Paralegal - Public Law & Human Rights

Our Public Law & Human Rights team undertake a range of work in the areas of judicial review, civil liberties (including inquests and actions against the police), education, social care, healthcare and medical treatment, mental capacity and Court of Protection welfare disputes. Our lawyers are experts in their field. The Sheffield team works predominantly on Court of Protection health and welfare, mental capacity law, judicial review, social care, healthcare and medical treatment, although there may be the opportunity to work on civil liberties and education matters.

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 complex and test cases. We have a national reach, with public law teams in twelve offices across the country. We hold Legal Aid Agency contracts in public law, community care and actions against public bodies and are also instructed by privately funded individuals, professional associations and institutions including national and local charities and other voluntary organisations. We work closely with our colleagues and teams in Irwin Mitchell to provide a holistic service to our clients.

This position would suit a well-motivated individual who has a genuine interest in working within Public Law & Human Rights. The successful candidate must:

• hold an undergraduate degree or equivalent.
• Preferably, but not essentially, have some paralegal or public law work experience, particularly within the above areas (other areas of law would be advantageous but not essential);
• have excellent client care skills and a sensitive, sympathetic understanding of clients’ needs;
• have excellent analytical and organisational skills in order to take a thorough approach to documenting work;
• be IT literate and have great attention to detail;
• be able to operate independently and as part of a team to deliver the best outcomes for our clients;
• have a working knowledge, or at least a basic understanding, of legal aid systems;
• be willing to work in our Sheffield office and to travel to visit clients when required.

We’re proud of our values, and we’re looking for people who share them. Our values are:

• To be pioneering with an imaginative outlook
• To be approachable and caring
• To be tenacious in the pursuit of our objectives
• To be efficient in the provision of our services
• To work with a foundation of integrity.

If you thrive on being busy and can adapt well to new challenges, then we will give you all the training and support you’ll need to help you succeed in this highly rewarding role. Applications close on Monday 30th June 2025.

About You

Our Benefits - What We Can Offer You:

• 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.
• We also offer a wide range of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported. This includes our Flexible by Choice programme which gives our colleagues more choice over a hybrid way of working subject to role, team and client requirements.
• We have been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2024!
• Our responsible business programmes are fundamental to who we are and our purpose. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish, and we have established a number of inclusion network groups across our business to support this aim.
• Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It’s made up of four strands: Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono.