Have you ever wondered what a Legal Secretary does behind the scenes? You might receive an email from one advising that they are assisting with your file and requesting a document from you, however, that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Tessa gives us a brief idea of what her day in the life as a Legal Secretary looks like, and the many moving parts she manages behind the scenes.
Starting the Day
As a Secretary working in Godfreys Conveyancing Team, my day often involves drafting agreements for sale and purchase, booking appointments for the Authors, and emailing clients. But first... coffee!
My workday usually begins with checking emails, and from here I map out my day. I tackle my to-do list, which often consists of:
- Reviewing and drafting a Title and Land Information Memorandum (LIM);
- Preparing bank documents for clients to sign; and
- Completing settlements.
Titles & LIMs
Reporting on titles and LIMs (Land Information Memorandum) is often a mixed bag. Sometimes you can get a straightforward review with instruments and land covenants drafted in the current century, these are easy to read and clearly labelled. Other times, you’re dusting off the magnifying glass to decipher whether an easement is marked on a map from 1921 and are left just hoping that the cursive handwriting is decipherable.
Bank Documents
Most clients need to “sign their lives away” to the bank to secure their family home. We receive the documents and prepare for the meeting. I start with reading the bank’s instruction letter. Then the drafting begins, adding details to LINZ, entering client names, noting the bank to be registered against the title, and preparing Authority and Instruction forms, tax statements, Overseas Investment Forms, and everything else required for signing. Once complete, we pass it on to the author, who has the pleasure of meeting with our clients.
Settlement
All the while, settlement looms for another client purchasing their first home. We aim to settle as early as possible so the clients can get to the exciting part of moving in. However, banks can be unpredictable depending on their workload, and there may be delays in receiving the client’s loan advance. When the bank deposits funds early in the morning, and we receive the undertaking from the vendor’s lawyer that their client has moved out, we are ready to go. We send our payment to the appropriate teams for checking and finalising, then complete settlement. Finally, we let our happy clients know that settlement is complete!
When Things Don’t Go to Plan
Of course, not every day runs smoothly. The easement on the title might be completely unreadable, bank documents arrive late, or the shower rail falls off the wall in the client’s new home the day of settlement. We adapt, problem-solve, and assist the team as much as we can while reassuring the client. It’s true that buying a house is one of life’s top five stresses. Behind every email, draft document, and appointment, there is a quiet hustle to make sure everything is right and goes smoothly for the client.
Overall
Legal Secretaries play an important part in law firms, working hard behind the scenes to ensure matters run as smoothly as possible for our clients.
Real People. Real Solutions.
