Practice Assistant, Commercial Real Estate - Vancouver, Canada - Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Verified Company

Vancouver, Canada

2 weeks ago

Posted by:

Sophia Lee

beBee Recruiter

Description

We are

BLG:
Canada's Law Firm. Our culture is one of vigilance and curiosity, Firm-wide collaboration, unfailing mutual respect and dedication. We pride ourselves on having standout talent and delivering an exceptional client experience.

We are a future-minded Firm delivering high-value advice and known for our unwavering commitment to innovation, diversity and inclusion, community involvement and talent development.

Learn more about us at

The Practice Assistant, Commercial Real Estate will be expected to coordinate workflow for other support services including delegating and reviewing the completion of document production, file management, copying/scanning work and other administrative work.

The Practice Assistant takes an active interest in, and obtains a thorough understanding of, all aspects of client requirements to provide exceptional service levels to the lawyers and our clients.

Key Responsibilities

The key responsibilities of this role include:

Administrative

Arrange/perform photocopying, printing, scanning and faxing, and review material prior to delivery, such as to court, counsel and clients
Arrange for files to be opened and closed, supervise general filing requirements and record keeping
Use effective systems to ensure that both short and long term tasks are completed within required timescales
Support lawyers in marketing activities including involvement in preparation of pitches and presentations
Perform administrative activities related to lawyer's professional memberships, certifications and Law Society of Ontario requirements
As required, manage calendars, ensuring they are up to date and reminding lawyers of meetings etc. on a daily basis
As required, arrange meetings, book conference rooms, refreshments, check rooms prior to meetings etc. and liaise with other attendees, both internal and external
Make travel arrangements as/when instructed

Communication

Take internal and external telephone queries, responding as appropriate and/or ensuring that all messages are passed on in a timely manner
Liaise with administrative support departments on behalf of lawyers as required
Liaise with the department's Team Leader over any planned absences, arranging coverage as necessary and communicating this to the relevant lawyers.

Client relationship management

Become an active part in the care of clients and be wholly familiar with contacts/clients
Enter, maintain and update client details and relevant information in the Firm's CRM contacts system
Deal with basic client queries and general administration
Arrange client meetings

Document production

Arrange and review material prepared by Document Specialist for accuracy and completeness prior to lawyer's review, and arrange/perform corrections as necessary
Arrange/prepare litigation material, assembly into briefs, edits and finalization
Short drafts/edits of documents in Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Ensure documents in final form are saved electronically

Financial - Billing

Arrange opening/closing of client matters in accounting system, arrange updates, and coordinate changes with clients
Liaise with lawyer and billing coordinator to prepare accounts on a regular basis, including reviewing draft bills online, arranging/performing edits and delivery. Arrange revisions to accounts and coordinate with clients as necessary
Liaise with lawyer, client and Finance department to collect on overdue accounts
Assist lawyers in the billing and credit control process by liaising with the lawyer and accounts and to produce standard prebill financial/time reports through the system
Request cheques, bank transfers and paying in money received, as appropriate

Other duties and responsibilities

In addition to providing support to the lawyer(s) to whom they report, a Practice Assistant will also provide assistance to their immediate colleagues in the department and, where practical, other departments.
Team duties will therefore include assisting other members of the firm, both proactively and at the request of the Team Leader
Any other duties as requested by the Lawyers or Team Leader

Key Competencies

3 5 years of strong Legal experience within Corporate and Commercial Real Estate
Accurate typing speed of approximately 60 words per minute
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Teraview and other systems implemented by the firm. iManage experience an asset.
Excellent telephone manner and competent knowledge of telephone system
Excellent communication, organizational and team skills
Excellent attention to detail
Flexible and dependable, able to take the initiative
Able to remain calm under pressure and work to tight deadlines
Conscientious, approachable and enthusiastic
Able to quickly build confidence, respect and trust with others, with a view to developing a strong, cohesive team
Have a positive approach to daily tasks and have a solutions focused working m