Paralegal Uxbridge, England
Job description
We are one of the leading teams of criminal specialists in the South East.
We are franchised by the Legal Services Commissionand are members of the Serious Fraud Panel. Our team are members of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association, the London Criminal Courts Associationand the Solicitors Association of Higher Court Advocates.
Expertise in advising upon:
- Computer and internet crime
- Large scale conspiracies – those with more than one defendant
- Conspiracies to supply and import drugs
- Offences such as burglary, robbery, serious assault and murder
- Environmental and health & safety issues
- High-value and serious fraud, money laundering
We regularly provide advice at the police station, representation (including appeals against convictions) at the Magistrates’ or Crown Courts and assistance in defending Customs investigations relating to drugs and VAT offences.
To provide a high quality legal service to clients on all aspects of general crime in line with the firm’s standard of performance within a high volume, leveraged legal aid practice.
Key ResponsibilitiesProviding a high-quality legal service to all clients about:
- Taking instructions from clients and obtaining witness statements, expert reports, prior authority as necessary. Flexibility / ability to travel to prison visits and Courts as required.
- Deal with incoming telephone calls / emails / correspondence and act on them as appropriate.
- Good interpersonal skills and an ability to establish and maintain links with Clients, Barristers, Clerks etc
- To be self-sufficient in the production of correspondence, accounts, etc. utilising relevant software packages.
- Preparing and managing cases including liaising with Clients, Counsel, Courts, Prosecution and Police officers
- Working efficiently to ensure that all background preparation on a case has been actioned in readiness for the appropriate hearing.
- Knowledge of legal aid applications, prior authority and instructing the necessary experts.
- Knowledge of money laundering regulations for the purposes of private work where legal aid is not applicable
- The ability to aid other members of the CLS1 team to ensure that certain tasks are actioned
- The ability to manage your own Crown Court case load and keep a note of relevant deadlines and conduct legal research when required
- Knowledge of Criminal Law and sentencing guidelines when assisting existing and future clients on the phone and face to face.
- Knowledge of Criminal Case procedure
- Meet IBB quality/professional standards including: -
- Ensuring personal targets are achieved
- Ensuring that all team chargeable work is properly recorded on client matters
- Adhering to the Code of Conduct on client care and to the IBB file management policies as set out in the Office Manual
Education
- GCSE’s or equivalent at A-C or 6-9 in Maths and English
- Degree educated or equivalent (preferably in Law) with a minimum of a 2:1
- Would consider C/FILEX qualification
- LPC and/or BPTC (desirable but not essential)
Skills / Experience
- It is essential to have relevant work experience, ideally a minimum 1 years’ experience working as a Crown Court Caseworker / Paralegal or similar
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- A high level of IT proficiency
- Good time management skills
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Ability to work effectively independently or as part of a team
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Willingness to proactively take ownership of own learning and development
- Commercial awareness
