Miles and Partners (London) – Legal Assistants
Miles and Partners are seeking bright law graduates with a professional outlook to join our team as Legal Assistants providing paralegal support to our busy specialist award-winning lawyers in our Family Team.
The roles begin in August/September 2024 and will suit LLB or equivalent graduates who have completed at least a year of LPC/BPTC, completed SQE 1 or completed 6 months relevant work experience after graduating from their LLB or equivalent.
Experience of working in a busy legal environment with Legal Aid and CCMS will be an advantage but is not essential. We are committed to agile working, so you need to be self-motivated and possess a willingness and ability to work independently whilst maintaining professional standards. The successful applicants will have a positive outlook, good communication skills, numeracy and IT skills, a willingness to learn and accept responsibility, enthusiasm, commitment, and the ability to work well in a team.
The posts on offer have a wide range of duties ranging from some clerical work to liaising with the Legal Aid Agency, the courts, experts, counsel, etc., attending interviews with experts to take notes, assisting in arrangements for conferences, preparation of court bundles and accompanying documentation, preparation of documents for Counsel and occasionally attending Court with Counsel. With appropriate experience and training, we would expect you to progress to preparing statements and applications, attending clients and taking instructions, and legal research.
We recruit on merit, irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender identity, race or ethnicity, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation. We are seeking a minimum engagement of twelve months. Salary £25,750 pa.
Ideal Candidate
– High intellectual ability, including the ability to learn and research
– Self-motivated and able to work on own initiative
– Enthusiastic, positive, and pro-active approach
– Commitment to client care
– Ability to embrace change
– Resilient and able to cope under pressure
– Confident and outgoing
– Able to work as part of a team in a friendly but efficient atmosphere with partners, solicitors, trainees, and support staff
Desirable Competencies
– Involvement in a non-educational project requiring long-term commitment
– Previous experience in a pressurised solicitors’ office
– Experience in a commercial environment where client care is paramount
– Public speaking ability
– Interest in marketing and developing the firm’s practice
Job Purpose
– To provide support to a designated fee earner and, where appropriately delegated, deal with a variety of legal matters under the supervision of a designated fee earner.
– To contribute to the overall provision of legal services given by the firm, by conducting all matters as assigned while ensuring adherence to the professional standards of the firm.
Description of Duties and Responsibilities
– Assist the designated fee earner under supervision, including specific items of casework administration, telephone attendances, administration of costs, taxation/costing procedures, and claiming payment from the Legal Aid Agency.
– Conduct research, liaise with the Legal Aid Agency, and attend court as an advocate where appropriate, predominantly with counsel and attending clients where appropriate.
– Record all work accurately on the firm’s computerised time recording system.
– Maintain professional standards of work and comply with external and internal franchising requirements where relevant.
– Follow all office and administrative procedures.
– Liaise with the supervising fee earner at all times.
– Attend departmental and staff meetings.
– Provide advocacy services where appropriate, e.g., District Judge of the day appointments.
– Attend court with counsel and take detailed records of hearings, negotiations, and attendance.
– Maintain files and report back immediately to the fee earner on any issue/complaint regarding professional conduct, client dissatisfaction, potential negligence, or actual conflict of clients' interests and cost implications for the firm.
– Provide support to other fee earners as required.
– Facilitate teamwork and represent the firm well in outside dealings and court appearances.
– Keep diaries up to date and accurate.
– Keep the supervising fee earner and reception informed of daily movements.
– Stay in contact with the office when out.
– Be aware of changes to legislation.
– Read and action internal memos.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Skills
– Analytical skills
– Written and oral communication skills
– IT skills
Knowledge
– Law firm operation
– Some degree of legal knowledge
Experience
– Previous experience of legal work
Qualifications
– Completed LLB or equivalent (2.1)
Then:
– Completed at least a year of LPC/BPTC (or equivalent); or
– Completed SQE 1
– Completed 6 months relevant work experience following LLB or equivalent
#J-18808-Ljbffr