Bookkeeper at PracticeEvolve

• Mar 2023 - Present

PA & Finance Assistant

• Mar 2022 - Mar 2023

Working directly for the managing director of a software development company, with responsibilities which include: • Providing full PA and finance assistant support. • Handling and responding to all correspondence including phone calls, emails and letters. • Preparing expense reports. • Maintaining an electronic filing system. • Diary and email management. • Payroll administration. • Research. • Sourcing and maintaining suppliers. • Budgeting. • Double entry bookkeeping. • Bank payments/transfers. • Bank reconciliations. Show less

Accounts Assistant

• Nov 2019 - Feb 2022

Accounts assistant who worked in a medium sized law firm with the following responsibilities: • Daily and monthly bank reconciliations of the client, office, and court of protection accounts. • Processing and posting all client, office & COP account receipts and payments. • Processing client account, COP account and office account payments using the firm’s online banking facility. • Assisting with the processing of disbursements incurred on behalf of clients through the firm’s purchase ledger system. • Processing disbursement payments including, ensuring they were paid when required under the SRA rules. • Assisting with the processing of business supplier invoices through the firm’s purchase ledger system. • Processing payments to business suppliers in accordance with agreed payment terms. • Reconciling statements from suppliers and resolving all queries arising. • Processing staff expense claims through the firm’s purchase ledger system and organising reimbursement payments. • Daily posting and reconciling of HM Land Registry and other invoices regarding search fees. • Raising client and office cheques. • Cancelling out-of-date client and office account cheques. • Checking of all completion statements and dealing with payments thereafter. • Taking and processing debit card payments. Show less

Legal Accounts Cashier

• Nov 2013 - Oct 2019

Due to the closure of my previous firm, I was given the opportunity by the new owner who took some of the staff and files, to train as a legal cashier working for a multi branch firm, which predominately, dealt with conveyancing, probate, family law and civil law matters. My responsibilities in this role included: • Processing property transactions including checking of completion statements. • Setting up and sending CHAPS/faster payments within the online banking system. • Raising and issuing office and client cheques. • Daily banking. • Accounts receivable for the client account. • Posting to client account. • Accounts payable as and when required. • Free will scheme administrator. • Verifying calculation and subsequent reconciliation of probate estate accounts. • General administrative duties within the department including filing, opening new matters, archiving, issuing AML invoices and correspondence. • Taking and processing debit card payments. • Responding to queries from fee-earners and secretaries and providing support and training as required. Show less

Legal Secretary/PA

• Jan 2003 - Nov 2013

I started working for this firm as a Legal Secretary/Billing Clerk in the Criminal Litigation department. My role gradually developed to PA, Billing Manager and Compliance Assistant. My responsibilities in this role included: • Transcription of digital dictation and copy work. • Answered and dealt with calls, only diverted to fee-earner when necessary. • Assisted all new clients either in person or over the phone with their legal aid application. Troubleshooted all problematic applications and made representations to the Magistrates’ Court where the application had failed either the “interests of justice” or “means” element/s. Subsequently, where necessary, applying for a Section 36 order. • Diary management which involved liaising with the Courts, Police Stations, Chambers, Duty Solicitors, Agents and of course, our own in-house fee-earners. • On occasion, I would cover the emergency “out of hours” mobile during the day/night and deal with any subsequent calls that came in from the Police/client. • Made appointments and arranged conferences and prison visits. • Transcribed record of taped interview tapes. • Where needed, I would draft the following: Brief to Counsel. Application to vary bail conditions. Judge in Chambers bail application. Section 9 statement. Initial proof of evidence from the police station notes. Legal aid appeal letters. General correspondence to client. Application to LAA in relation to funding for an expert witness. • Undertaking and managing the billing of all A&A, legally aided and privately funded cases, including Crown Court and Court of appeal cases. Including, submitting all claims to the relevant bodies. • Ensuring the department was always compliant as per the legal aid contract. Show less

Criminal Litigation Secretary & Billing Clerk

• Apr 2001 - Dec 2002

A legal secretary and billing clerk who worked in the Criminal Litigation department within a small firm. This roles consisted of all secretarial duties within the department from assisting opening the post, filing, file opening and closing, typing up tapes, answering the phone, booking appointments, arranging conferences and prison visits, arranging Court and Police Station cover, dealt with walk-in clients, Magistrates' file costing and Crown Court costing. A legal secretary and billing clerk who worked in the Criminal Litigation department within a small firm. This roles consisted of all secretarial duties within the department from assisting opening the post, filing, file opening and closing, typing up tapes, answering the phone, booking appointments, arranging conferences and prison visits, arranging Court and Police Station cover, dealt with walk-in clients, Magistrates' file costing and Crown Court costing.