Current Vacancies

Switchboard Operator / Receptionist

Leading London NW1 Solicitors

Job Title: Switchboard Operator/Receptionist

Responsible to: SB/R Team Leader

Knowledge: Strong practical experience of working in a switchboard / reception desk environment

Job Overview

• Receive and screen calls from those seeking Hodge Jones & Allen legal services in areas of law.
• Dealing with high levels of incoming calls and visitors.
• Interact with clients in a sensitive and professional manner.
• Assess how to best match clients with the appropriate resources within the Firm or externally.
• Exceptional communication and planning skills are essential.
• Minimum of 3yrs experience.

This role is a call handling position in a switchboard environment and to have face to face interactions with visitors. The role is to support an office of over 230 employees, Fee-Earners, Management and Partners by taking calls, new enquiries and managing these through a customer relationship management system.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Switchboard / Reception Duties

Duties will vary in importance and priority, depending on circumstances and the needs of the business at any particular time, but will include the following key responsibilities:

• Providing first class professional telephone manner for receiving and handling all incoming calls and new enquiries promptly and within a timely manner.
• Maintaining a polished and professional code of conduct with a smart dress code.
• Through careful listening and questioning, gain an insight into the clients’ requirements and assist as far as possible e.g. take the enquiry details, forward a message, transfer calls etc.
• Liaise with relevant departments: Sales & Marketing, Accounts and Legal Teams & Call Centre teams.
• Assisting, liaising and co-ordinating with Fee-Earners, Partners and the refreshment team for booking meeting rooms.
• Responsible for the visual standards of the reception area, ensuring it is well organised, tidy as a professional reception area.
• Keep an accurate log of incoming and outgoing documents, post and packages.
• Administrative duties including but not limited to assisting with booking travel, taxis, couriers, updating contact lists and general tasks.

Skills and abilities

• Three years’ Reception / Switchboard experience essential.
• Excellent telephone manner with clear and pleasant verbal communication.
• A positive client focussed attitude and excellent customer service skills.
• Ability to discuss and understand complex situations with clients in a supportive and non-judgemental way.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office effectively and to learn other Firm systems as appropriate.
• Adaptable, flexible, proactive attitude, able and happy to work as part of a team.
• Strong ability to prioritise and multi task and being able to work effectively on its own.
• A good team player who meets and exceeds team goals.
• Self-motivated, confident and energetic.
• Excellent organisational skills and innovative approach.

Training & Support 

Training on the switchboard, call handling standards and the telephony processes and systems will be provided. Training on reception, key tasks associated with reception duties and front desk standards will be provided.

Hours of Work

Core office hours will be 09:30am to 17:30pm Monday to Friday, 5 days per week.

Job Type

Full Time

Apply

Please apply by sending a covering letter and CV, with current salary details to Alice Simmonds at the following email address: asimmonds@hja.net.

Closing Date: 31 December 2021

Private Client Solicitor (NQ – 1 year PQE)

Hodge Jones & Allen | Leading London NW1 Solicitors

Private Client Solicitor (NQ-1 year PQE)

HJA are looking for a Solicitor to join our Private Client team.

The role will involve you managing and billing your own caseload of private client work, including will drafting (incorporating trusts) and related tax advice for clients with small or large estates, including businesses; estate administration (including estates with a foreign element); LPAs including drafting and registration; some IHT and CGT advice and trust advice.  Some Court of Protection work including drafting Personal Injury trusts and statutory wills.  Court of Protection will be about 20% of the caseload maximum.  Reporting to a partner and working with a trainee from time to time.   You may also be required to make some presentations from time to time to charities/organisations.

The right applicant will be committed to assisting us in providing an excellent service to our clients and will be an integral part of the team.

Operating from modern central London premises, HJA has a national reputation and we provide our solicitors with varied, challenging caseloads.

Competitive salary and other benefits available to the right candidate. We offer excellent prospects, training, IT facilities and support.

More about the firm:

Hodge Jones & Allen was founded in 1977 and to this day remains committed to providing first class legal help to both individuals and organisations.

HJA are well known for their excellent client care and a high standard of expertise. Many of our lawyers are ranked in Chambers and Legal 500 and the firm is accredited with Lexcel gold standard.

The Private Client team comprises 11 fee earners running both Wills and Probate cases and Court of Protection work.

The firm employs over 200 people and organizes many social events.

To apply please send a covering email, CV and current salary details to Alice Simmonds at asimmonds@hja.net.

Closing date: 5pm, Wednesday 19 January 2022

Civil Liberties Solicitor (5 Years’ PQE)

Hodge Jones & Allen | Leading London NW1 Solicitors

Our Civil Liberties team is highly ranked by Chambers and The Legal 500 in Civil Liberties & Human Rights, Actions Against the Police and Administrative & Public Law.

We’re looking for a solicitor with at least 5 years’ PQE to join our successful, friendly, busy and expanding team. The successful candidate will have experience in one or more of the following areas: Actions Against the Police; Inquests; HRA claims; and Judicial Review.

Operating from modern central London premises, the firm offers a competitive salary & benefits, as well as excellent career prospects, broad training, first-class IT facilities and comprehensive administrative support.

Salary is dependent upon experience.

Please apply by sending a covering letter and CV, with current salary details to Alice Simmonds at the following email address asimmonds@hja.net.

Closing date for applications is 5pm, Friday 28 January 2022.

Call Centre Advisor

We have an exciting opportunity for a front-line call handler to come and join our growing Call Centre Team at Hodge Jones & Allen. Your prime role will be to receive and screen calls from those seeking legal services from our specialist teams.

At Hodge Jones & Allen we care about righting wrongs for our clients and providing first-class personal legal services. As an advisor you will enjoy speaking with new callers and be able to deal professionally and sensitively with their enquiry. You will need to demonstrate an ability to question efficiently and listen closely to assess how to best match clients’ needs with the appropriate legal departments within the firm.

You will have the following skills and abilities:

• A minimum of 2 years’ experience handling a high level of calls, each day
• Excellent communication skills to interact with diverse community groups in a sensitive, empathetic and professional manner at all times
• Previous experience of working in a “one stop approach” contact centre (legal services would be an advantage)
• An excellent telephone manner with clear and pleasant verbal communication
• Ability to discuss and understand complex situations with clients in a supportive and non-judgmental way
• Analytical and written abilities to produce accurate, relevant and comprehensive notes
• Ability to analyse reports and when required present at monthly team meetings
• Able to Microsoft Office effectively and to learn other firm systems relevant to your role and the business

Call Centre experience is essential

Please apply by sending a covering letter and CV, with current salary details via the form below or to Alice Simmonds at the following email address ASimmonds@hja.net.

Closing date for applications is 5pm, 31 January 2022

Housing Solicitor (0-5 years’ PQE)

Leading solicitors based in Euston, London NW1

We have an exciting opportunity for a solicitor with 0-5 years’ PQE to join our successful, friendly and professional Housing Law team. We’ve been passionately defending the rights of those with housing and property issues for over 40 years and are recognised as one of the highest-ranking law firms for housing and tenant law in the UK. We’re ranked in Band 1 in the Chambers & Partners guide 2022 and listed in Tier 1 in the Legal 500 for social housing law.

To be successful in this role it is essential that you have good experience and working knowledge of housing law. The ideal candidate will have experience of the Legal Aid Portal (CCMS) and dealing with homelessness reviews and appeals, possession claims and disrepair claims. Advocacy skills will be an advantage but are not essential.

The successful candidate will be joining a well-established and growing department with a national reputation.  They will be proactive and dedicated to delivering excellent client care.  They will also have the ability to manage a busy and varied workload, working independently and as part of a team.

We employ dedicated solicitors who excel in all areas of housing law, with particular experience in disrepair, possession, homelessness and unlawful evictions.

The firm offers a competitive salary & benefits, as well as excellent career prospects, broad training, first-class IT facilities and comprehensive administrative support.

Salary: Dependant on experience

Please send a covering letter and CV with your current salary to Alice Simmonds at ASimmonds@hja.net.

Closing Date: 5pm, Monday 7 February 2022

Legal Assistant (Personal Injury Team)

Hodge Jones & Allen | Leading London NW1 Solicitors

Hodge Jones & Allen are looking to recruit a full-time Legal Assistant for our Personal Injury Team.

This is an administrative role assisting the fee earners in all areas of office services. This includes printing relevant documents, filing, scanning, photocopying, collating and paginating documents, managing diaries and dealing with third parties and clients by phone.

You will need to have good administrative and literacy skills, be methodical and be able to work in a team using your own initiative and have a flexible attitude. Working in an organised manner, paying attention to detail and good time management are important. Experience of using Foxit Phantom PDF software is desirable.

You will be part of a busy team responsible for the smooth running of the office which will involve you dealing with people at all levels in the Firm.

Good computer skills and previous administrative experience are essential.

Operating from modern Central London premises, Hodge Jones & Allen are a highly regarded firm. We offer good prospects, training and IT facilities.

Covering letter, CV and current salary details to Alice Simmonds, Hodge Jones & Allen, via email asimmonds@hja.net