Junior Practice Assistant (Criminal Litigation)

Junior Practice Assistant (PA) (Criminal Litigation)

Location: London

Hours: 9.30am – 5.30pm, Monday – Friday (flexible applications considered)

Department: Practice Support

We are seeking a proactive and highly organised Junior Practice Assistant to join our London-based Practice Support team. This role is ideal for someone who is looking for step up in responsibility; supporting your own allocation of Fee Earners and delivering high-quality work in a collaborative environment.

Working closely with your allocation of Fee Earners in the Criminal Litigation team, you will provide proactive, flexible and efficient support to help ensure the smooth day‑to‑day running of the practice. This role is hybrid and will require you to be in the office 4 days a week during probation and 2-3 days a week from that point.

We are seeking applicants who are genuinely interested in a career in business support; this position does not offer progression into a legal or paralegal role.

Key responsibilities

• Providing high‑quality general administrative support to deadlines
• Diary management, meeting coordination, room bookings and conference calls
• Arranging travel and researching cost‑effective options
• Acting as a first point of contact for clients by phone and email
• E‑filing, mailbox management, scanning, copying and document collation
• File and matter management, including openings, document preparation, CRM updates and archiving
• Financial administration support (expenses, disbursements, transfers and client balances)
• Liaising with internal teams including Finance, IT, People & Culture, Business Development & Marketing and Office Services

You will be organised, detail‑focused and calm under pressure, with a positive, “can‑do” attitude and a strong commitment to teamwork and client service.

You will have:

• GCSEs (or equivalent), including English and Maths
• Strong IT skills (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
• Experience of working within a very busy and deadline-driven environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently, take initiative and prioritise effectively
• A professional approach with a clear understanding of confidentiality
• A reliable, team‑focused attitude aligned with our values

Why join us?

• An excellent opportunity to provide dedicated one-on-one support and be part of a Band 1 ranked practice area
• Supportive, collaborative team with hands‑on learning and development
• Exposure to a wide range of administrative and client‑facing tasks
• Hybrid working with flexibility once established
• Clear opportunities for progression
• A values‑led, inclusive and supportive workplace

Benefits

At Kingsley Napley, we believe in rewarding our people and supporting their wellbeing. We offer:

• Hybrid working
• Pension scheme with firm contributions
• Life assurance, permanent health insurance, private medical insurance and dental insurance
• Annual salary review, promotion opportunities and discretionary performance award
• 24/7 available Employee Assistance & Therapy programme
• Up to 6 therapy sessions through Self Space
• Cycle to work scheme and in office bike storage, season ticket loan
• Health screenings
• Holiday buy/sell
• Retail and technology vouchers
• GymFlex: discounted gym rates, wellness subsidy, gym loan
• Holiday accrual with length of service
• Time off for good causes

Why KN?

Whilst we are very proud of the work we do, it is our people who are the key to our success. KN takes wellness and wellbeing very seriously, and we have a number of initiatives and programmes in place to ensure that our people feel included, happy and motivated at work. We look for passionate, committed and diverse ‘team players’ whose core values align with ours.

Kingsley Napley is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace.