Paralegal

Shakespeare Martineau is a leading law firm that combines creativity, commerciality and clarity. We work with blue-chip companies, leading organisations, high street brands and individuals across the country.

Our multi-disciplinary team delivers a broad range of specialist legal services, and particularly stands out for its expertise across sectors including, but not limited to: energy, education, banking and financial services, investment funds, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. 

We’re proud of our people’s varied backgrounds and expertise. Our different qualities stand out and make us interesting to our clients.

We firmly believe in working hard and being ambitious. We look to recruit and develop talented people to achieve their potential - and who will contribute to achieving ours too.

Here you can fulfil your ambitions, whatever they are and however rapidly you want to achieve them. Together, and individually, we create exceptional results.

Our multi-disciplinary Real Estate group is highly regarded by our clients and within the sector. It comprises not only lawyers but town and country planners, RICS surveyors, property managers and sector focused financial advisers. We’ve brought experts into our services in planning, development, investment, landlord and tenant matters, construction and litigation with a particular emphasis on energy, retail, housing, education, finance and investment funds.

Our Commercial Property team are one of the fastest growing real estate practices, having more than doubled income and significantly strengthened the team over the last two and half years. With the support of Planning and Construction, we have one of the best integrated teams. We act for local and national developers, pension funds and venture capitalists as well as foreign investors on projects throughout the UK. Our experienced team has assisted in the development and sale of over 4m sq ft of town centre and out of town retail and leisure development as well as industrial and distribution hubs, offices and mixed use schemes.

The role:

We are looking for a Paralegal to join our Stratford-based Commercial Property team, part of the firm’s Real Estate group.  This role is to be offered on a fixed term contract of 12 months.

Your key duties will be:

• carrying out post exchange work for the team, this will include preparing completion statements, drafting replies to requisitions, carrying out registrations and preparing telegraphic transfers
• completing SDLT forms
• providing paralegal and administrative support to a large team
• opening and closing of files and conducting conflict searches
• dealing with general correspondence
• handling telephone calls, and handling queries and enquiries where appropriate
• the production of forms and documentation
• drafting of documents

Skills and experience you will have:

• a minimum of 6 months’ previous experience in a commercial property paralegal / fee earner role
• experience of using a case management system

Key competencies you will need:

• to be able to prioritise your workload effectively whilst coping with changing demands
• to be able to work well under pressure
• to be able to communicate clearly with others

About you – you will be:

• self-motivated and with a desire to succeed
• tidy, well organised and motivated
• able to self-manage and take ownership of problems
• highly enthusiastic, willing to go the extra mile and be happy to go beyond the job description
• respectful towards others and have a positive, willing and ‘can do’ attitude
• keen to learn, interested in driving your own career progression and be proactive in taking ownership of this

Ideally you will have the LPC qualification or be working towards it.

Due to the nature of the work undertaken, confirmation of employment will be subject to a variety of checks which will be carried out once an offer of employment is accepted. Details of the checks can be found here.

Shakespeare Martineau is a committed equal opportunities employer. We seek to attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. We value and respect individuality and encourage a culture within our business where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths and experiences. Everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.