Employment Paralegal

This job is with Bates Wells, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly. We are seeking a Paralegal to join our leading Employment department. This is an opportunity to get hands-on experience of employment law and to develop your skills and experience in this area. Key Responsibilities The Role Document management including preparation of hearing bundles and reviewing and redacting data. Conducting legal research on a range of employment topics – producing written notes for fee earners, ensuring all other relevant information is considered. Drafting legal documents, ranging from employment contracts to Grounds of Claim / Resistance and witness statements. Drafting correspondence and advice notes to clients under supervision. Interacting with clients and providing client care. Reviewing documents and analysing the legal position for fee-earners. Supporting fee-earners during the litigation process at all tribunal and Court levels. This includes ensuring correct case management, handling documents, drafting applications to the Court and corresponding with Courts and Tribunals. Note-taking at client meetings and Court hearings. Checking legal forms and documents for accuracy. Proofreading legal documents. Supporting the department in running client-facing marketing events. Managing own workload and fee-earners expectations to deliver work on time. Written communication: Producing legally accurate letters of advice to clients under supervision. Drafting correspondence to third parties including the Employment Tribunals. Circulating internal legal updates to fee-earners. Producing accurate attendance notes documenting telephone calls / meetings. Producing accurate memorandums documenting the results of research. Verbal communication: Communicating directly with a variety of clients on a daily basis including senior officials and high profile clients under supervision. Taking instruction from fee earners. Communicating information back to members of the team following research / problems encountered. Interviewing and advising: Taking attendance notes in client meetings. Completing any necessary follow-up work from meetings as instructed. Taking initial instructions from clients via the telephone / email, analysing the facts and identifying client objectives – recording these in a clear manner for the head of department. Regularly researching and reporting to fee earners on the likely methods of achieving the client objectives taking into account the law, personal priorities / commercial practicalities and timing considerations. Development: Participating in team meetings. Attending internal training and external training as and when required. Keeping up to date with developments in law and practice so that standard of work is not compromised. Skills, Knowledge and Expertise Key experience Degree educated, or equivalent. Previous Paralegal experience desirable. Ability to perform legal research. Knowledge of legal terminology and principles. The ability to analyse legal documents for accuracy. A spirit of co-operation and a positive ‘can do’ attitude. Commitment to the success of the firm. Good team player. Excellent English verbal and written communication skills are essential. Excellent organisational skills, ability to use initiative and to work well under pressure. The ability to work to tight deadlines. Good spelling and grammar. Ability to prioritise. Strong communication skills with the ability to relate to people at all levels. Ability to multi-task. A willingness and capability to serve client needs and handle client relations at the highest level. Personable but highly professional. Enthusiasm for working in a busy working environment. Flexibility to work outside normal office hours may be required from time-to-time.