Paralegal

Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking and above all for our ability to focus on what matters. From offices across the UK and Brussels, we support some of the world’s most exciting and ambitious businesses; amazing clients making an impact. We empower our people to be their authentic selves and deliver together in supportive teams committed to excellence and innovation. 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.

We have an outstanding benefits package to complement our competitive remuneration system. In addition to the competitive salaries, great working environment and high-quality work, we believe that all staff should be rewarded for their commitment to the continued success of the firm through a comprehensive and flexible range of benefits.

To discover more about our benefits, please visit: Benefits Package

Our Serious Injury team offers excellent service and legal advice and is committed to delivering an amazing client experience for individuals in the UK. We all need a lawyer to look after our personal affairs at some point in our lives. Whether it's helping to buy a new home, settling a legal dispute or claiming compensation for a life-changing accident or medical injury, the law protects what is important to us. We give our private clients access to the law through friendly, approachable people who know that understanding individual need is the first step to making the law work.

Our Medical Negligence team advises individuals on complaints and claims involving any type of medical negligence.

We are looking for a Paralegal to join our team in Birmingham and assist with a medical negligence caseload. This role could be for you if you have a genuine interest in medical negligence and want to build a career in this area.

You will be given the opportunity to develop your technical knowledge of this interesting area and your litigation skill set. We can offer training and development from experienced lawyers and you will have chance to make a valued contribution to the team.

We hold a strong belief in culture and community, and genuinely feel we have something different to offer you at Shoosmiths.  This is reflected in everything we say and do from our use of technology to enable agile working, to the team spirit and culture and our collaborative way of working across offices.

Your tasks and responsibilities will include, but not be limited to the following:

• Assist in providing comprehensive case progression including helping to manage litigation timetables, deadlines, medical reports, appointments etc.
• Attend conferences with counsel, meetings with clients and court when necessary some of which will be outside standard hours.
• Preparation of bundles of documents using case management system.
• Assist in evidence gathering to include medical records, expert reports, statements and other documentary evidence.
• Ensuring that all work and the collected evidence is properly marshalled and recorded on the files.
• Take detailed witness statements and draft appropriate level legal documents as required.
• Research and preparation of legal papers.
• Take part in business development activities and contribute ideas and articles.

• Applicants must have a degree or be working towards the CILEx qualification.
• Ideally you will have recent experience in handling a medical negligence/personal injury or litigation caseload.
• Successful candidates will have an excellent telephone manner, strong client orientation and professional and commercial approach.
• You will be resilient and have experience of managing challenging situations.
• You will have experience in a customer/client facing role.
• You must demonstrate excellent organisational skills, an ability to work to deadlines and attention to detail.
• Although we will provide comprehensive training on our products, services and systems you will already have good keyboard skills and be familiar with Microsoft Office packages. Being computer literate and the ability to use different types of software packages to a high standard is crucial to the role.
• A full clean driving licence is desirable.

We are a values-driven business – our values are at the core of the firm and we evaluate how we behave in accordance with these values through a competency framework. This role is considered to be at competency level  1 in our internal framework.

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.