Senior Paralegal

About the role

The Role
Forbes Solicitors LLP are seeking a Senior Paralegal to join our Housing and Regeneration (Property) team at our Gordon House Office. This role is full time, working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm.

Responsibilities

• Provide effective and efficient legal services to social housing clients by managing and progressing home ownership transactions, delivering chargeable legal work, advising on matters, identifying and actioning next steps, and running a caseload efficiently.
• Handle a broad range of home ownership transactions for social housing clients, including Shared ownership and open market plot sales, right to buy and right to acquire transactions, lease extensions, residential property surrenders and re-sales.
• Ensure successful delivery of a number of open client cases and files, maximising chargeable time, meeting deadlines and achieving good results for clients.
• Draft and complete legal documents that are integral to progressing client cases.
• Provide legal advice, under the supervision of a qualified advisor, or significantly support a qualified advisor with high risk, high value or complex work, that progresses and concludes client matters.
• Analyse and understand client instructions to gain an understanding of client expectations and requirements, identify and take actions required, provide advice and manage and guide the progression of a client file.
• Represent clients in court and hearings as required.
• Achieve the most preferable outcome possible for clients through excellent negotiation and liaison with opponents and a strong and successful representation of the case.
• Maintain, monitor and update the appropriate systems and documents with client and case information, data and file notes.
• Support peers and colleagues within the department to develop skills and knowledge.
• Carry out and deliver accurate and up-to-date legal research for complex matters.
• Manage regular and up-to-date communications with clients and stakeholders, answering queries, managing expectations (including costs), providing updates and effectively chasing responses required and escalating appropriately.

Requirements

We will be progressing applicants to the next stage based the role profile and, on the candidate’s, demonstrated knowledge, experience, and skills in:

• Demonstrable experience as a Paralegal, within property law, with experience of managing the full life cycle of client matters through to completion.
• Previous experience within property/housing sectors.
• A good understanding of property/housing matters.
• Familiarity with legal processes, terminology, and the operation of law firms.
• Experience using legal case management systems (e.g., PfW) to support the delivery of services.
• Experience of working towards and managing financial targets.
• Excellent administrative skills including, word processing, maintaining records, and handling correspondence.
• Excellent attention to detail, including proof-reading and editing skills to ensure accuracy and quality of legal documents.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for interacting with clients, colleagues, and external parties.
• The ability to prioritize tasks, manage time effectively, and coordinate multiple activities simultaneously to meet deadlines.
• Excellent IT skills and the ability to use multiple platforms such as word, excel, outlook and other case management systems/databases.
• The ability to work as part of a team.
• Aligns with the Firms values.

Desirable

• Law Degree or other legal level 6 qualifications such as CILEX.
• Previous experience of handling a broad range of home ownership transactions.

Benefits

• 33 days annual leave, including bank holidays, increasing with length of service.
• Annual leave purchase scheme (Subject to T&Cs).
• Enhanced family friendly policies and pay for Maternity, Paternity and Adoption.
• Enhanced sick pay.
• Celebration and Volunteer leave.
• Ongoing professional development and progression opportunities.
• Profit share scheme.
• Additional long service awards.
• Subsidised tuck shops.
• Staff discount on Firm services.
• Health care benefits (Health Cash Back Plan and Mental Health Counselling Services).
• BUPA (Solicitor positions only, for self, not dependents).
• Retail and gym membership discounts.
• Recruitment and legal department referrals (Subject to T&Cs).
• Annual Events.