices; and

• Other ad hoc duties as required.

Key Skills and Qualifications:

• Proven experience in a Secretarial Coordinator/management role, ideally within a legal environment;

• Significant legal secretarial experience ideally within Private Client;

• A professional and enthusiastic leader, providing clear direction, setting expectations, and leading by example;

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage and prioritise a busy and varied workload;

• Sound judgement in resolving day-to-day operational issues and escalating matters appropriately;

• Strong attention to detail;

• Ability to foster a positive, inclusive and collaborative working environment that builds a strong team culture and supports the effective sharing of work;

• A calm, pragmatic approach to problem solving and balancing competing demands;

• A clear understanding of how effective secretarial support contributes to high-quality client service, and the ability to maintain that standard;

• Professionalism, integrity and discretion when handling confidential client, business and people-related information; and

• Strong working knowledge of legal and office systems, ideally including BigHand, iManage, InterAction, BundleDocs, 3E Elite, and the Microsoft Office suite.

Why Join Us?

• A competitive starting salary;

• A comprehensive pension plan;

• 25 days paid holiday per annum, plus additional leave for significant life events;

• Option to purchase up to five additional days of holiday each year;

• Life Assurance and competitive income protection scheme;

• Access to Private Medical and Dental Insurance from day one;

• Enhanced parental leave policies;

• Employee Assistance Programme with face-to-face counselling services;

• Variety of staff wellbeing initiatives including Pilates classes and subsidised gym memberships; and

• A range of bonus schemes recognising referrals and client introductions.

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, where every individual is respected and valued. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, irrespective of their background or personal circumstances.

If you are passionate about joining a busy team and are eager for a challenging yet fulfilling career, we encourage you to apply.