Library Assistant

The Firm

HFW is a sector focused global law firm.  We have over 500 lawyers working across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.  We take a progressive approach to our roles in commercial business – thinking creatively and pragmatically to support our clients.

Whether we are solving complex issues within the construction, aviation or shipping industries, or providing advice across insurance, commodities and energy we are specialist lawyers here to add value to our clients.  We think about the commercial solution first, and then underpin our advice with a solid foundation of legal expertise. 

Key Objectives

• Legal and Business Research
• User Services
• Current Awareness
• Training

Key Responsibilities

Research

Act as a trusted advisor to end users in the following areas:

• Legal Research – identifying relevant case law, legislation and commentary to meet the specific requirements of end users and assist in legal decision making.  Monitoring and tracking of legal information though the judicial and parliamentary processes.  
• Industry Research – providing information in response to specific industry related requests.
• Business Research – supply of contact intelligence for client meetings and information packs based on event enquiries to ensure that fee earners maintain a high degree of commercial awareness. Creation of target lists based on supplied criteria.  Supply of company, industry and sector reports.
• Press Searches –  identifying relevant press articles based on search criteria.
• Document delivery – supply of case law, legislation and journal articles when correct citations are provided.

Current Awareness

• Daily Legal Updates – assist in aggregating relevant content to provide tailored current awareness reports on legal practice and sector group interests.
• Client and Sector Group Monitoring – using library sources to set up ongoing alerts in relation to clients, sectors and industries of interest to the practice

Training

• LIS inductions – assist with the organisation of LIS inductions to introduce new joiners to library services, resources, and the relevant pages on the intranet.
• Organisation of trainee training – assist with the planning and coordination of the LIS training for new trainee joiners.
• Assisting with library training initiatives – ensuring that adequate training is provided for all new and amended library resources.  Ongoing training to ensure optimum use of all library resources, especially online.
• Liaison with external trainers – assist with the organisation of training sessions either within HFW’s offices, or via webex or telephone, as required.
• Assist with the maintainance of the training pages on HFW's intranet.

Library and Information Services Marketing and Liaison

• Fee earner liaison – ensuring that the LIS has good client conversations with end users, that we are responsive to changing needs, and that people are happy with the service.
• Attending meetings – enabling the development of substantial knowledge in the LIS of departments and sector groups.  Maintaining visibility and promoting the LIS services to end users.  Providing information and training as required.
• LIS literature – assist with the creation and maintenance of promotional and training literature.
• LIS pages on HFW's intranet – assist with the maintenance and ongoing development of the main library page and sub-pages and the LIS Staff page.  Ensuring that all links are live and correct, and that all content is accessible.

User Services

• New joiner/leaver processing – make sure that all new joiners are recorded in the LIS systems and have access to all necessary resources.  Check all leaver’s records to ensure that access to resources is removed and HFW library stock is returned.
• Password administration – liaise with external suppliers to create and manage user names and passwords to allow access to online resources.
• Password manager – assist with the administration of password management software and research monitor.

Library Administration

• Responsible for general administrative duties such as shelving and book processing.
• Assist with maintenance and development of catalogue and library collection.
• Loose leaf filing

Any other ad hoc duties as and when required.

Key Skills & Experience Required

• A degree/postgraduate qualification in Library & Information Studies or equivalent.
• Experience of business and legal information resources an advantage, but not essential.
• Cataloguing and indexing experience beneficial.
• Strong IT skills including Excel, Word, Outlook.
• Team player, but with ability to be self motivated and operate alone.
• Attention to detail is crucial.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to plan and prioritise.
• Good communication skills, with the ability to interact confidently with partners and staff at all levels within the firm.

Additional Information

Kindly note that this job description is not contractual.  It will be reviewed periodically and may be amended or altered to meet the needs of the firm.

Due to the volume of applications, only those shortlisted for interview will be contacted.

HFW collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants to manage its recruitment process.  The firm is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations.  For information on how the firm will process your data, please see our Privacy Notice on our website (www.hfw.com/Privacy-Notice), in the section "What we collect and how we use it".