Receptionist/Typist

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We are looking for an experienced full-time receptionist/typist to join our Stockport office. Full details of the role can be found below. 

To apply for the role, please forward your CV together with a covering letter detailing your salary expectations to our Practice Manager, Alexandra Newman by email an@haroldstock.com 

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE:                               Receptionist/Typist

LOCATION:                               Stockport, SK2

DEPARTMENT(S):                   Front of House

SALARY:                                   Negotiable dependant upon experience

Harold Stock & Co. Solicitors is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community

Job Purpose

To provide front of house cover for the Stockport office together with typing cover

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

You will perform a wide range of duties including some or all of the following:

Reception

  • Answer general phone enquiries using a professional and courteous manner
  • Direct phone enquiries to the appropriate staff members
  • Reply to general information requests with the accurate information
  • Greet clients/suppliers/visitors to the organisation in a professional and friendly manner and provide them with refreshments.
  • Maintenance of meeting rooms, ensuing they are kept stocked and tidy before and after all meetings.

Secretarial/Administrative:

  • Audio typing using digital dictation software
  • Copy Typing
  • Maintaining diary systems
  • Liaison with clients and other parties both in person and by phone
  • Assist with the distribution of post
  • Prepare and send outgoing faxes, mail, and courier parcels
  • Filing of documents, ensuring that a high level of accuracy is maintained at all times.
  • Photocopying and scanning.
  • Opening of new files
  • General administrative duties

Person Specification:

The successful candidate will have:

Essential:

  • Previous legal secretarial experience
  • Excellent IT skills including experience with digital audio dictation software and case management systems
  • A keen eye for detail
  • Ability and willingness to learn new skills
  • Ability to work within a team
  • Ability to work flexibly
  • Ability to work to strict deadlines
  • A commitment to Equal Opportunities

Desirable:

  • A full clean driving licence and own car is preferable although not essential

Elf Day 2018

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Staff from our offices took part in Elf Day to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society. They raised over £340! Well done to everyone that took part.

The highlight of the day for most was the opportunity to Pie Face Paul Stock together with Tom Simpson, Scott Turner-Percy and Claire Atkinson. Unfortunately, Mr Stock wouldn’t allow the moment to be caught on camera but we can assure you it did happen!

Harold Stock & Co show their pedal power for Road Safety Week

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We held a Virtual Cycle on 20th November 2018 at our Stockport office to raise funds for Brake, the Road Safety Charity. 

Collectively, we cycled 100.05km and have raised £210 so far. You can still donate to our Fundraising page https://www.gofundme.com/haroldstockvirtualcycle 

Special thank to our super cyclists: Tom Simpson, Debra Woolfson, Francesca Rigby,  Kirsty Dunn, Tracey Hine, Danielle Eyres, Wendy Smith, Niamh Darraugh, Scott Turner-Percy, Darren McGuinness and Kelly Jackson. 

 

 

Virtual Cycle Challenge – 20th November 2018

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Our staff are taking part in a virtual cycle event on 20th November 2018 between 10am and 2pm at our Stockport office. 

There will be a charity bake sale on the day and a prize draw.  Donations can be made on our Go Fund Me page www.gofundme.com/haroldstockvirtualcycle. All funds raised will help Brake to support bereaved families and victims of road traffic accidents. 

 

Vacancy – Residential Conveyancer

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Harold Stock & Co. Solicitors is looking for an experienced Residential Conveyancer to join our thriving team based in our Mossley office.

You will be experienced in handling a caseload of all types of transactional work, including but not limited to purchases, sales, remortgages, transfers, equity releases, shared ownership transactions, and dealing with registered and unregistered properties.

This post is open to qualified Solicitors, Licensed conveyancers and experienced non-qualified conveyancers. This role may be suitable to an experienced conveyancing legal secretary looking to take the next step in their career. 

Salary negotiable dependent upon experience. 

