Kirsty O’Connor
Milton Keynes,Bucks
Summary
Dedicated, adaptable candidate currently work as a Legal Assistant for Shelter, now focused on transferring my experience into a purely advisory role. Looking for a diverse, self-motivated role that allows me to consolidate all of my skills in an environment that strongly aligns with my values, and that puts communication skills, creative problem-solving, and organisational skills at the heart of what I do.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Legal Assistant
Shelter
Birmingham
10.2024 - Current
- Answer Shelter's legal line to multiple callers per day to speak with people about their housing issues in order to identify whether their issue is suitable for legal help, and assess whether we are able to take it on.
- Refer people to other organisations or our helpline if we are unable to help with their queries.
- Assessing prospective clients for Legal Aid eligibility by asking questions and requesting evidence of means.
- Opening / closing and working in multiple client files each day, often simultaneously.
- Collating bundles to send to court or counsel.
- Adding disbursements onto files and claiming fees with the Legal Aid Agency.
- Contacting courts, GP's, surveyors and other parties with queries, correspondence or updates.
- Prioritised activities to meet changing case demands and achieve deadlines.
Legal Assistant
Shelter Scotland
Edinburgh, Scotland
02.2024 - 06.2024
- Support team of 11 solicitors with case loads
- Pass new case referrals to solicitors and book initial appointments for clients
- Manage several spreadsheets keeping track of new case volume, case type, and capacity within the team
- Produce and lodge a variety of court documents including Minute for Recall, Inventory of Productions and Witness Citations as well as accompanying letters
- Work to extremely strict time constraints when urgent matters arise, re-prioritising tasks as needed
- Liaising over phone and email with parties of all types including medical practices, courts, clients, translator services etc
- Managing the switchboard for the firm, redirecting existing clients to the relevant person, or directing people to the Shelter Helpline if their query is new, keeping an empathetic and understanding approach
Freelance Virtual PA / Digital Marketing & Comms Management
Private Mathematics Tutor
, Remote
01.2023 - 06.2024
- Design and update ‘Terms of Business’ and ‘Client Information’ documents for new/prospective clients on Canva
- Design and update tutor website
- Draft correspondence to client queries
- Manage lesson diary & schedule initial assessments
- Keep track of client payments
Barista / Event staff
Coffee Saints Cafe (Grassmarket Community Project)
Edinburgh
10.2023 - 01.2024
- Create Barista-quality coffees and other drinks
- Support our disabled/vulnerable volunteers (‘members’) on shift
- Facilitate events such as corporate events, music events, and board game nights
Supervisor / Event Planner
BarBar Black Sheep Social Enterprise Cafe
Milton Keynes
01.2022 - 02.2023
- Organise and facilitate regular arts / social events including live music, book club, LGBTQIA+ socials, craft markets, swap shops, and much more
- Supervisor - working opposite shifts to Cafe Director to manage staff and cafe jointly
- Facilitate council run youth sessions for 11 - 18 year olds
- Co-manage Instagram account - creating content for events and general cafe promotion
- Socialise with customers to help foster a sense of community within the cafe
- Consult with local small businesses and artists about stocking their products in our cafe
- Serve a range of soft / alcoholic drinks and food
- Open and close Cafe with cashing up
NHS Bank Administrator – various roles
Milton Keynes University Hospital, NHS
Milton Keynes
08.2020 - 01.2022
- Bank role at the Vaccination centre at Milton Keynes Hospital supporting vaccinators using the NIVS vaccination system as well as checking visitors in, running through pre-medical screenings and keeping workstations clean at all times
- Bank Receptionist for the outpatients department
- Duties involved checking patients in and out, booking follow up appointments and managing people in the waiting room
- Bank role as part of the Patient access team booking new appointments and follow up appointments for patients, as well as contacting patients on the waiting list to update them on the situation and the expected wait due to the pandemic
Personal Assistant to the IT Director / Project Coordinator
The Open University
Milton Keynes
11.2017 - 02.2020
- My role changed shape constantly throughout my employment due to department restructure
- Initially PA to 3 Assistant Directors, changing to 2 Directors after about 6 months
- Managed calendar schedules via Outlook
- Arranged meetings, assembled meeting agendas and took minutes at Executive level meetings
- Booked all executive travel and accommodation, and planned trip itineraries
- Work with events team to organise department-wide events
- Assist with the logistics and admin for interviews of new candidates within the department and inducting new starters
- Coordinate projects and audits as and when necessary, working with project teams closely to ensure successful running
- Research, create and present PowerPoint presentations at Executive meetings about department-wide statistics when requested
Legal Secretary in Conveyancing
Engleharts Solicitors
Brighton
05.2017 - 09.2017
- Work for one Conveyancer directly, occasionally helping others where required
- Carry out typing/digital dictation including memos, letters and emails
- Retrieving documents from the Land Registry such as title deeds
- Requesting searches with local authorities on properties
- Setting up files for completion and seeing them through on the day, liaising with banks, estate agents, and clients
- Deal with post-completion matters such as submitting AP1 Form and Stamp Duty
- General diary management/booking clients into meetings
- Contact banks and lenders with regards to mortgages
- Open new client files
- Log ID onto our case management system and ensuring completion of Anti-Money Laundering forms
Legal Assistant in Litigation
LA Law Solicitors
Brighton
05.2016 - 04.2017
- Support file handlers with daily tasks on case management system Proclaim
- Correspond with clients via phone and email to chase documents, solve enquiries, confirm medical appointments etc
- Correspond with medical agencies to arrange and chase medicals and reports
- Review cases before they get passed from pre-litigation to litigation
- DVLA requests – composing letter and raising cheque
- Operate Docusign to send/receive client's documents
- Use excel spreadsheets to check file data is accurate and to display a large amount of data in order to check progress of files and file handlers
- Be the first point of contact for prospective clients, vetting their claim and deciding if it has good prospects and is cost bearing
- Chase costs from Third Party representatives
- Set up new claims on Proclaim and submitting them to Third Party insurers
Administration Assistant
Shakespeare Martineau Law Firm
Milton Keynes
02.2015 - 04.2016
- Receive morning mail and preparing the mail to be sent at the end of the day using a Franking machine
- Reception – answering the phone to clients and making appointments
- Use case management systems such as Artiion to retrieve files from storage warehouse
- Print cheques for office and client accounts
- Set up meeting rooms
- Purchase office stationery and keep itinerary of stock
- Hand deliver documents to Foreign and Commonwealth office for legalisation
- Data entry
Education
A-Level - Sociology, History, Psychology
Stantonbury Campus
Milton Keynes 01.2009 - 01.2011
GCSE -
Stantonbury Campus
Milton Keynes 01.2007 - 01.2009
Skills
- Administration
- Case management system knowledge
- Effective communication
- Conflict resolution capability
- Critical evaluation
- Analytical-thinking
- MS Office
- Diversity and Inclusion aware
Affiliations
- Sewing - upcycling tired clothing and creating new pieces with old fabric
- Portraiture - with a current focus on ageing women and beauty
- Hiking - trekked to Everest Base Camp and always looking for a new challenge
- Languages - I have steadily been learning German in my spare time for several years
Timeline
Legal Assistant
Shelter
10.2024 - Current
Legal Assistant
Shelter Scotland
02.2024 - 06.2024
Barista / Event staff
Coffee Saints Cafe (Grassmarket Community Project)
10.2023 - 01.2024
Freelance Virtual PA / Digital Marketing & Comms Management
Private Mathematics Tutor
01.2023 - 06.2024
Supervisor / Event Planner
BarBar Black Sheep Social Enterprise Cafe
01.2022 - 02.2023
NHS Bank Administrator – various roles
Milton Keynes University Hospital, NHS
08.2020 - 01.2022
Personal Assistant to the IT Director / Project Coordinator
The Open University
11.2017 - 02.2020
Legal Secretary in Conveyancing
Engleharts Solicitors
05.2017 - 09.2017
Legal Assistant in Litigation
LA Law Solicitors
05.2016 - 04.2017
Administration Assistant
Shakespeare Martineau Law Firm
02.2015 - 04.2016
A-Level - Sociology, History, Psychology
Stantonbury Campus
01.2009 - 01.2011
GCSE -
Stantonbury Campus
01.2007 - 01.2009
Similar Profiles
Sofia BarreraSofia Barrera
Volunteer at ShelterVolunteer at Shelter
Susan MaikelsSusan Maikels
Volunteer at shelterVolunteer at shelter
Tom HomerTom Homer
Charity Fundraiser at ShelterCharity Fundraiser at Shelter
Blessing MariraBlessing Marira
Sales Advisor at CBRESales Advisor at CBRE
Allison BensonAllison Benson
General office administrator at All Floors (UK) LtdGeneral office administrator at All Floors (UK) Ltd