2x Assistant Practice Manager – Commercial and Construction

Job description

Closing date: Monday, 26 October 2026 at 08:00 am
Contract: Full time (42.5 hours per week) and permanent
Salary: From £35,000 per annum, excellent benefits package including discretionary bonus
Location: London
Interview date: Wednesday, 28 October 2026 [In person – please keep free]
Start Date: ASAP and depending upon notice period

The Role: Assistant Practice Manager – Commercial and Construction

Reporting to a Senior Practice Manager and working closely with one other Assistant Practice Manager, you will provide the full range of practice management and administrative support including diary and case management, as well as assisting with business development. Opportunities for professional development and career progression are excellent.

Key Responsibilities:
 Diary and Practice Management
 Case Management and Allocation
 Business Development
 General Support

Diary and Practice Management:
 To assist the Practice Manager with the diary and practice management of the members of the team, including recording instructions, creating new cases and new contacts, and maintaining all existing records.
 Communicating with instructing solicitors and clients by telephone, email or in person in a professional and timely manner relating to all aspects of work for Counsel.
 All aspects of diary work, including fixing hearings, conferences and advising Solicitor’s / Counsel’s availability.
 Allocating new work in accordance with Chambers’ procedures and standards, and under the direction of the Director of Clerking and Practice Manager.
 Liaising with the tribunals, courts and other bodies, including lodging documents at court.
 Maintaining high levels of client service and administrative standards generally.

Fees and Financial Management:
 Agreeing fees for advisory work, inquiries and hearings (written advisory work, consultations and brief fees), under the supervision of the Director of Clerking and Practice Manager.
 Recording fees for work done, processing outstanding fees and billing where appropriate.
 Confirming in writing, where necessary, all agreements made on fees for work done, or estimates for work to be done.

Business Development
 Assist with the planning of events including diary management, room bookings, invitation lists and marketing lists.
 Assisting the in-house team with the delivery of events, including meet and greet, set up and guests management, for both external and internal events.

General Support
 Assistance in other areas of Chambers’ practice.
 Administrative support for the Senior Practice Management team.
 Reporting any errors, problems or mistakes which may give cause for concern or complaint by, or on behalf of, any barrister or client.
 Contribute to and help build a strong team with good relationships and high levels of communication.
 Play an active role in team and staff meetings.

Key relationships:
 Barristers and other practice managers in the team.
 External clients and other stakeholders

Key Relationships:
The APM is a member of the Commercial and Construction Team: a team of 7 (Director of Clerking, 2 Senior Practice Managers, 2 Practice Managers and 2 Assistant Practice Managers). The team supports around 50 barristers and arbitrators.

The Candidate (Person Specification)
We are looking for a candidate who has the following:
 Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
 Resilient, and able to work effectively in a fast-paced and demanding environment.
 A positive and confident attitude, and committed to providing a professional and quality service.
 Strong attention to detail and good organisational skills.
 Able to work both independently and as part of a team.
 Confident in using Microsoft Office Suite.
 An interest in developing a career in professional legal support services or similar.
 Previous experience as a junior clerk or other relevant suitable experience (desirable).
 3 A-level qualifications equivalent, or relevant degree standard qualification (desirable).
Some of the above may be demonstrated through extra-curricular activities or voluntary work rather than formal employment.

What Chambers can offer:
 A full-time (42.5 hours) and permanent role.
 A starting salary from £35,000.
 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holidays.
 Following a successful probationary period, our discretionary benefits include a discretion annual bonus, access to our private medical scheme, ride to work scheme, private GP service, life assurance, employee assistance programme, interest-free season ticket loan, annual eye test, along with additional paid annual leave including ½ day birthday leave, 2 days religious holidays, 2 days annual slow travel leave and 1 ‘give back’ volunteering day.
 Chambers offers a group pension scheme paying 6% of salary into an individual’s pension scheme where the employee contributes at least 3% of their salary.
 A modern and spacious office space with showers, bike storage and games room.
 Our office is well situated. We are close to tube and overground stations, as well as Lincoln’s Inn Fields (the largest public square in London).

Our London office is open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 6:30pm. Flexibility around working times, including being available to work outside usual office hours (mornings and evenings), is required. You will be required to work on a shift system basis between 8:00am and 6:30pm.

Although most of our team work a mix of in-office and home working, we are predominantly office based. We aim to be as flexible as we can, taking into account the role and the needs of the business as well as individual preferences and circumstances. Following a successful office-based probation and training period, and subject to business need, this can be a hybrid role with the opportunity to work 80:20 (office : home).

About Us: 39 Essex Chambers
We are a leading barristers’ chambers with offices in London, Singapore, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur. We are made up of almost 200 barristers (including 63 King’s Counsel), along with a staff team of 53.

We work in a wide range of sectors and practice areas of law, specialising in Commercial and Construction, Planning, Environment and Property, Public Law and Civil Liability Law, throughout the UK and internationally. Many of our cases are high profile – you may have seen or read about them in the media.

Our values
Excellence – We aim for nothing less than excellence in the service that we offer our clients. We promote and support the success of every individual, no matter what their role.
Inclusivity – We are friendly, welcoming and open in our communication. We celebrate difference and expect everyone to have a voice and to be heard.
Innovation – We encourage creativity and new ideas. We welcome change and are not afraid to do things differently.
Our culture is open, friendly, supportive and caring. Our staff have the opportunity to develop and grow on their own path. We foster and support ongoing learning and development, with many of our staff studying alongside working with us.

We trust our staff team with responsibility and are open to everyone’s ideas about their own futures and how to take the business forward.

While we work hard, we believe in a healthy work / life balance, and we try hard to make sure that work is enjoyable and rewarding. We want to understand the needs of everyone on our team so that they feel well supported.
We have recently been awarded the Investors in People Silver Awards accreditation. This globally recognised accreditation recognises the quality of our leadership and how well our people are supported and managed in the workplace.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
39 Essex Chambers is an Equal Opportunities Employer. Our culture is open and supportive, and we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We encourage and welcome applications from people of the global majority, those with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, women and candidates from groups which are under-represented in the legal sector.

How to Apply

Please send a completed application form, along with the Equality & Diversity monitoring form, to recruitment@39essex.com.  Please ensure that you put ‘Assistant Practice Manager’ in the email subject heading.

CVs will not be accepted. 

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Harvey.Scott@39essex.com.  For questions about the process, contact Celia.Grace@39essex.com.

Please see our website for general information about recruitment at 39 Essex Chambers.

We will make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled candidates to demonstrate their suitability for the position.  Please contact us at recruitment@39essex.com.

The closing date for applications is Monday, 26th October 2026 at 08:00am   Applications received after this time will not be considered. 

In person interviews are scheduled for Wednesday, 28th October 2026 [please keep free].

Please note:
 We may not be able to respond to every candidate individually. You will, however, receive an automatic reply to your email acknowledging receipt of your application.
 We will only consider applications from individuals who are eligible to work in the United Kingdom.

What our staff say

“I have loved working here and the clerks’ room is the best clerks’ room I have worked in both in terms of the calibre of the staff and just how nice everyone is. It really is a wonderful place to work.”

“I have never joined an organisation where so many people have welcomed me so warmly and made me feel at home, both at the Christmas Party and today. It was lovely to be thanked for attending the party.”

“The staff team really make 39, I have never worked in a Chambers quite like it. I really enjoy work and I have made great friends. I would also like to say how friendly and accommodating the senior staff are – they are very approachable and supportive.”

“I have been very happy at 39.  It is a unique chambers – everyone is so nice, there is always someone to speak to, and it’s great socially. There is no other set like it and it’s really nice to work here.”

“A very unique aspect of Chambers is the support for career development.  Chambers cares about this and is very accommodating.  It’s something I’ve really appreciated. It also has a lovely culture that I’ve really enjoyed”.

#shinewith39