Practice Administrator (Legal Secretary) – Projects & Construction, Melbourne

• Join a top-tier Australian law firm
• Permanent, full-time opportunity based in Melbourne
• Provide executive-level support to Steve Murray, National Group Lead Partner of the firm's Projects practice. The Group Lead Partner is responsible for leading the strategic, operational and people priorities of the Projects group, which spans multiple practice groups and encompasses over 250 people nationally
• Collaborate with a dynamic, down-to-earth and high performing team

About the Role

Our Projects & Construction practice is seeking an accomplished Practice Administrator to join the team in Melbourne on a permanent, full-time basis. Providing valued support to Steve Murray (Group Lead Partner, Projects), as well as a team of lawyers, this role offers an experienced Practice Administrator the opportunity to make the role their own and become a vital member of a high-performing practice.

The role involves providing executive-level support to Steve in his role as Group Lead Partner, including the opportunity to attend leadership meetings and support Steve in overseeing a busy, national practice. This role will suit an experienced Practice Administrator who enjoys the full remit of the Practice Administrator role, but also has the drive and enthusiasm to work alongside the Group Lead Partner in an exciting phase of growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide executive-level support to Steve in his role of Group Lead Partner and high-level secretarial and administrative support to a team of lawyers within the Projects & Construction practice.
• Work closely with Steve across a variety of strategic, operational and people matters, exercising a high degree of professionalism and confidentiality when dealing with sensitive information. This includes taking notes at leadership meetings, and assembling financial data and other group information.
• Manage complex diaries, including organising frequent travel and scheduling and organising client and internal meetings, with a proactive approach to adjusting commitments as needed.
• Manage incoming correspondence, emails, and internal/external requests, while proactively drafting correspondence without direction.
• Oversee general accounts, monthly billing, client reporting, and expenses with exceptional attention to detail.
• Handle file management, including opening and closing matters, conducting conflict searches on the firm databases and managing matter budgets.
• Communicate professionally and coordinate with high-level internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate as part of a cohesive team of Practice Administrators, supporting the wider Projects & Construction team and assisting colleagues during busy periods.

Skills & Experience

To excel in this role, you will bring:

• Proven experience, of at least 5 years, in an administrative and/or secretarial role, ideally within a professional services or legal environment. Experience supporting executive-level stakeholders will be highly regarded, but not essential.
• Experience working with confidential matters and exercising high levels of discretion.
• Exceptional organisational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
• Strong multitasking and prioritisation abilities, particularly in high-pressure situations.
• A flexible and proactive approach, with a strong drive to contribute to the success of the business.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with colleagues and clients.
• Advanced technical proficiency in Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency in billing processes, with experience using Aderant Expert software highly desirable.
• Professionalism in communicating and organising meetings with high-level stakeholders.

Why Join Us?
This position offers a unique opportunity for an accomplished professional to elevate their career in a challenging, rewarding, and supportive environment. At Clayton Utz, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and inclusive workplace where your contributions are valued. As part of our Projects & Construction practice, you’ll work alongside some of the best in the industry, supporting high profile projects in a market leading practice.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your career and thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, we’d love to hear from you.

How to Apply?

We prefer to work directly with candidates, if you are interested in this role, please click the ‘Apply’ button or contact the consultant, details below, for more information. Clayton Utz is an inclusive employer that supports flexible work arrangements, please feel free to discuss your flexibility needs with the recruiter for this role.

Consultant Contact Details

Jade Evans, (02) 9353 4358

Accessibility and Inclusion

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment process. Do you require any support or reasonable adjustments to complete your application? If so, please contact the recruiter via the above telephone number or via email to recruitmentsupport@claytonutz.com.

For more information on Clayton Utz, please visit www.claytonutz.com or follow us on LinkedIn here.

Agency submissions

Clayton Utz does not accept agency submissions unless the agency is specifically contacted by a member of the Clayton Utz Recruitment Team. Please do not forward candidate profiles or resumes to Clayton Utz partners, hiring managers or other employees - this will not constitute as an introduction to the firm and Clayton Utz will not be liable for a fee.