Paralegal - 12 months FTC in London

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be. Our footprint is extensive and committed across the world’s largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs.

This role is for a paralegal to work as an integral member of the London-based arbitration group, offering support to the partners and fee-earners and to the Arbitration practice manager/Knowledge Counsels (KCs) within the group. This full-time, dual role will therefore involve:

• Supporting fee earners in the team with legal research and other substantive tasks on client matters.
• Assisting in helping to prepare materials for hearings and help to organise the administrative and logistical aspects of hearings (including in-person and virtual hearings) under the supervision of the fee earner team.
• Supporting the Practice Managers/KCs in Knowledge, practice management, BD and external-facing profile work.

Primary Responsibilities

• Providing dedicated support to partners, associates and trainees on a specific matter within our arbitration group.
• Assisting with general document and matter management including compiling bundles.
• Assisting with electronic and hard copy disclosure exercises.
• Proofreading, sense-checking and cross-referencing submissions.
• Conducting legal research.
• Conducting searches on document and knowledge databases.
• Assisting with ad-hoc queries and requests from the team.
• Hosting and organising virtual and in person hearings.
• Assisting with billing.

Support for the Arbitration Practice Manager/KCs

• The KC team work to ensure that the global practice is kept up to date with legal developments, develop training and write talks for the partners.
• They are also focused on the management and BD of the global group, working alongside the Global Arbitration practice heads, Andrew Cannon and Simon Chapman KC, and the BD team.
• The right candidate will have the opportunity to grow and expand this aspect of their role.

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Knowledge of, or willingness to be trained in, commercial and investment treaty arbitration and public international law.
• Law degree or undergraduate degree (ideally 2:1 or first).
• Completion of LPC/BVC/SQE and office administration or paralegal experience ideal but not required.
• Interest/experience in business development and practice management.
• Excellent analytical skills and interest in the use of data to drive change and to win business.
• Excellent communication skills, oral and written.
• Excellent research skills.
• Excellent client service skills and commercial awareness.
• Experience of, or willingness to be trained in, management of blog and internet pages.

Competencies

• Very strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise.
• Ability to use initiative and be pro-active.
• Enthusiastic, positive, and committed team member.
• Attention to detail with a high level of accuracy.
• Takes personal responsibility for getting things done.

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.