Executive Assistant

Freshfields•Boston, MA

17d

About The Position

The Executive Assistant provides efficient, professional administrative support to fee earners at Freshfields. Core duties include calendar management, travel arrangements, expense processing, document editing and production, and answering telephones, along with other general administrative support and project work. Typically, the role supports 1–2 partners and 4–5 additional fee earners.

Requirements

Associate degree or bachelor’s degree.
3–5 years of experience in the legal or professional services industry, including partner support.
Advanced technical skills and excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel.
Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to interact at all levels.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with key stakeholders and clients.
Ability to exercise absolute discretion with sensitive and confidential information.
Independent, self-starting approach, with the ability to solve problems and take ownership of assigned tasks.
Enthusiastic and committed approach, remaining flexible and proactive.
Ability to work under pressure while maintaining a professional attitude.
Ability to work quickly and accurately to tight deadlines.
Ability to prioritize tasks, competing demands, and deadlines, and act on own initiative.
Strong teamwork skills and ability to form supportive relationships throughout the firm.
Adaptability and openness to change, and willingness to broaden experience and develop skills.

Responsibilities

Manage complex calendars, taking fee earners’ workloads, clients, priorities, and sensitivities into account when arranging client meetings and visits.
Liaise confidently with clients and their support assistants, and act as a point of contact for fee earners.
Coordinate meetings and proactively manage diaries, ensuring fee earners have necessary documentation and details in advance.
Prepare correspondence and amend and proofread documents to ensure accuracy and a high standard of presentation.
Provide general administrative support, including photocopying, printing, and scanning.
Communicate regularly with fee earners about current priorities and support needs; share knowledge with the team and raise workload issues or difficulties with the line manager.
Cover for colleagues, assist team members, contribute to team objectives, and ensure telephones are answered promptly and professionally.
Work flexibly and outside core hours when needed to meet deadlines and complete tasks.
Support risk and compliance processes by tracking and uploading engagement letters and emails, and ensuring time recording is completed by deadlines.
Assist with billing by learning billing procedures, editing bill narratives, preparing client bills, and liaising with Revenue Controllers.
Manage expenses for fee earners and submit claims weekly.
Maintain knowledge of key clients and firm and fee-earner strategic objectives, and understand knowledge and business development resources and practices.
Manage fee-earner contacts in Outlook and Connect and assist with client development outreach.
Assist fee earners and the MBD department with marketing materials, including pitches, client presentations, and up-to-date CVs.
Assist with client events as required.