Clerk (1959)

Blackstone Chambers (1959)

Main clerking team member

Post: Clerk

Salary: £Highly competitive

Reports to: Senior Clerk/s

Job purpose: To
assist the Senior Clerk/s and Deputy Senior Clerk/s in the clerking of members of Chambers and administration of the clerks’ room. Member on main clerking team.

Overview of the role

Blackstone Chambers is a leading set of barristers chambers, specialising in commercial, public & regulatory, competition, sport, financial services and employment law. Based in the Temple, it has 129 barrister members and 41 staff members and recently moved back into fully refurbished offices overlooking Middle Temple Gardens.

This is an exciting opportunity to join Chambers’ dynamic Clerking Team. Applicants should have substantial previous clerking experience and be able to demonstrate the necessary expertise to perform this role.

Main Duties include:

1. Promotion of the practices of all members of chambers.

2. Negotiation of junior counsels fees and assisting the Senior Clerk/s with any other fees that they may require agreeing.

3. Client development and management which involves both proactive and reactive engagement with clients to ensure business retention with existing clients and growth with potential new clients.

4. Daily monitoring of barrister diaries and Lex reports to ensure:

• Quality control of work accepted;
• Provision of assistance to senior members of the team in ensuring the suitable delivery time of papers/briefs in advance of conferences/hearings;
• Enforcement of chambers non-double booking policy;
• Achievement of manageable workloads for tenants;
• Compliance of working deadlines;
• Fee negotiation as requested by the Senior Clerk/s;
• Assistance in monitoring diary-billing cycle and checking if up to date to ensure that fee notes include items of work for which time recording may not have not been submitted;
• Participating in management of the time recording programme for barristers as requested by the Senior Clerk/s;
• Undertake listing duties as required.

5. Assisting in the promotion and operation of Chambers Mediation and Arbitration practitioners.

6. Assisting Chambers fees clerk in the collection of barrister fees, as and when requested by the Senior Clerk/s.

7. Assisting in the oversight of the junior clerking team generally and providing additional assistance where necessary to ensure members of Chambers reach court in time with all papers they require.

8. To assist in the tuition of the junior clerks in case listing/fixing procedures and good practice.

9. Reporting to the Senior Clerk/s any error, problem or mistake which may give cause for concern or complaint by or on behalf of any barrister or client.

Person specification

The successful candidate will have experience of working within a busy team. They will be approachable, well-presented and have very good communication, and organisational skills.  The role requires a calm and proactive approach and a willingness to adapt and learn is essential.  The role will include oversight of the junior clerking team.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate, including through appropriate and relevant experience, that they can meet the following requirements:

• Previous clerking experience (10 years +): essential
• Ability to work in a busy environment: essential
• Ability to work efficiently in a team: essential
• Ability to prioritise and undertake a number of tasks: essential
• Demonstrate attention to detail and accuracy in handling and review of financial and practice data: essential
• Demonstrate full appreciation of issues of confidentiality in handling personal and financially sensitive data with an appreciation of the requirements of the GDPR legislation: essential
• Good people handling skills and telephone manner: essential
• Smart presentation and appearance: essential (dress code: business attire)
• IT literate: essential: a strong working knowledge of MS Word and a working knowledge of Excel is required. If not already proficient, training will be provided for use of bespoke barrister diary and fees accounting software (LEX).
• Commitment to equal opportunities: essential

Contract terms

Core working hours for this role are 8.15am to 6pm or 9am to 7.00pm on a weekly rota basis.

3 months notice upon completion of a three-month probation period during which the candidate will be on two weeks notice.

25 days holiday per calendar year; limit of one week’s holiday permissible during legal term time.

Working from home: 1 day per week available, upon successful completion of probation.

Interest free season ticket loan available after completion of three-month probation period.

Private Medical Insurance and private doctor service available on completion of probation period.

Other staff benefits including income protection, critical illness and death in service benefits.

Auto-enrolment pension scheme membership.

Equal opportunity employer

Blackstone Chambers strives to be an equal opportunities employer and is committed to diversity amongst its members and staff. They encourage and welcome applications from women, people of minority ethnic origin and people with disabilities as well as candidates from other groups which are underrepresented in the legal sector.

All applicants are requested to complete an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion form, available here.

For all enquiries please contact:

ABC Chambers Solutions LLP – 0203 890 8190 – enquiries@abcllp.com

To apply for this role please e-mail a comprehensive CV and covering letter to one of the team or contact them directly for a confidential discussion:

Sarah Willshee– sarah@abcllp.com| Sam Biggerstaff – sam@abcllp.com

All third-party applications will be forwarded to ABC Chambers Solutions.

ABC are committed to equality and to fostering diversity in our profession.

We will treat everyone equally and irrespective of their age, background, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity status, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Please advise us in advance of the interview if you have any access needs (including those arising from neurodiversity) and/or require reasonable adjustments for the interview so that we can make appropriate arrangements.