Legal Support Assistant

What you’ll do

This is an exciting opportunity for a PA/Secretary to take the next step in their career and join our highly successful Commercial and IP team.

In this role, you will be supporting our Public Sector team, based in our Exeter office, as well as lawyers in the wider Commercial and IP team, on a part-time, flexible basis (around 20 hours per week). The Public Sector team specialises in Public Sector procurement and advises on a wide range of public authorities on the design of their procurements.

Legal support is integral to the success of our lawyers and clients - joining as a Legal Support Assistant you will receive training and support from the existing and highly experienced support team. You will also be responsible for providing some specific administrative support to the Public Sector team which involves regular weekly and monthly reporting, attending team meetings as necessary, the monthly distribution of spreadsheet/s / reports for recording progress updates for certain clients’ matters, file opening, producing schedules for bills and being responsible for ensuring clients’ specific billing requirements are fulfilled/met. You will also be responsible for managing executive-level travel arrangements, as our lawyers travel for conferences and meetings nationwide.

Who you are

You are passionate about providing an excellent level of support and have a 'can-do' and helpful attitude. You have a keen eye for detail, are eager to prove yourself and to develop the role. You have a desire to learn and understand the Firm's services and how we work with clients and support colleagues. You are good at providing proactive support and anticipating the needs of those you are supporting and your colleagues.

Ideally you will have some PA/secretarial experience, not necessarily from a legal environment but some experience within professional services will be helpful. Although not essential, some customer service experience would also be beneficial, since you can expect to have contact with clients.

You will be working from our Exeter office for at least 2 days a week, so the ability to commute into our office in Exeter is important.

Your Career. Our Commitment.

At Ashfords, we believe in more than just doing great work - we believe in building a great place to work.

When you join us, you become part of a team where everything we do is underpinned by our four core values: Be Open, Think Team, Make a Difference and Always Grow. These values shape who we are and how we work - they guide our decisions, influence our culture, and drive the way we support our people, clients and communities.

With a clear focus on innovation, community involvement, and supporting a healthy work-life balance, we are committed to building an environment where our people can have a rewarding and meaningful career.

Whilst we recognise that every career journey is unique, we will be ambitious for you, giving you the tools, trust, and opportunities to develop your career, your way.

Our goal? To help you realise your full potential as part of a forward-thinking team.

Our offer

We know that our people are at the heart of everything we do – and that’s why we’re committed to supporting your wellbeing, growth and work-life balance.

Beyond our benefits package, you’ll be encouraged, no matter what your role or career level, to get involved in our Responsible Business programme, where you’ll support initiatives such as charity fundraising, environmental causes and our employee led diversity and inclusion groups.

You can find out more about our benefits by visiting the Reward & Wellbeing page on our website.

What’s next?

Our recruitment process typically involves two stages, which are designed not only to explore your skills and experience but also to give you a real insight into what it’s like to work at Ashfords. Throughout the process, our dedicated Talent Attraction team will be here to support you every step of the way.

We believe that building a firm with a wide range of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences drives innovation and strengthens our teams, and we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds.

To support your growth, we offer ongoing training and development opportunities to help you reach your full potential – so even if you don’t feel you match all the requirements of the job role, we’d still love to hear from you.

At Ashfords, we’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to succeed.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or would like to discuss anything regarding your application, please contact us at [email protected].

For an informal and confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Alison Board, Talent Attraction Assistant - [email protected].

Or apply now, and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible.