Legal Personal Assistant

Gunnercooke LLP; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputable law firm in Edinburgh is seeking a highly organized Personal Assistant (PA) to support a senior Dispute Resolution Partner. The role involves diary management, drafting legal documents, and case coordination. The ideal candidate has at least 3 years of experience in a litigation-focused environment, demonstrating strong attention to detail and organizational skills. This position offers a salary of up to £30,000 and 35 days of annual leave, including public holidays.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years' experience in a similar Legal PA or Legal Secretary role, with contentious/litigation exposure.
• Diligent and hard-working.
• Good knowledge of office software.

Responsibilities

• Manage diaries, schedule meetings, and arrange travel.
• Draft initial writs and manage case records.
• Liaise with sheriffs and oversee file management.

Skills

Organizational skills

Proactivity

Attention to detail

Independent work

Team player

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Overview

gunnercooke is the leading global fee share firm for entrepreneurial lawyers and advisors. A Top 75 law firm with over 90 industry award recognitions, gunnercooke has rapidly grown to over 600 advisors across 16 global offices in England, Scotland, the US, Germany and Austria. Our team specialise in areas including corporate, real estate and employment, as well as emerging disciplines such as charity, crypto, sports and competition law. Collaboration is at the forefront of our culture and gunnercooke operates as a fee share model where professionals join as self-employed advisors to design and develop the practice they want. We aim to deliver a positive impact for clients, provide a better life for our people, and leave a better world than we found. Our charitable arm, the gunnercooke foundation, enables us to engage with communities and help charitable organisations grow. We launched our Scottish operations in 2021 and now have a team of over 20 with offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Role

We are looking for an entrepreneurial minded Personal Assistant (PA) to join a highly reputable Dispute Resolution Partner in Scotland, Edinburgh. This Partner brings over two decades of experience, specialising in contentious construction law and a full range of commercial dispute resolution. This role involves supporting in mediation, adjudication, arbitration, and litigation across both commercial and construction disputes, and advising on project risk allocation and contract drafting to help clients avoid disputes.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a Legal PA with litigation experience to work closely with and support a senior Partner specialising in contentious matters. If you thrive in a fast paced, dynamic legal environment and enjoy working closely with a senior stakeholder, this could be an ideal fit.

Responsibilities

• Providing proactive diary management: meeting scheduling, travel arrangements
• Preparing pre-litigation statutory demands and letters before action
• Drafting initial writs for ordinary actions in Sheriff Courts on debt and commercial property claims
• Liaising with sheriff officers to manage enforcement diligences, including charges to pay, arrestments, attachments, and inhibitions
• Maintaining accurate case records, court timetables, and ensuring timely client instruction and updates
• Partnering with internal finance teams to support client billing, matter balances, and working capital management
• Coordinating events, conferences, and CRM administration
• Organising and attending meetings, planning events, and preparing insightful client reports
• Managing matter processes: correct rates, engagement letters, liaising with the Business Acceptance Unit
• Conducting conflict checks and Client Due Diligence
• Overseeing full file management, bill payments, work in progress, and file closures
• Identifying cost-effective travel options and managing itineraries
• Preparing meeting packs and hospitality requirements in advance
• Applying strong technical skills to support the fee earner, identifying and closing any knowledge gaps
• Ensuring adherence to all compliance and risk procedures, escalating issues where appropriate

Your Skills and Experience

We’re looking for someone who is highly organised, proactive, and used to working in a litigation focused legal environment (Dispute Resolution Civil Litigation or Commercial Litigation).

Key criteria include:

• At least 3 years' experience in a similar Legal PA or Legal Secretary role, with contentious/litigation exposure
• Diligent and hard-working
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively to meet deadlines
• Team player who is willing to help colleagues
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload
• Good knowledge of Word, Excel and Outlook

The Benefits

Salary: Up to £30,000, dependent on experience

Annual Leave: 35 days including public holidays

This is a unique opportunity to work closely with a well-regarded Dispute Resolution Partner within an ambitious, entrepreneurial and flexible law firm environment.

Apply now by submitting your CV and covering letter to [e-mail]

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom