Client Intake & Paralegal Executive in London

Job Description

Employment Law Client Intake & Paralegal Executive

Part-Time | Fully Remote | 15–20 hours per week initially

About Herefords Solicitors

Herefords Solicitors is a growing specialist employment law practice advising employers and employees across the UK.

We are looking for an experienced, confident and commercially minded individual to join us in a new and developing role combining new client intake and business development with some employment law paralegal support.

The primary focus will be managing and progressing new enquiries. The paralegal element will initially be smaller, but we expect this to develop as the practice and caseload continue to grow.

The Role

Our professional telephone answering service already answers incoming calls and obtains initial details. You will take responsibility for appropriate new enquiries from that point onwards.

Your responsibilities will include:

reviewing and prioritising new enquiries;

contacting prospective clients promptly by telephone and email;

understanding the nature of their employment issue and the assistance they require;

asking appropriate initial questions and identifying matters requiring solicitor input;

explaining how Herefords can assist and discussing our fixed-fee services;

obtaining relevant documents, including settlement agreements, contracts and correspondence;

following up prospective clients and helping convert appropriate enquiries into instructions;

liaising with our solicitors where an initial legal assessment is required;

assisting with onboarding, payment and allocation to the appropriate solicitor;

ensuring a professional handover to the relevant fee earner;

identifying significant employer, senior executive or complex enquiries for escalation; and

maintaining accurate records of enquiries and follow-ups.

Enquiries will cover the full range of employment law, including settlement agreements, discrimination, redundancy, disciplinary and grievance matters, dismissal, workplace disputes and Employment Tribunal claims.

Paralegal Work

The position will also include some employment law paralegal work, although this is expected to form a smaller part of the role initially.

Depending upon experience and available work, this may include:

reviewing and organising case documents;

preparing chronologies and case summaries;

assisting with Employment Tribunal bundles and disclosure;

undertaking legal research;

preparing first drafts of straightforward correspondence and documents;

assisting with settlement agreement matters; and

providing general case support to our employment solicitors.

We expect the volume and sophistication of this work to increase as the firm grows.

You will not initially be expected to manage your own traditional caseload or have an individual billing target.

About You

You must have meaningful previous experience or knowledge of UK law and specifically ideally employment law.

You might currently be, or previously have worked as, an employment law paralegal, legal assistant, CILEX professional, employment adviser, HR professional with strong employment law experience, junior/former solicitor or legal client-intake professional.

Qualification as a solicitor is not required.

We are particularly looking for someone who has:

a good working understanding of UK employment law;

spoken and written English to a very high professional standard;

excellent written communication skills;

an articulate, confident and professional telephone manner;

the ability to build rapport quickly with prospective clients;

strong listening and questioning skills;

confidence discussing services and fees;

good commercial judgment and an ability to recognise which enquiries should be progressed or escalated;

an understanding that an important part of the role is converting appropriate enquiries into instructions;

excellent organisation and follow-up skills; and

the ability to work independently and proactively in a remote environment.

Previous experience of client intake, business development or converting legal enquiries into instructions would be particularly advantageous.

What This Role Is

This is neither a conventional receptionist position nor a traditional paralegal role.

You will be an important part of the firm's new-client journey, taking prospective clients from their initial enquiry through to instruction and introduction to the appropriate solicitor.

You will need sufficient employment law knowledge to understand and triage enquiries, but you will not be expected to provide substantive legal advice to prospective clients.

Working Arrangements

The position is fully remote and can be undertaken from anywhere.

We anticipate approximately 15–20 hours per week initially, preferably spread across the working week so that new enquiries can be responded to promptly.

There is genuine scope for the hours and responsibilities to increase as the practice grows.

Development Opportunity

This is a newly created role which we expect to develop alongside the firm.

Initially, you will work closely with the firm's Principal to learn how we assess enquiries, communicate our services and fees, convert suitable enquiries and allocate work.

As you demonstrate appropriate judgment, you will be given increasing autonomy over the new-client journey, together with opportunities to undertake more employment law paralegal work.

For the right person, there is genuine scope to help shape the role and grow with Herefords Solicitors.

How to Apply

Please send your CV and a short covering email explaining:

your UK employment law experience;

any client-intake or business development experience;

why the role interests you; and

your preferred hours/working pattern.