Private Client - Legal Assistant/ Paralegal

Job title

Legal Assistant

Department

Private Client - Wealth

Our Purpose

To forge long-term relationships that have a positive impact on our people, our clients, our business partners, and our communities.

Our Commitment to Our People

We do not think there is a magic formula to the Higgs culture. The key is to listen to and respect our people. If we take care of our people and our people take care of our clients, then everything we want as a firm will take care of itself. We are friendly and open to new ideas.

Our Core Values

Higgs core values are “CLEAR” – Care, Legacy, Excellence, Authenticity, Relationships

Role Purpose

To join the Private Client department as a Legal Assistant in the Wealth Preservation team.

Key Responsibilities

• Working closely with the PA’s in the team with regard to new instructions, to include using the new enquiries procedure which involves taking initial details and gathering relevant information in order to organise the first initial meeting and to allocate the client relationship to the appropriate fee earner to take further.

• Acting as a point of contact for new and existing clients on queries in relation to ongoing wealth instructions and, where appropriate, assisting to move the query forwards

• Attending meetings with fee earners for the purposes of assisting with any legal identification processes via the iPad and potentially preparing an attendance note of the relevant meeting  

• Initiating the process and working closely with the relevant fee earner to open the client file and preparing a first draft of the engagement letter for approval by the fee earner

• In due course, and with support, preparing first draft documents relevant for the production of wills and lasting powers of attorney

• Finalising documentation for signature, both for meetings in the office and to circulate to clients

• Attending meetings for the purposes of assisting with the completion of documentation and acting as witness

• Ensuring safe storage of completed documents to include saving to the relevant area and providing copy documentation to the instructing client

• Supporting the fee earners with the billing process to include preparing draft bills for approval and assisting with the relevant communications to distribute invoices

• Preparing routine correspondence as instructed, providing support to fee earners in actioning incoming emails in a timely way and filing accordingly

Person Specification

The criteria below will be assessed via application (A), interview (I) or both (A/I).

Essential Criteria

• Acts with integrity and discretion, recognising the importance of confidentiality when managing personal, client, or firm information (A/I)

• Ability to accurately record, organise, and maintain client and matter information using appropriate systems, ensuring information is accessible, secure, and supports the team efficiency (A/I)

• Communicates with clarity, sharing ideas appropriately, listening actively, and contributing to discussions that support effective decision-making and continuous improvement. (A/I)

• Experience in taking ownership of tasks with responsible time management, attention to detail and professional responsibility. (A/I)

• 
  Brings a positive attitude and proactive approach to your role, helping to foster a respectful and inclusive workplace. (A/I)

Desirable Criteria

• Able to demonstrate awareness of our purpose and how the role contributes to wider goals. (I)
• May have experience working in a professional or client facing environment. (A)

Technical Know How

• Proficient in using Microsoft 365 applications to organise tasks, manage time effectively and support collaborative working (essential). (A/I)

What We Offer You

We offer more than just a job. Our benefits reflect our commitment to your development, wellbeing and work-life balance. Click here to discover more.

Higgs offers hybrid working wherever possible. Our Higgs’ Best FIT (flexible, inclusive, together) principles are designed to ensure that people can complete their best work from the most appropriate location. If you are looking to work flexibly then let us know and we will do what we can to accommodate your request.

We also encourage a ‘dress for your diary’ approach which means dressing in a manner appropriate for your schedule or the specific appointments you have on any given day.

Equal Opportunities

Higgs LLP is proud to be a signatory of The Law Society’s Diversity, Inclusion Charter and a Disability Confident Committed Employer. These commitments reflect our dedication to building a workplace that is inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to all. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

As part of our Disability Confident commitment, we offer a guaranteed interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role and choose to opt into the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

We are also committed to ensuring that all applicants can fully participate in the recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments, please let us know by contacting us at recruitment@higgsllp.co.uk

We recognise that inclusion is an ongoing journey, and we regularly review and publish our diversity data, which can be accessed here.

People Driven. Legal Excellence.