Corporate Paralegal

A leading UK law firm with a network of offices from the South Coast to Scotland, working together as one national team. An innovative practice and the first top 50 law firm to achieve “Platinum Standard” Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm. The lack of barriers between departments, a real lack of hierarchy, zero tolerance for arrogance makes Shoosmiths a fantastic place to work.

Our national Corporate team, which in 2015 was ranked joint first for volume of corporate deals in the UK and fifth in Europe, is led by a team of partners widely regarded as leaders in their field and who are regularly recommended by clients for their reputation, personalities and outstanding expertise.

Shoosmiths has one of the most active and dynamic corporate teams nationwide and has in the last three successive years been recognised in the top five law firms for volume of UK deals undertaken. Shoosmiths was recently recognised as National Law Firm of the Tear at the Lawyer Awards 2019.

Our busy Midlands corporate team is growing and is seeking an experienced corporate paralegal to work with the corporate teams in our Nottingham and Birmingham offices as well as, occasionally, corporate teams in other Shoosmiths offices. Although the role involves working with the Nottingham and Birmingham corporate teams, the role is based in the Nottingham office.  

We advise public and private companies, management teams, investors and debt providers (both UK and overseas) through the business life cycle, from start-up and first-round finance through to M&A, management transactions, growth and development funding, restructuring, capital reductions, private equity funding and exits.

Given the responsibilities of the role, we are ideally looking for experienced paralegals who have worked in a corporate team within a law firm, or at least in a transactional area of law with demonstrable skills in drafting and reviewing documents.

• Managing client files, running files on corporate law matters (under supervision).
• Drafting of documents (including M&A ancillary documents) and reports (under supervision).
• Undertaking legal research.
• Due diligence work, including assisting in reviewing documents, preparing and collating reports and acting as co-ordinator between other specialist Shoosmiths teams.
• Setting up and administering transactional data rooms.
• Assisting legal advisers in the department with corporate law matters and administrative tasks.
• Responding to matters for key clients, often with short deadlines.
• Recording time and working towards chargeable hours and billing targets.
• Communicating effectively and confidently with clients and external solicitors (both in writing and by telephone) and third parties (e.g. debtors/bankrupts, the court, Counsel etc).
• Assisting with post-completion matters (e.g. stamp duty, Companies House filings, bible preparation etc.)
• Assisting with various other tasks as required.

• Degree and ideally LPC or ILEX qualified
• 6 months’ previous corporate paralegal experience preferred or previous transactional commercial paralegal experience within a professional environment
• Excellent client care skills, with an ability to deliver a quality service to both internal and external clients
• Ability to grasp things quickly and easily
• Enthusiastic with a positive, ‘can-do’ attitude
• Good working knowledge of MS applications – Word, Excel, Outlook
• Conscientious, and puts care and attention into all correspondence and documentation
• Flexible, with the ability to adapt to change, new practices and remain calm under pressure and find solutions
• Excellent presentation skills reflected in their work
• A methodical and organised approach with keen attention paid to every detail
• Good organisational skills to ensure that tasks are effectively scheduled within working time available, and that urgent work is completed and returned within the specified timescales
• Able to integrate well with a team as well as working effectively on own initiative
• Prepared to get involved in business development, such as attending networking and other marketing events

Our approach to our people is underpinned by our approach to diversity, inclusion and well being. Our ambition is to build a diverse and ambitious workforce that reflects all backgrounds and talents, and a workplace that is supportive and inclusive, recognises and nurtures talent, and has a strong sense of community between colleagues.

This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.