Paralegal - Public Law and Human Rights (5932) in Newcastle upon Tyne

There is an exciting opportunity available in our Public Law and Human Rights team in our Newcastle office working alongside a team of solicitors, mainly working within the area of education. The team works nationally and specialises in assisting private clients to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal, the Education Health and Care Plan process and liaising with local authorities in respect of any failings. The work is varied and includes work with schools and colleges along with some legal aid work. Our Public Law and Human Rights department is ranked as a leader in a range of fields in both the Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 directories; many of our solicitors are ranked individually. We are instructed in interesting and often high profile, cutting-edge cases. We have forged a national reputation for our work on test cases. We have a national reach, with public law teams in ten offices across the country. Our responsible business programmes are fundamental to who we are and our purpose.

Responsibilities

• Support the Public Law and Human Rights team in Newcastle, primarily in education-related matters.
• Assist private clients to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal and navigate the Education Health and Care Plan process.
• Liaise with local authorities regarding any failings and work with schools and colleges; may include some legal aid work.
• Contribute to high-profile, cutting-edge cases as part of a national team with a broad office network.

Qualifications

• Hold an undergraduate degree or equivalent.
• Be willing to travel to the Newcastle office twice a week.
• Have some paralegal or public law experience, particularly within the areas outlined above (experience in other areas of law would be advantageous but is not essential).
• Demonstrate excellent client care skills, with a sensitive and empathetic understanding of clients' needs.
• Have strong analytical and organisational skills, with a thorough approach to documenting work.
• Be IT-literate with excellent attention to detail.
• Be able to work both independently and as part of a team to deliver the best outcomes for our clients.
• Have a working knowledge of legal aid systems (desirable).

Benefits

• 25 days holidays as standard plus bank holidays - You can 'buy' up to 35hrs of extra holiday too.
• Generous and flexible pension schemes.
• Volunteering days - Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid).
• Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.
• Flexible by Choice programme with hybrid working options where appropriate; well-being initiatives and recognition as one of the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2024.

As part of the Irwin Mitchell Group's onboarding process, all successful applicants are required to complete the group's employment screening process. This process helps to ensure that all new employees meet our standards in relation to honesty and integrity, protecting the interests of the Group, colleagues, clients, partners and other stakeholders. We carry out pre-employment screening to establish eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record, and financial checks with our trusted third parties. The employment screening process fully complies with Data Protection and other applicable laws.