Assistant Practice Manager

Devereux Chambers is a leading set of 57 barristers, including 13 KCs, supported by an experienced and enthusiastic team of practice managers and business services staff. We have an excellent reputation for the quality of our work, particularly in serious injury and clinical negligence, employment, and tax. We are known for our supportive and approachable culture, progress approach and strong professional work ethic, offering a high standard of client service and commitment to excellence in all areas of practice at all times.

We are looking for confident, client friendly candidates, with excellent communication skills, a focused and proactive approach and a minimum of 5 GSCEs at Grades 5-9 (or equivalent).

Personal qualities and knowledge

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• Taking a role within the clerks’ room to deliver a superior level of service based on the principle of ‘right first time, every time.’
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• Demonstrating the confidence and resilience to operate in a high- profile organisation.
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• Consistently acting in a professional manner, to build personal gravitas and credibility.
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• Developing a detailed knowledge of each barrister’s practice, specialist areas and clients.
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• Keeping abreast of developments and trends within the legal sector, particularly the Bar (including new legislation, changes in regulations, and movement among our client base) with an emphasis on the impact of the changes on the team and on clerking services.
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Strategic practice management

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• Assisting Members of Chambers to meet their "practice diversity" aspirations and achieve their chosen work-life balance, in the approach taken to the matters above.
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Business development

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• Taking part in a minimum of three marketing and business development initiatives – i.e., attending and contributing to events with clients, sometimes out of office hours.
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Client relationship management

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• Ensuring effective cross-selling of members and implementing Chamber’s policies relating to the fair, appropriate and effective distribution of client work.
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• Developing and maintaining professional relationships with current and potential professional clients of the barristers in their team.
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• Recording all work opportunity information in LEX and report to the Job Summary
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• To undertake general clerking and administration duties for members of Chambers within the appointed team, as directed by Practice Manager/Deputy Practice Manager.
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• Work with the Practice Manager and Deputy Practice Manager, contributing to the smooth running of the team, liaising regularly with clerking colleagues. Reporting to their Practice Manager and Deputy Practice Manager and working closely with all members and staff.
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Management and organisation of the clerks’ room

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• Acting as first point of contact for appointed barristers for the team, both for internal and external clients.
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• Allocating briefs and diary management for their appointed barristers.
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• Advising solicitors and other clients or potential clients of Chambers on appropriate Counsel, their availability, and applicable fee rates.
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• Responding to all queries or requests for information by clients in an efficient, professional, and courteous manner.
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• Negotiating fees, including tranche arrangements and settlement fees, pricing, and billing of work for their appointed barristers.
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• Utilising case management software to record and update case data, diary dates, case records, fee data, tasks, contact details and other related data.
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• Liaising by telephone or in person with the Courts, clients, and other barristers’ clerks for fixing dates as appropriate, and logging/maintaining up to date records of such negotiations.
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• Notifying barristers and instructing solicitors, of listing information from the Court offices. Recording listing information on the LEX Diary system.
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• Liaising as appropriate, internally, and externally, to organise conferences and meetings on behalf of members of their appointed team.
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• Monitoring the diary for forward planning – next day, next week, next month etc.
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• Reading correspondence and briefs received carefully. Noting, logging, and following-up requests for advice or other documents or information and maintaining accurate records of such information in accordance with clerking protocols.
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• Liaising each day with clients and barristers to inform both parties (as appropriate) of commitments, availability, the progress of cases, relaying other relevant information, to ensure the timely delivery of papers and to follow up on correspondence.
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• Reminding all team members of their diary commitments for the next day.
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• Liaising with the junior clerks as necessary to ensure that documents and other information is delivered where and when needed, for example the lodging of skeleton arguments or bundles.
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• Reporting problems or complaints immediately to the Director/Deputy Director of Clerking and Business Development, and/or Practice Manager to agree the appropriate course of action.
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• Ensuring that clerking processes, protocols, and procedures are properly adhered to and providing a superior level of service to members.
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• Undertaking such other duties as agreed from time to time with the Director/Deputy Director of Clerking and Business Development to ensure the smooth and efficient running of Chambers.
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• Maintaining effective communication with colleagues and providing appropriate support and cover for other teams in their absence, for whatever reason.
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• Acting in a manner commensurate with an ethos of ‘continuous improvement’ to the service experience of internal and external clients.
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Working Relationships

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• Developing and maintaining good working relationships, with barristers and colleagues at Devereux Chambers, as well as professional clients, court officers, and with staff and barristers in other chambers.
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