Access to Justice Paralegal

Simmons & Simmons has a long history of providing free legal services to individuals, charities, NGOs and community organisations who would otherwise struggle to access legal support. The firm’s pro bono practice is managed centrally by the Pro Bono team and reflects the firm’s commitment to using its legal skills and resources to create positive social impact.

The firm’s dedicated Access to Justice Programme supports vulnerable individuals to challenge welfare benefits decisions, including disability benefit appeals. Clients are referred through frontline agencies such as law centres, advice agencies and charities. The programme provides end-to-end support, from initial instructions and appeal preparation through to written submissions and tribunal advocacy where appropriate.

The Programme is led and supervised by the Senior Pro Bono Lawyer, who provides training, supervision and specialist social welfare law expertise. The Pro Bono Paralegal will work closely with the Senior Pro Bono Lawyer to support the effective operation of the Programme, including case administration, client and referrer liaison, volunteer coordination, document preparation, data management and reporting.

The Pro Bono Paralegal will provide practical, legal and administrative support to the Senior Pro Bono Lawyer on the firm’s dedicated Access to Justice Programme. The role will involve working with vulnerable clients, internal volunteers, external referral partners and client collaborators to ensure cases are progressed efficiently, sensitively and to a high standard. The successful candidate will be highly organised, empathetic, detail-oriented and comfortable supporting legal casework under supervision.

Key responsibilities

• Support the Senior Pro Bono Lawyer with the day-to-day coordination and delivery of the Access to Justice Programme.
• Assist with new referrals, including logging enquiries, acknowledging referrals, requesting further information where needed and maintaining accurate case records.
• Support client onboarding and case administration, including preparing client care documentation, authority forms, engagement materials, matter creation and case management processes, file opening information, with training provided where required and under supervision.
• Liaise sensitively and professionally with vulnerable clients, appointees, carers, referring organisations, volunteers and other stakeholders.
• Assist with welfare benefits appeals from initial referral and filing through to appeal preparation, written submissions, appeal bundles, attendance notes, draft letters, tribunal documents and tribunal advocacy or representation where appropriate, under the supervision of the Senior Pro Bono Lawyer.
• Support volunteers working on Access to Justice matters, including allocating cases, sharing relevant materials, arranging meetings, issuing reminders and tracking progress.
• Maintain accurate trackers, calendars and records for referrals, active matters, hearing dates, outcomes, volunteer involvement, partner organisations and reporting requirements.
• Assist with data collection and reporting on Programme activity, outcomes, impact, volunteer engagement and pro bono hours.
• Support the delivery of training, guidance and onboarding materials for volunteers and client collaborators.
• Help ensure that Programme documents and files are stored, updated, archived and managed in accordance with relevant firm policies and data protection requirements.
• Support internal and external communications about the Access to Justice Programme, including helping to broaden the pool of internal volunteers through targeted communications, volunteer recruitment materials, training opportunities, recognition activity and case studies where appropriate.
• Carry out other duties as reasonably required to support the effective operation and development of the Access to Justice Programme and wider Pro Bono team.

Experience and personal specification

• A degree, legal qualification, paralegal experience or equivalent relevant experience.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage a varied caseload, maintain accurate records and prioritise competing deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy when preparing documents, maintaining trackers and handling confidential or sensitive information.
• Clear and sensitive written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to liaise professionally with clients, volunteers, colleagues and external organisations.
• Experience working with a variety of stakeholders from diverse sections of society.
• Empathetic, patient, non-judgemental and professional approach when working with vulnerable individuals and people experiencing hardship.
• Able to work effectively under supervision, use initiative appropriately and escalate issues where needed.
• Collaborative and inclusive approach.
• Have a strong commitment to pro bono, access to justice and the wider social impact of legal services.
• A good understanding and awareness of social welfare issues, preferably including social welfare law, welfare benefits decision-making and the impact of poor administrative decision-making on vulnerable individuals.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Teams, including the ability to maintain trackers, prepare documents and manage email correspondence efficiently.
• Comfortable using, or willing to learn, relevant case management, document management and collaboration tools.
• Discreet and trustworthy, with a strong understanding of confidentiality, data protection and professional standards.

Equal opportunities

We foster an inclusive environment, offering equal employment opportunities across all spectrums of race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and more. Requests for flexible working arrangements are supported (where possible), and we strive to make our roles accessible to all. Our employee networks offer additional support, detailed in our D&I Information booklet provided during the recruitment process. We value diversity and encourage applications from those who are passionate and willing to grow with us, even if not all requirements are met. Your unique experiences and perspectives are welcomed here.