To apply for this position, please forward your CV together with details of salary expectations to our Practice Manager, Mrs Alexandra Newman via email to an@haroldstock.com 

 

 

JOB TITLE:                            Residential Conveyancer/Solicitor

REPORTING TO:                  Head of Department

LOCATION :                           Mossley, Tameside

SALARY:                                 Dependant upon experience

Harold Stock & Co Solicitors is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Duties include:-

  • Handling a caseload of all types of transactional work, including but not limited to purchases, sales, remortgages, transfers, equity releases, shared ownership transactions, and dealing with registered and unregistered properties, to the required standard of service as set by the Firm.
  • Ensuring use the Firm’s Case Management and Web-based tracking systems to the required standard
  • Bringing to the attention of the Departmental Manager any matters of concern on a transaction that could result in a financial or professional liability to the Firm
  • Undertaking any other tasks reasonably requested by the firm to assist in the progression of transactions from receipt of file to close of the file.
  • Liaising with the administrator to ensure tasks performed and file progressed in a timely manner
  • Contributing ideas to improve client service and departmental performance
  • Contributing ideas for the development of the case management system

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The successful candidate will have:

ESSENTIAL:

  • A minimum of 3 years residential conveyancing experience
  • Proven experience of handling all types of conveyancing transactional work from end to end. .
  • Ability to work self sufficiently
  • Excellent customer service skills
  • An ability to work with a case management system, databases and normal office IT systems.
  • Ability to work within a team
  • Ability to communicate effectively with fellow employees at all levels of the business
  • A commitment to Equal Opportunities

DESIRABLE

  • A desire to contribute to the overall strategic vision for the department.

The Anthony Seddon Fund Will Week 12th – 16th November 2018

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Make an appointment with us to have your Will professionally drafted during the week of 12th – 16th November 2018 and instead of taking our usual fee for this service, all we ask is that you make a donation to The Anthony Seddon Fund. Suggested donations are £95 for a basic* single Will and £150 for a pair of basic mirror Wills. 

About the Charity

 

The Anthony Seddon Fund is a mental health charity based in Ashton-under-Lyne. The charity was established in June 2014 by Donna and Brian Thomas after the death by suicide of their son, Anthony following a long struggle with bi-polar disorder. 

The Anthony Seddon Fund provide a range of activities from their centre on George Street in Ashton-under-Lyne including a daily drop-in. Your donations will allow the charity to continue to fund these activities and continue to provide much needed support to the community. 

To make an appointment, please contact us on 01457 835597 or email info@haroldstock.com 

 

*Basic will – The majority of people only require a basic will. However, if your total assets are over the Inheritance tax threshold or you require trust to be set up as part of your will or more complex estate planning, these will fall outside of a basic will and a further fee will be payable. We will of course advise you in relation to this when you attend your appointment and agree any separate charge with you before any work is undertaken.

Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion – case summary

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After a fall down some badly constructed stairs in a department store in Manchester,  Audrey needed complicated shoulder surgery at a time when she should have been fit enough to help her husband cope with his deteriorating health.

The department store initially tried to pass the buck back to Audrey (suggesting that the fall wouldn’t have happened if she’d been more careful!) The first firm of solicitors representing her didn’t seem to progress her case effectively (and eventually she was advised that they had closed down). Very sadly, around this time, Audrey’s husband passed away.

Audrey wasn’t sure it was worth proceeding with her claim but with an office very close to Audrey’s home, we were able to meet with her whenever she needed to go through the paperwork and to discuss the ridiculous suggestions made by the other side. At the same time, we talked through what would help our client to look after her house and garden taking in to account the physical restrictions her shoulder injury brought with it – for example, getting quotes for the cost of a gardener (and artificial grass) as well as for window and a house cleaners.

Audrey had the patience to stick with the advice we gave in turning down several offers that weren’t enough to compensate her for the pain and suffering she had put up with so far, or for the cost of employing people to support her active life going forwards

Debra Woolfson , a director and solicitor with over 30 years experience in personal injury and clinical negligence handled Audrey’s claim and says:

“Audrey’s stoicism, enthusiasm for life and her good humour, at what must have been a really difficult time for her made it a pleasure to help her to get a settlement that reflected the seriousness of the injury and should give her the support she needs to overcome any physical limitations that resulted from her fall”

Debra recently received this letter from Audrey

 

If you would like a second opinion from our personal injury experts, please do not hesitate to contact Debra Woolfson or Kirsty Dunn on 0161 456 5012 or fill in the contact form on this page.

 

 

Will Aid 2018

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November is Will Aid month and Francesca Rigby from our Stockport office will be taking part this year. Will Aid is an annual fundraising event involving 9 of the UK’s leading charities. With the support of the legal profession, donating their time and skill, people are encouraged to have a will professionally written by a Solicitor whilst raising funds for charity. 

For a suggested donation of £95 for a basic single will or £150 for basic mirror wills, Francesca will meet with you at our Stockport office to take your instructions and then prepare a will specifically tailored to suit your needs. 

For more information on Will Aid and to help you prepare for the meeting, Will Aid have produced a helpful guide and Will Planner which can be found here

To make an appointment to see Francesca during Will Aid month, please contact us on 0161 456 5012 or complete the contact form on this page. 

Private Client team boosted by new recruit

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Harold Stock & Co are delighted to welcome Francesca Rigby into their successful Private Client team. Francesca will be based in the firm’s Stockport office. 

Francesca studied Criminology and Social Policy at Manchester University and then went on to study at BPP Law School achieving commendations in both her Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course before qualifying in September 2012.

Since qualifying, Francesca has gone on to specialise in all Private Client matters including all types of Wills, whether simple Mirror Wills to Wills that cater for more complex inheritance tax, all Probate matters including both taxable and non-taxable estates, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection work and Trusts.

In February 2018,  Francesca successfully completed the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) course and is now a full member of STEP. STEP is a global professional association for practitioners who specialise in Private Client matters. As a full STEP member, Francesca is recognised as an expert in the field of Wills & Probate with proven qualifications and experience.

As well has being a STEP member, Francesca is a Full Accredited member of Solicitors for the Elderly. In order to be a fully accredited SFE member, lawyers must have a minimum of three years’ experience advising in areas of older client law and have completed the Older Client Care in Practice Award – a qualification which demonstrates the specialist client care skills that enable lawyers to advise and support older and vulnerable clients. Members are also required to continuously update their knowledge with training and produce an annual statement of competence, which ensures they maintain their expertise.

SFE

The most popular day for marriage

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Most popular day for marriages sees local Solicitor campaign to raise awareness of the common-law marriage myth

Saturday 18 August has been reported as the most common day in 2018 to tie the knot in the UK. However, since the early 1970s, the number of people actually getting married has steadily decreased, dropping a further 3.4% last year. There have been many theories about why marriage rates are falling, but regardless the fact remains that fewer people are formalising their relationship.

In 2016, there were 3.3m cohabiting couples or around 6.6million cohabiting adults. This is officially the fastest growing family type, more than doubling from 1.5million couples just 20 years ago. Yet, a 2017 ComRes survey showed that only one couple in three knew there was no such thing as common law marriage.

The issue is widespread, with nearly 98% of professionals from family justice group Resolution reported having worked with a cohabiting couple who they were unable to help. A further 90% said the couples are often surprised to find out about their lack of rights.

To help raise awareness of this issue Karen Kenyon from Harold Stock & Co. Solicitors is hoping to raise awareness and encourage cohabiting couples to take steps protect themselves and their families.

Karen explains: “If an unmarried couple breaks up, they would not necessarily be entitled to share in (what they thought were their) joint assets, such as a house they may have made significant financial contributions to, if they aren’t named as an owner on the deed. This is the same regardless of how long they have been together or whether they have children.”

“Government has the opportunity to update legislation, to bring our laws in line with modern family types. Caroline Lucas raised an early day motion in November, which has already been supported by 23 cross-party MPs.”

“In the absence of action from government, these couples need to know that they are not given rights through common law marriage, so they can take appropriate actions to protect themselves. For example, signing a cohabitation agreement is an easy and cost effective way to get financial peace of mind without getting married or forming a civil partnership.”

Meet our Family Team

Karen Kenyon image

Karen Kenyon

Solicitor

T: 0161 682 2400

kk@haroldstock.com

Dawn Atkinson image

Dawn Atkinson

Family Executive

T: 0161 682 2400

da@haroldstock.com