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 highly skilled and experienced Private Capital group provide a wide range of services and advice empowering families to define their unique long-term goals and legacy. We undertake various Family and Private client work at all levels and across many sectors.

Our specialist Family team combine unsurpassed expertise with a sound understanding of Family law to provide exceptional solutions for every aspect of our clients’ needs. We provide advice to clients at every stage of their lives, whether they are planning for their own futures or making sure their loved ones are looked after. We assist clients with the planning, preparation and drafting of living together and pre and post nuptial agreements as well as guiding them sensitively through the complexities of divorce, finance and matters relating to children. We are very much at the coal-face of Family Law and heavily involved in Resolution and the Law Society.

The role:

We are looking for a Paralegal to join our Stratford-upon-Avon's Family offering, part of the firm’s Private Capital group.

The role is to provide a blend of paralegal and administrative support to the Legal Director at the Stratford upon Avon office (part of the wider Birmingham Family team).  This will include the following:

Your key duties will be:

• providing paralegal and administrative support to a senior fee earner and the wider team
• dealing with clients and third parties in a professional manner, maintaining close and regular contact as required
• dealing with correspondence and maintaining good file management including electronic and paper storage
• taking telephone calls, handling queries and enquiries where appropriate
• opening and closing of files as required, and conducting conflict searches where applicable
• assistance with monthly billing and other related financial administration
• copy and audio typing when required
• photocopying, scanning and collating documentation
• archiving and filing
• carrying out legal research as required
• assisting with promotional and business development activity as required
• undertaking projects and any other tasks as directed by the line manager

Skills and experience you will have:

• a minimum of 6 months' administration experience within a legal team, ideally Family
• experience of using case management systems
• fast and accurate audio-typing skills
• a minimum grade C pass at GCSE (or equivalent) in English Language and Mathematics
• confidence with IT systems to include Microsoft Word, Excel and ideally PowerPoint
• excellent oral and written communications skills

Key competencies you will need:

• excellent organisational skills, flexibility and the ability to handle multiple priorities simultaneously
• to be ambitious and enthusiastic to provide an excellent paralegal service to the team
• to work well in a team and develop effective working relationships with colleagues and others, demonstrating flexibility
• to have confident interpersonal skills with the ability to liaise openly and clearly with colleagues and clients
• the ability to produce a high standard of work, often to tight deadlines, whilst maintaining accuracy and good attention to detail
• the ability to demonstrate professionalism, proactivity, and initiative

About you - you will be:

• 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

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.