Legal Secretary - Apprentice

Summary

The Legal Secretary - Apprentice plays a crucial role in supporting attorneys, paralegals, and business leaders by providing high-quality administrative and executive support. This position is central to ensuring the smooth day-to-day operations of the legal team.

Wage

£25,000 a year

Training course

Business administrator (level 3)

Hours

Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 5.30pm

35 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 September 2026

Duration

1 year 5 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Administrative Support

• Manage complex calendars, schedule meetings, and coordinate travel arrangements for attorneys, paralegals, and business leaders
• Coordinate all aspects of meeting logistics, including booking conference rooms, registering guests, arranging equipment, and organising catering
• Manage communications across multiple channels, including telephone, email, and hard copy correspondence, ensuring timely and appropriate handling
• Prepare and process expense reports and cheque requests, ensuring accuracy and timely submission
• Provide backup support to other secretaries, including absence coverage and assistance with overflow work
• Build strong working relationships with attorneys, PAs, and Business Services colleagues across the firm

Document Preparation and File Management:

• Proofread and edit legal documents, correspondence, memoranda, and other materials to ensure accuracy, consistency, and clarity
• Prepare accurate documents and correspondence adhering to the firm’s house style
• Assist with the preparation, management, and distribution of audit response letters
• Maintain organised and up-to-date client and administrative files within the firm’s document management system, ensuring compliance with firm policies and ease of retrieval
• Support preparation of bibles, court bundles, and other legal materials following training

Business Intake and Conflicts:

• Open new client and matter numbers and maintain accurate matter records
• Perform conflict checks in accordance with firm procedures
• Prepare engagement letters and coordinate execution via DocuSign

Time Entry and Billing:

• Facilitate time entry for assigned attorneys and paralegals, including inputting, reviewing, editing, and releasing time
• Support the billing process by tracking deadlines and circulating prebills for review where required

Where you'll work

10-15 Newgate Street
London
EC1A 7AZ

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

BPP PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION LIMITED

Training course

Business administrator (level 3)

What you'll learn

• Skilled in the use of multiple IT packages and systems relevant to the organisation in order to: write letters or emails, create proposals, perform financial processes, record and analyse data. Examples include MS Office or equivalent packages. Able to choose the most appropriate IT solution to suit the business problem. Able to update and review databases, record information and produce data analysis where required.
• Produces accurate records and documents including: emails, letters, files, payments, reports and proposals. Makes recommendations for improvements and present solutions to management. Drafts correspondence, writes reports and able to review others' work. Maintains records and files, handles confidential information in compliance with the organisation's procedures. Coaches others in the processes required to complete these tasks.
• Exercises proactivity and good judgement. Makes effective decisions based on sound reasoning and is able to deal with challenges in a mature way. Seeks advice of more experienced team members when appropriate.
• Builds and maintains positive relationships within their own team and across the organisation. Demonstrates ability to influence and challenge appropriately. Becomes a role model to peers and team members, developing coaching skills as they gain area knowledge.
• Demonstrates good communication skills, whether face-to-face, on the telephone, in writing or on digital platforms. Uses the most appropriate channels to communicate effectively. Demonstrates agility and confidence in communications, carrying authority appropriately. Understands and applies social media solutions appropriately. Answers questions from inside and outside of the organisation, representing the organisation or department.
• Completes tasks to a high standard. Demonstrates the necessary level of expertise required to complete tasks and applies themself to continuously improve their work. Is able to review processes autonomously and make suggestions for improvements. Shares administrative best-practice across the organisation e.g. coaches others to perform tasks correctly. Applies problem-solving skills to resolve challenging or complex complaints and is a key point of contact for addressing issues.
• Takes responsibility for initiating and completing tasks, manages priorities and time in order to successfully meet deadlines. Positively manages the expectations of colleagues at all levels and sets a positive example for others in the workplace. Makes suggestions for improvements to working practice, showing understanding of implications beyond the immediate environment (e.g. impact on clients, suppliers, other parts of the organisation). Manages resources e.g. equipment or facilities. Organises meetings and events, takes minutes during meetings and creates action logs as appropriate. Takes responsibility for logistics e.g. travel and accommodation.
• Uses relevant project management principles and tools to scope, plan, monitor and report. Plans required resources to successfully deliver projects. Undertakes and leads projects as and when required.

Training schedule

• The role will follow a structured apprenticeship programme
• As this is an apprenticeship, the role will be based on 80% working hours and 20% off the job learning time
• The role will be a 17- month fixed-term position based on the duration of the apprenticeship

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 9 - 4)
• Maths (grade 9 - 4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Problem solving skills
• Administrative skills
• Analytical skills
• Team working
• Initiative
• Patience