Commercial Property Litigation Paralegal in Dorchester

We have an excellent opportunity for a Paralegal to join our Property Litigation team in Poundbury. This role will assist the fee earners by providing administrative support in a way that is conducive to enabling them to operate at optimum efficiency. In addition to wider real estate dispute work, the role will offer a significant amount of exposure to commercial landlord and tenant dispute work including both contentious and non-contentious lease renewals under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. The role will include the responsibility of assisting the team monitor and comply with critical court deadlines. Therefore, organisational skills and proactivity will be essential, although prior experience of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 is not essential as training will be provided. The successful applicant will undertake fee-earning work with special emphasis on drafting straightforward legal documents; assisting other members of the team; and engaging in business development initiatives to grow the work of the team.

Key Responsibilities

• Receiving new enquiries from prospective clients by email or telephone.
• Open files, prepare and send initial client engagement documentation.
• Review client ID documents to ensure compliance with Money Laundering obligations and internal policies.
• Liaise with a mixed client base of commercial sector clients on a broad range of commercial property disputes.
• Liaising with clients and advising (where appropriate) on property litigation matters both in writing and by telephone.
• Progressing and managing cases that proceed to trial by complying with Court directions such as disclosure and instructing counsel.
• Preparing trial bundles.
• Preparing and serving notices under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and monitoring deadlines to ensure clients' interests are protected.
• Ensure all email correspondence and attachments are entered on to the case management system and matter summary sheets are updated accordingly.
• Draft straightforward legal documents using the precedents provided, filing documents online where appropriate and to develop skills to deal with more complex transactions.
• Contribute to the maintenance of a strict diary note of deadlines and timescales relevant to the team's matters.
• Ensure all photocopying and scanning is accurate; take responsibility for checking photocopying/scanning done by Office Assistant.
• Attend to clients on the phone and in person, accurately recording any messages and passing on to the appropriate person without delay.
• Provide proactive administrative support and matter management tasks to the fee earners within the team which include but are not limited to keeping up to date with progress on matters; identifying follow up actions needed; proactively contributing to team billing and file closures where appropriate, WIP, disbursement and debts, file closure and residual balances.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Working closely with the fee earners in our Property Litigation department, this role would best suit someone who has some property litigation experience and ideally has experience working in the context of lease renewals under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. The role would be well suited to someone who is proactive and enthusiastic, with great interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with people at all levels. Strong organisational and administrative skills are essential, along with the ability to multi-task and a confident telephone manner. More technical requirements include excellent IT skills including the use of Microsoft office, Outlook, and basic Excel functions. Ideally you will have experience in a law firm environment, or alternatively you are a law graduate looking to progress your career.

Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary, you will also get:

• Flexible Working
• 25 days holiday, plus Bank Holidays
• Extra Day of Holiday for your Birthday
• Annual Bonus Review
• Private Healthcare
• Pension Scheme(s)
• Life Assurance
• Eye Tests
• Flu Jabs
• Corporate Gym Membership Discounts
• Legal Support
• Opportunities to get involved with charity fundraising, sports teams and office socials