Legal Assistant

The role

THE OPPORTUNITY

Working at DLA Piper means joining a team of dedicated colleagues who believe in creating an environment of excellence, boldness, support, and collaboration. At DLA Piper, personal and professional development go hand in hand in an inclusive culture. We understand that you are building a future, which is why we encourage you to explore the opportunities and choices that shape your individual career journey. 

As a Legal Assistant, you will provide high quality support to the lawyers of the Litigation and Regulatory practice group in our working hub in Antwerp. You will be key to enabling your team of lawyers’ legal services to clients. Furthermore, you will assist them with your knowledge and expertise in the management of their day-to-day workload and in their business development efforts. 

This is a role for a proactive and enthusiastic individual who thrives on delivering results and who is looking to build a career as part of a leading global law firm. You will have the skills, knowledge and experience to work flexibly within our fast moving and changing environment. This is a full-time position (38 hours/week).

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work collaboratively with the rest of the legal assistant team to provide comprehensive organisational and administrative support, taking ownership and ensuring the work is executed in the most efficient and appropriate way
• Actively engage with the workflow, taking ownership and prioritising tasks with an eye on results
• Proactively manage and coordinate meetings with internal and external clients, liaising with attendees when needed, and making sure they receive first class hospitality experience
• Organising and managing travel arrangements, preparing key documents, including visas
• Amending and reformatting documents and presentations, ensuring that completed documents are delivered and printed accurately to a high standard
• Coordinating file management, organising, and opening client matters, closing files, archiving, and ensuring that all relevant documents are filed electronically, and paper based, when required
• Assisting lawyers and finance services with the billing and time recording process by liaising with other parties to ensure a smooth billing process.
• Manage group and fee earner contacts to ensure they are up to date
• Provide administrative support to fee earners with conflict searches and audit requests
• Assist on ad-hoc projects – for example, managing bundles, indexing documents, etc.     

ABOUT YOU

• Excellent command of English. Dutch will be a big plus
• Discretion in dealing with confidential matters
• Team player with a positive ‘can do’ attitude, common sense, flexible
• Proficient in Microsoft Office
• Very organised, and can plan, impact and influence
• Proactive and able to use initiative and work with minimal supervision
• Excellent attention to detail, ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure
• Interpersonal understanding and problem-solving ability

ABOUT US

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES

In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do.  We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work. 

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

We support anyone with a disability or long term health condition to ensure they have the opportunity to perform at their best. If you have not done so already, please let us know if you require any support so we can make the right adjustments and considerations should they be required.

AGILE WORKING

We know that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and references from previous employers.