We are working closely alongside a Local Authority in Liverpool to assist with the appointment of a Locum Paralegal (Child Social Care), on a 4-month contract, highly likely to be extended at clients discretion. Please apply with your CV for immediate consideration.

Rate of Pay: £17.40- £22 per Hour

Responsibilities:

• To carry out casework instructions received from lawyers and have personal responsibility for assisting with the progress of cases ensuring value for money and efficient use of resources.
• Provide support such as issuing applications, obtaining and organising documentation to meet the requests of the court, providing support to clients, assisting with the creation of bundles.
• Responsible for the filing of such documentation within proceedings.
• To ensure effective diary management to ensure that court directions are complied with in a timely manner.
• To assist with the drafting of legal documents / applications as required.
• To deal with straightforward casework and, where required, appear at court/tribunals on behalf of the Council ensuring that the Councils position is represented in the most cost effective and efficient manner.
• Prepare reports, documents, minutes and correspondence on behalf of lawyers, taking notes at meetings/hearings as required.
• Plan and prioritise allocated work efficiently.
• To pick up casework arising in their respective teams during peak times or where additional resources are required to meet demand.
• To provide support to other teams if requested to do so.
• To work flexibly and collaboratively with their own team and across the wider legal service as required.
• To have responsibility for ensuring that support staff undertake tasks allocated within set timescales.
• Ensure effective operational use of all service resources by regularly reviewing working methods, systems and equipment.
• To assist with the collection of data/information to support the Senior Lawyers and Heads of Law.
• To proactively maintain and improve client relationships.
• To act in accordance with and promote the Nolan Principles in the council.
• To externally commission legal work for the Council where required, ensuring value for money and high-quality advice and representation is received.
• To keep up to date with current and future law and practice affecting the Council.
• To be flexible with regards to working hours to ensure that service needs and client requirements are met.
• This job description is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive, it is issued as a framework to outline the main areas of responsibility at the time of writing. The job holder will carry out such other tasks as may reasonably be required.

Qualifications

• Law Degree, CFILEX (or working towards the same) or demonstrable experience of working within a legal environment
• Good working knowledge and understanding of the law and procedure relating to the relevant area of specialism. 

Experience

• Excellent communication skills both orally and in writing. (A/I)
• Excellent drafting skills. (A/I)
• Experience of Office 365 applications effectively and good keyboard skills preferably experience of legal case management systems. (A/I)
• Ability to analyse and solve a variety of complex problems with minimal supervision. (A/I)
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines on a diverse caseload. (A/I)
• Ability to develop good working relationships with managers and officers. (A/I)
• Ability to recognise and manage legal and corporate risk in cases. (A/I)
• Ability to work collaboratively at all levels and in a non-hierarchical way. (A/I)
• Ability to be proactive and have the energy, commitment and resolve necessary to get the job done (A/I)

Please note:

• You should be available to work immediately or at a short notice.
• You should have right to work in U.K

Disclaimer: Brackenberry Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy. We are committed to equality in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. Unless otherwise stated all of our roles are temporary, though opening assignments can be and often are, extended by clients on a longer term basis and can sometimes become permanent.

Important: We will interpret your application as being permission to submit your CV to this role (with the right to represent you) unless you advise us to the contrary. Incase the role requires an enhanced DBS, your DBS must be either through us or be accompanied by a subscription to the DBS updating service.