Legal Secretary

Overview:
Mayer Brown is a leading global law firm with offices in 26 key business centres across the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. With approximately 200 lawyers in each of the world’s three largest financial centres — New York, London and Hong Kong — we are uniquely positioned to advise leading companies and financial institutions on their most complex legal needs. We have deep experience in high-stakes litigation and complex transactions across industry sectors, including our signature strength, the global financial services industry.

We are a collegial, collaborative and diverse firm where highly motivated individuals with an unwavering commitment to excellence receive the opportunity, support and development they need to grow, thrive and realise their greatest potential. We also encourage all our people to use their skills to support the wider community through our pro bono and community volunteering programmes. At Mayer Brown the principles of mutual respect, dignity and understanding are central to the way we work and help to provide an environment where diversity and inclusion are embraced.

**Responsibilities**:
The Legal Secretary - Shipping will provide dedicated and quality support to the Head of Shipping Services and a leading team of shipping lawyers covering a range of documentation, secretarial and administrative tasks, including but not limited to: document review, production and management, billing, client relationship coordination and file management.

Working as part of the broader secretarial support team, the Legal Secretary must be organized, have good attention to details and be comfortable working with large volume documentation. The individual must also be flexible, a team player and committed to delivering high-quality and accurate work in a timely manner.
- Prepare client engagement letters, conduct conflict searches and matter opening of files.
- Arrange internal and external meetings, taking care of room bookings and updating meetings to Fee Earners’ diary promptly
- Undertake any printing, photocopying, scanning and binding as required, ensuring the documents are collated in correct order.
- Assist with large volume shipping finance transactional documents, registration, distribution, bibling and other document management tasks.
- Manage and coordinate the billing process on behalf of fee earners (i.e. prepare narratives; liaise with fee earners and finance team; verify third party invoices; draft routine billing correspondences to be sent out to the clients; check billing rates; ensure timely billing and monitor settlement of outstanding bills).
- Processing Expenses in the Expenses Recording System.
- Updating client contacts into InterAction Database and maintaining up to date client/matter list.
- Coordinate and manage local and overseas business-related activities, including but not limited to travel and meeting arrangements.

Qualifications / Person Specification:

- Fluent written and spoken English and competent Mandarin is required, fluency in Cantonese or a South East Asian language is advantageous
- Excellent PC skills in MS Word, MS Excel and Powerpoint.
- Strong knowledge of word processing and heavy formatting of documents in MS Word.
- Demonstrate strong attention to details and produce high quality/accurate work.
- Exceptional ability to prioritise own workload to meet agreed and often conflicting deadlines.
- Ability to remain calm and retain a professional attitude under pressure.
- Strong initiative, organization and problem solving skills with a willingness to learn and adapt.
- Strong interpersonal, communications, teamwork skills and “can-do” attitude
- Self-motivated, self-directed and proactive with good organizational and time management skills and a strong sense of responsibility.
- Flexible to work beyond office hours if required.