Company Secretary Paralegal

The Team

The Company Secretarial Department supports the London Corporate Department and other legal teams and advises clients on the company secretarial aspects of corporate law in England & Wales. The Company Secretarial Department provides the full range of corporate administration, company secretarial advice and documentation required by private companies, PLCs, LLPs, LPs and UK Establishments of Overseas Companies

The Role

We are looking for a Paralegal to join the highly regarded Corporate Secretarial Department at Baker McKenzie LLP in London.

The Company Secretarial Team helps our clients' companies comply with obligations under company law, make timely filings, and thereby enables them to concentrate on their core business activities. It also helps to maintain a database for groups operating in several countries to coordinate such corporate requirements world-wide.

The teams sits within the London Corporate Reorganisations Group.

Please note that this role is not an entry route to complete a solicitors training contract with Baker McKenzie. The two recruitment processes are completely separate.

Duties include:

• Maintaining a portfolio of high profile client companies
• Setting up new companies
• Assisting with the UK aspects of corporate reorganisations, mergers & acquisitions
• Arranging and advising on due diligence projects
• Reviewing and maintaining Sharepoint/Extranet corporate databases
• Coordinating global company secretarial matters
• Providing assistance on company law matters within the company secretarial area
• Assisting other fee earners in other departments as and when required

Key Skills and Experience Required

The ideal candidate will possess strong academic credentials, be a good communicator both orally and in writing, and be able to demonstrate initiative and pro-activity.

Core Competencies

• Previous experience of working in the company secretarial field is essential
• Previous experience of a client-facing role in professional services is desirable
• Qualification (or progress towards qualification) as a Chartered Secretary is desirable
• Completion of a law degree and/or the Legal Practice Course is desirable
• Ability to demonstrate strong client service skills
• High work standards, including excellent attention to detail and strong prioritisation skills
• Ability to deal confidently with demanding situations, people and requirements
• Flexible and efficient work practices with the ability to adapt style as required
• Ability to work to tight deadlines and manage own caseload
• A team player but able to work under own initiative
• Proficient in use of Microsoft Office software and online research tools including Diligent and Companies House websites
• Respects and enjoys the diversity of cultural, social and academic backgrounds found in the Firm

Why Join Us?

Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in 1949, we advise many of the world's most dynamic and successful business organisations through our 13,200 people in 78 offices in 46 countries. Yet big does not mean impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture encourages this - how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and fulfilling way.

In London you will be part of an 950 person office, which is also our largest office globally. Originally opened in 1961, Baker McKenzie London is well established in the UK as a leading international law firm and is regularly involved in some of the country's most high-profile legal matters. We can offer you the work, pride and experience of being part of a leading law firm but in a local office environment that is hardworking, yet friendly and supportive.

The strength of the firm and our culture is evidenced by a number of recent awards, including:

• Thomson Reuters (formerly Acritas' Sharplegal) Global Elite Law Firm Brand Index, 2010- 2022 - ranked 1st
• The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2021-2022: currently ranked 52nd
• Refinitiv (formerly Thomson Reuters) ranked the Firm No. 1 for cross-border deals for the last 15 years. More than 70% of our deals are cross-border.
• Law360 ranked the Firm as one of the 400 Largest US Law Firms in in its annual survey in 2022.
• Identified as one of the Hall of Fame for best law firms for women by Working Mother magazine, 2011-2021.
• Received a Gold Award on Stonewall's 2022 Global Workplace Equality Index of Top Global Employers for LGBTQ+ people
• Ranked as one of the Top 10 Employers in the 2022 Social Mobility Employer Index.
• Received Double Certification for earning top marks in the 2022 Corporate Equality Index and Equidad MX of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
• Winner of the Europe Mentorship Programme - International Firm award in the Euromoney Women in Business Law Europe Awards 2021
• In 2022, we won Career Development International Firm, Diverse Women Lawyers International Firm, Work-Life Balance International Firm, Innovative International Firm of the Year and Women in Business International law firm (WIBL Asia).
• Baker McKenzie has been awarded "Women in Business Law Firm of the Year" and "Career Development Firm of the Year" at the inaugural Euromoney Women in Business Law Global Awards 2022.

Have a look at our YouTube channel to find out more about us!

To Apply

At Baker McKenzie we welcome direct applications.

Please click on the Apply icon to start the online application process for this role. We will then be in touch with you once we have reviewed your application. If you are unable to apply online, please contact the Recruitment Team on either 020 7919 1000 or Recruitment.London@bakermckenzie.com

For more information about this position or to discuss any adjustments you may require during the process please contact in confidence, David Roberts, Recruitment Manager, on +4420 7072 5752 or David.Roberts@bakermckenzie.com

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NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Please note Baker McKenzie does not accept unsolicited CVs. Please click here for details of our Agency Policy and commitment to sourcing directly.

Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity

As the first truly global law firm, diversity and inclusion are foundational to our culture and strategic vision. We are a Firm of individuals from across the globe with different backgrounds, ideas, and points of view who collegially work together to solve complex problems and design practical solutions for our clients. Our multiple perspectives come from many sources, including the diverse ethnicity, culture, gender, nationality, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, parental status, education, social background and life experience of our people.

Our global strategy is focused on our people, our culture, our clients and the communities where we operate. In 2019 we enacted ambitious new targets related to gender, racial and ethnic diversity at the Firm. These targets are viewed as a floor, not a ceiling, to advancing underrepresented groups, and they are backed by a variety of strategic initiatives aimed at achieving our goals. Our strategic vision is supported in London by six active employee led networks which champion diversity, lead on a number of internal campaigns and deliver a range of activity to celebrate differences in identity, inclusion, and key dates throughout the year including: LGBT+ History Month, International Women's Day, International Trans Day of Visibility, Mental Health Awareness Week, Pride, Black History Month, Social Mobility Week, International Day of Disabled Persons and many more!

Baker McKenzie London has been accredited by Disability Confident, joining over 18,000 organisations that have signed up to help change behaviours and cultures in businesses, networks and communities and reap the benefits of inclusive recruitment practices.