Paralegal to the Manston Inquiry

On behalf of a non-statutory Inquiry sponsored by The Home Office, we are looking for a Paralegal - Inside IR35 for a 12 month contract (possible extension) working on a Hybrid basis (3 days per week in London office and remaining WFH - please note 4 days per week will be required when the Inquiry holds public hearings).

PLEASE NOTE: CTC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. Preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.

Role purpose: The Inquiry legal team, which is comprised of external counsel, solicitors and paralegals, is an integral part of the Inquiry. The legal team manage the Inquiry’s disclosure process, gather witness statements, and provide wide ranging advice to the Chair and Secretariat to ensure the Inquiry can effectively discharge its Terms of Reference. The Paralegals will support the Solicitor to the Inquiry and his team to deliver their work.

The Paralegals will work closely with the Solicitors team in the receipt, review, redaction and disclosure of material to Inquiry Participants. They will also work collaboratively with colleagues on bespoke legal work and carry out routine administrative tasks.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Use the Inquiry’s electronic document management system (DMS) to review documents provided to the Inquiry by Material Providers;
• Work with the Inquiry's contractors to ensure consistent and accurate document descriptions and metadata coding requirements on the DMS;
• Work with the Inquiry's contractors to ensure documents are redacted accurately in accordance with the Inquiry’s protocols, including identifying and redacting information that constitutes personal data within the meaning of the Data Protection Act 2018;
• Support the Inquiry legal team with bespoke legal tasks, including legal costs work;
• Support the Inquiry legal team with routine administrative tasks;
• Potentially assisting the Solicitor and Counsel teams prior to oral hearings, including preparing hearing bundles;
• Potentially attending the hearing centre to support the legal team at hearings;
• Ensure excellent information management practices are adhered to at all times.

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of working as a paralegal (12 months minimum);
• Experience working with electronic document management systems (DMS);
• Strong organisational and administrative skills, able to manage competing priorities and deliver at pace;
• Previous experience working on public inquiries or a similar investigation.

Qualifications:

• A law degree at 2:1 or above, or any other degree at 2:1 or above with a law conversion. Where an applicant holds an overseas degree qualification this should be equivalent to a 2:1 degree.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident: As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, the Home Office guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy.

Armed Forces Covenant: The Home Office guarantees to interview veterans or spouses/partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge that this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs.