Paralegal Social Housing (ref 1272)

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: property, corporate services, litigation and private client advisory.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.

Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do. RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 5th best law firm to work at in 2024.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.

Purpose of job

To support members of the Social Housing Team to progress a caseload defending disrepair claims brought against our clients, assisting with county court possession claims and injunction applications, including where tenants have engaged in anti-social behaviour.

The role may also include supporting members of the Social Housing Team to advise our Housing Association and Local Authority clients in all aspects of Leasehold Management disputes in the First Tier Tribunal and providing professional, proactive, high-level legal support to the wider fee earning team.

The role is within a team that acts for major Housing Associations and a number of Local Authorities.

Accountabilities

• Helping to manage a caseload of Disrepair cases on behalf of our Housing Association and Local Authority clients.
• Helping to manage a caseload of county court possession claims and injunction applications.
• Helping to manage a caseload of Leasehold Management disputes in the First Tier Tribunal.
• Researching specific legal topics when requested and carrying out title investigations;
• To be expert in a variety of software packages such as Microsoft Word and Excel to produce correspondence and documents, spreadsheets and presentations and ensure relevant documentation is produced to a high standard to meet clients’ and fee earners’ expectations and deadlines;
• To format, paginate, number and present pleadings in Birketts LLP house style or client standard form;
• To proof read all work, checking for spelling and grammar.

Administrative skills:

• Maintain compliant and accurate file management and office systems and develop and maintain a good level of understanding of firm policy and process.

Professional Skills:

• To immediately clarify instructions from the client should they be unclear or if deadlines are not made explicit;
• To respond to internal and external telephone enquiries politely and professionally;
• To provide full support to other fee earners in the team and to carry out any other duties as reasonably requested.

General Approach:

• Show initiative when responding to queries and actively try to seek solutions to problems;
• To effectively liaise with staff from other departments and external contacts as required.

The candidate

• Some legal experience is required and law degree or equivalent is welcome but not essential;
• Any experience working with Housing Associations or Local Authority’s welcome but not essential;
• Excellent computer/technical skills in particular working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of software including Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint;
• Excellent spelling and punctuation;
• Strong written and oral communication skills. Ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels of seniority and liaise effectively with other internal departments and external contacts;
• Ability to use discretion;
• Positive and enthusiastic approach to team work;
• Good telephone manner;
• A flexible, highly motivated, proactive and ‘can do’ working style;
• Self-motivated, ability to use initiative and provide pro-active support to the Social Housing team;
• Ability to pay attention to detail and check own work;
• Good organisational skills, able to prioritise, make decisions and work effectively within a sometimes pressurised environment;
• Commitment to ongoing learning and development.

Equal opportunities

At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth.

Alongside a flexible and inclusive work environment, we offer the following core benefits:

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays
• Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid CSR Day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Electric car scheme
• Agile/Hybrid Working Policy
• Dress for your Day Policy

https://www.birketts.co.uk/recognition-reward-benefits/

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.