Associate - Commercial Property

Diamond Search Recruitment are delighted to be representing our client, one of the country's leading Legal Practices, a firm with a first-class reputation, award winning and ranked highly in the UK Legal 500. Our client invest in the best talent and technologyand are at an incredibly exciting time within the business! Recruiting for an Associate (Commercial Property), this opportunity is not to be missed! Offering very attractive benefits, excellent working conditions and a dynamic and high performing company culture,this really is a great organisation to be part of!

As an Associate your role is to provide clients with legal services of the highest quality in conformity with the quality standards of the Firm.

MAIN DUTIES

To provide legal services for an appropriate fee to the Firm’s clients which will include:

• Meeting clients when necessary - Taking appropriate instructions from clients and other fee earners - Ensuring that a client’s requirements are understood - Initiating appropriate action - Informing clients about fees in compliance with Rule 2 - Preparingand delivering fee invoices at monthly or other agreed intervals - Advising clients accurately and effectively on the legal issues that arise - Managing a client’s expectations about what they want to achieve - Carrying out client instructions on all businessmatters for which you are responsible - Reporting progress and outcomes to clients on a regular basis

To provide legal services in accordance with the quality standards of the Firm particularly with regard to:

• Client care - Risk management - Time recording of work done - Invoicing clients for work carried out - The recovery of fees billed

To undertake all work within an appropriate structure of supervision which may include:

• Planning and organising work appropriately and discussing it with partners/other fee earners as necessary - Advising line manager or team leader of all new instructions and any significant other contact with the client - Advising line manager or team leaderof key milestones and all issues arising on each matter being handled - Supervising and assisting trainee solicitors and other fee earners as required - Supervising and assisting Legal Secretary’s and other support staff as required

To undertake business development activities on behalf of the Firm which may include:

• Maintaining membership of professional bodies relevant to your practice area/profession - Developing/maintaining an effective network of clients/introducers - Attending relevant seminars/events in order to develop professional skills and practice area/thewider business of the Firm - Writing articles for publication, engaging in social media such as LinkedIn or Twitter - Speaking at relevant events/seminars - Playing an active role in the local business community so as to be an effective ambassador of the Firm
• Travel between office locations as and when required to meet the needs of the business

EXPERIENCE

• Typical experience would have been acquired within a large regional firm or a medium to large London firm within the appropriate area of the law - PQE to match the requirements of the particular position - Accustomed to dealing with clients, partners,fee earners and support staff at all levels and as appropriate to the level of the post - Accustomed to delivering work to commercial and financial targets - Accustomed to supervising staff as appropriate to the level of the post - Accustomed to working withoutclose supervision - Able to demonstrate confidentiality and integrity

QUALIFICATIONS

• Legal degree - 2.1 (or above) from a well respected university; followed by a first time pass in the LPC; or - Non-legal degree - 2.1 (or above) from a well respected university; followed by a first time pass in GDL and LPC - 'A’ levels or equivalent -3 'Bs’ or above - A training contract with a large regional firm or a medium to large London firm leading to admission as a solicitor - A current practising certificate - Regulatory history that meets the requirements of the Firm - An appropriate trainingrecord

SKILLS

• Technical skills to meet the standards of the Firm and appropriate to post - Excellent communication and presentation skills - Methodical, accurate and well organised systems of working - Flexible, energetic, organised and accustomed to meeting tight deadlines
• Team player - IT competence - good working knowledge of Microsoft packages and other IT systems - Ability to produce own correspondence as appropriate to the post - Able to demonstrate the highest level of client care and awareness

**Diamond Search Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency regarding this vacancy.