CHÉRIE-LEE MONTILE
Legal Secretary
Pietermaritzburg,KZN
Summary
Proactive Legal Secretary with 9 years experience and a strong collaborative flexible work ethic,dedicated to providing exceptional client service quality with precision while enhancing overall office productivity and confdentiality in demanding legal environments. Efficient in drafting legal documents, reports, accounts, managing files, supporting Attorneys, Clients,staff Advocates and Professional Assistants in Litigation,Family Law, Wills,Collections, Conveyancing, Deceased Estates,Trusts, Curatorships and Third party claims. Skilled in legal software systems including AJS,LawPac,LegalSuite, Legalease and FICA (nCino KYC Africa).
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Legal Secretary
J Leslie Smith & Company Incorporated
Pietermaritzburg
03.2025 - Current
- Care Client Relations (elderly)
- Contractual Law
- Court runs
- Fields: Deceased Estates, Wills and Trusts, Curatorships, Conveyancing, Litigation and Family Law
- Coordinate and scheduling between clients, attorneys and third parties, consultations, managing calendars, diary, meetings and document signing.
- Manage, prepare and review legal correspondence, documents, post, accounts, fees, reports, data capturing, office systems and filing ensuring timely responses, accurate distribution and record keeping and compliance with regulatory requirements such as FICA, SARS, SASSA, medical aids, asset sales and investments.
Legal Receptionist
J Leslie Smith & Company Incorporated
Howick
09.2024 - 03.2025
- Promoted- J Leslie Smith PMB
- Deceased Estates
- Fields: Deceased Estates, Wills, Conveyancing & Contractual Law
- Answer and manage high-volume switchboard.
- Greet clients ensuring a welcoming environment.
- Debt collection
- Diary system
- Dictaphone Typing 75wpm
- Manage diary, schedule and coordinate appointments, consultations and meetings.
- Prepare legal documents and correspondence.
- Maintain confidentiality of sensitive client information.
Legal Office Manager
Hainsworth Attorneys
Hilton
01.2020 - 12.2020
- Divorces
- Draft Bill of Costs
- Draft Letters of demand
- Draft Summons, Notices and Pleadings
- Facilitate signature of documents
- Fields: Contractual Law, Debt Collection & Intellectual Property Law
- Recruit, train and supervise staff.
- Collect debts of R 500k per month, oversee financial processes including billing, accounts receivable, and monthly financial reporting.
- Draft and review legal documents, implement and maintain filing systems.
- Manage daily operations ensuring confidentiality, accessibility and compliance.
- Relocated to Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal
Legal Secretary
Botha & Olivier Incorporated
Pietermaritzburg
01.2017 - 12.2019
- Family Law - Maintenance
- Fields: Personal Injury Law - Road Accident Fund + Medical Negligence, Litigation and Conveyancing
- Filing and serving
- Labor law
- LawPac
- Legal Bookkeeping
- Legalease
- Manage, prepare, draft, file and review high volumes of dictation, legal documents, expert reports, court filings, telephone calls and correspondence.
- Facilitate settlement negotiations specifically with Road Accident Fund.
- Coordinate calendars and diary, schedule consultations, appointments, meetings and court dates.
Legal Secretary
Talbot Attorneys
Pietermaritzburg
07.2014 - 12.2016
- Fields: Litigation, Collections, Deceased Estates & Wills, Family Law, Labour Law & Property Law
- LegalSuite
- Litigation
- Marketing
- Microsoft Office
- NCino KYC Africa (FICA)
- Negotiation and settlements
- Coordinate communication, diary, scheduling for clients, attorneys, and third parties.
- Manage, draft, file and prepare legal correspondence and documents, files, financial reports, fees, open/close bank accounts, invoices and statements, data capturing, archives and minutes of meetings.
- Organize and maintain office systems including financial month end and data capturing.
- Execute errands and provide support including dictaphone typing, attending the Master's office, filing and serving and indexing and pagination.
