Billing Specialist

Help shape the future of intellectual property

Marks & Clerk LLP is the leading and largest firm of Patent and Trade Mark attorneys in the UK with over 60 partners and 350 employees. Our attorneys are highly skilled in all technical fields. We have 8 offices in the UK: London, Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Role purpose

As part of the centralised billing team within Marks & Clerk LLP, this important and busy role is primarily responsible for the billing to a portfolio of the firm’s clients. The Billing Specialist will ensure the accurate and timely production of client estimates, raising of client invoices and wip management.

Principal responsibilities

As part of the billing team, the Billing Specialist has responsibility for performing the following billing related processes and tasks for a portfolio of the firm’s patent and design clients:

• Providing timely and accurate cost estimates and pro-forma invoices in accordance with instructions from Partners and other fee earning employees
• Raising draft invoices for a portfolio of patent and design clients on pre-set dates, amending and finalising invoices and responding to client queries
• Raising, amending and finalising invoices for a portfolio of clients who have complex billing arrangements
• Matching revenue with direct costs on a monthly basis, liaising with Accounts Payable to resolve any unmatched items
• Producing and circulating wip reports to Case Managers on a monthly basis
• Proactive wip management which includes liaising with Case Managers to ensure all wip is billed out in a timely manner and resolving any wip related queries

In addition to the monthly billing processes, the successful candidate will also have responsibility for:

• Processing and recharging of foreign agent charges
• Liaising with Credit Control and the wider finance function to ensure the correct allocation of funds received from clients
• Maintaining a repository of client invoice requirements for all monthly and special clients
• Assisting in the maintenance and development of estimating tools
• Providing 1st line support for Basic Billing performed in all of the UK offices

Technical knowledge, professional qualifications and experience

The successful candidate will have the prerequisite knowledge, skills and experience:

• Experience of billing processes in a law firm or professional services environment
• Organised and capable of working to strict deadlines
• Proactive and ability to take full ownership for their responsibilities
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Computer literate with a good knowledge of MS office products, including Intermediate Excel skills
• Positive and flexible attitude to striving to achieve results

Remuneration and benefits

• Competitive salary dependant on qualification and experience
• 26 days’ annual holiday plus statutory holidays  Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Private medical insurance (after 12 months)
• Permanent health insurance (after 12 months)
• Reimbursement of membership fees to professional bodies required for the role