Legal Assistant

We are seeking a bright individual with a professional outlook to join our team as a Legal Assistant, to provide paralegal support to one of our busy specialist lawyers in our award winning Family Team. The role begins as soon as possible and will suit LLB or equivalent graduates who have completed the LPC/BPTC, completed SQE 1 or completed 1 year or above of relevant work experience within a law firm after graduating from their LLB or equivalent.

Experience of working in a busy legal environment with Legal Aid and CCMS will be an advantage but is not essential. We are committed to agile working, so you need to be self-motivated and possess a willingness and ability to work independently whilst maintaining professional standards. The successful applicants will of course also have a positive outlook, good communication skills, numeracy and IT skills, a willingness to learn and accept responsibility, enthusiasm, commitment, and the ability to work well in a team.

The post on offer has a wide range of duties ranging from some clerical work to liaising with the Legal Aid Agency, the courts, experts, counsel etc, attending interviews with experts to take notes, assisting in arrangements for conferences, preparation of court bundles and accompanying documentation, preparation of documents for Counsel and occasionally attending Court with Counsel, preparing statements and applications, attending clients and taking instructions, and legal research.

We recruit on merit, irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender identity, race or ethnicity, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation. We are seeking a minimum engagement of twelve months. Salary £28,860pa. Please see below for full job description and person specifications:

Please note, applications without a cover letter and full CV including all academic results (GCSE’s, A Levels and above) will not be considered.

The ideal candidate will:

• be of a high intellectual ability – including the ability to learn and to research
• be self-motivated – ability to work on own initiative
• show an enthusiastic, positive and pro-active approach
• show commitment to client care
• have ability to embrace change
• be resilient and cope under pressure
• be confident and outgoing
• be able to work as part of a team in a friendly but efficient atmosphere with partners, solicitors, trainees and support staff

The following are desirable competencies:

• has been involved in a non-educational project which has necessitated long‑term commitment
• previous experience working in a pressurised solicitors’ office
• has previous experience working in a commercial environment where client care has been paramount.
• the ability to speak in public
• an interest in marketing and in developing the firm’s practice

Job Purpose

• To provide support to a designated fee earner and where appropriately delegated deal with variety of legal matters under the supervision of a designated fee earner.
• To contribute to the overall provision of legal services given by the firm, by conducting all matters as so assigned. Ensuring that the professional standards of the firm are adhered to.

Description of Duties and Responsibilities

• To assist the designated fee earner under supervision to include specific items of casework administration, telephone attendances, administration of costs to include taxation / costing procedure and claiming payment from the Legal Aid Agency, research, liaising with the Legal Aid Agency, attending court as advocate where appropriate but predominantly with counsel and attending on clients where appropriate.
• To record all work carried out accurately and appropriately on the firm’s computerised time recording system
• All of the above under the supervision of the designated fee earner.
• Maintain professional standards of work and comply with external and internal franchising requirements where relevant, comply with internal policy and provide a service in accordance with the policy set out in the office manual.
• Follow all office and administrative procedures.
• Liaise at all times with the fee earner supervising.
• Attend departmental meetings and staff meetings.
• Provide advocacy services where appropriate, eg District Judge of the day appointments.
• Attend court with counsel and take detailed record of Hearing, negotiations and attendance.
• Maintain files and report back immediately to fee earner on any issue/complaint regarding professional conduct, client dissatisfaction, potential negligence potential or actual conflict of clients interests and cost implications for the firm
• Provide support to other fee earners as required.
• Facilitate teamwork. Be well presented and a good representative of the firm in outside dealings and court appearances.
• Liaise with the Legal Aid Agency.
• Keep diaries up to date and accurate.
• Keep supervising fee earner and reception informed of daily movements.
• When out of the office keep in contact with the office.
• Be aware of changes to legislation.
• Read and action internal memos.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Skills

• Analytical skills
• Written and oral communication skills

Knowledge

• Law firm operation
• Some degree of legal knowledge

Experience

Previous experience of legal work

Qualifications

• Completed LLB or equivalent (2.1) then completed at least a year of LPC/BPTC (or equivalent)

or

• Competed SQE 1

or

• Completed 1 year or above relevant work experience in a law firm following LLB or equivalent

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