Legal Receptionist - Promoted to Legal Secretary
Talbot Attorneys
Pietermaritzburg
01.2014 - 06.2014
- Coordinate communication and scheduling for clients, attorneys, and third parties, managing calendars, diary, consultations, Perusal of Actuarial reports, Perusal of medico-legal reports, Property Law, Taking instructions.
- Organize and maintain office systems including filing, post, switchboard, data capturing, ordering stationary, dictaphone typing, opening and closing of files, archives, legal drafting, running various errands, welcoming clients and record keeping.
Receptionist - Promoted to Legal Receptionist
Complex Management
Pietermaritzburg
01.2013 - 12.2013
- Body Corporate and Sectional Title Management
- Travel arrangements
- Trusts
- Wills & Testaments
- Learn Sectional Title Law.
- Greet clients to create a welcoming environment.
- Manage switchboard (high-volume) ensuring professional and efficient communication.
- Prepare and manage post, correspondence, reports, filing, data capturing, utility readings and accounts, minutes of meetings (AGMs) and time keeping.
Education
Matric With Bachelors Pass NQF4 -
Pietermaritzburg Girls' High School
Pietermaritzburg 01.2006 - 12/2010
Skills
- Dictaphone Typing
- Drafting legal documents
- Appointment scheduling
- Archives & securities
- Client liasons
- Case Law and Citations
- Experience in various sectors of law
- Court procedures
- Diary management
- Compliance tracking
- Legal research
- Records management
- Communication skills
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
- Time management
- Team collaboration
- Conflict resolution
- Legal compliance
- Switchboard operation
- Exceptional communication skills
- Document proofreading
- Billing specialist
- Negotiation
- Exhibit preparation
- Phone etiquette
- Research and data collection
- Court filing
- File organization
- Deadline tracking
- Spreadsheets
- Document formatting
- Court administrative processes
- Meeting coordination
- Client correspondence
- Strong presentation skills
- Proficient in Legal suite, AJS, lawpac, legalease and nCino KYC Africa
- Legal terminology
- Documents and correspondence
- Document preparation
- Document filing
- MS office proficient
- Calendar management
- Schedule management
- Client communication
- Administrative support
- Efficient multi-tasker
- Editing and proofreading
- File pleadings
- Case management
- Executive calendars
- Billing and invoicing
- Interpersonal skills
- Excellent communication
- Microsoft Office Suite
References
- Mrs. Margaret Mary McCullough, Managing Director, J Leslie Smith & Company Incorporated, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 0338459700, margaret@jleslie.co.za
- Mr. Marc Peter Sharratt, Director, J Leslie Smith & Company Incorporated, Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, 0338459701, howick@jleslie.co.za | marcs@jleslie.co.za
- Mr. Johannes Jacobus (Kobus) Oliver, Managing Director, Botha & Oliver Incorporated, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 0333427190, kobusa@bando.co.za | secretary@bando.co.za
- Mr. Ivan & Mr. Terence Talbot, Directors, Talbot Attorneys, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 0333865499, ivan@talbotlaw.co.za | terence@talbotlaw.co.za
- Mr. Christopher & Mrs. Geraldine Talbot, Owners, Complex Management, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 0333460540, admin@complex-management.co.za
Hobbies and Interests
- Art
- Politics
- Research
- True Crime
Languages
- English
- Afrikaans
- Zulu
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 06/29/92
- Gender: Female
- Nationality: South African
Drivers
Code 08 License & Own Vehicle
Timeline
Legal Secretary
J Leslie Smith & Company Incorporated
03.2025 - Current
Legal Receptionist
J Leslie Smith & Company Incorporated
09.2024 - 03.2025
Legal Office Manager
Hainsworth Attorneys
01.2020 - 12.2020
Legal Secretary
Botha & Olivier Incorporated
01.2017 - 12.2019
Legal Secretary
Talbot Attorneys
07.2014 - 12.2016
Legal Receptionist - Promoted to Legal Secretary
Talbot Attorneys
01.2014 - 06.2014
Receptionist - Promoted to Legal Receptionist
Complex Management
01.2013 - 12.2013
Matric With Bachelors Pass NQF4 -
Pietermaritzburg Girls' High School
01.2006 - 12/2010
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