Paralegal Apprentice

Responsibilities

• To liaise with fee earners and support staff to ensure costs instruction sheets and supporting documentation are completed correctly and forwarded to the Senior Associate Costs Manager.
• To create and maintain Costs Assessment files in all live costs matters, ensuring all key documentation is obtained, filed and kept up to date from the point of instruction.
• To update and maintain records of all live and settled costs matters, including diarising key costs procedure dates and setting reminders in Outlook/Envision/White Board/5-year diary where applicable.
• To assist members of the Costs Team in preparing Schedules/Bills of Costs, Statements of Costs (N260), replies, settlement advice and negotiations.
• To assist in unmitigated matters, including chasing responses/offers and progressing matters toward the issue of Part 8 proceedings where appropriate.
• To balance office and client ledgers when required.
• To update matter lists and advise Legal Support Assistants when costs are finished and matters are ready to archive; assist in administering procedures to progress caseloads.
• Conduct legal research using selected sources such as legal databases and present findings in line with organisational expectations.
• Assist in applying the principles of law to stakeholder cases and in ongoing legal matters and transactions within the organisation.
• Communicate using plain English to provide clarification and explanation of the legal process and standard legal terms.
• Organise and administer workflow such as legal files, case management and accounting systems to progress work within service level expectations.
• Carry out file management activities such as preparing and collating bundles, taking and filing accurate notes, closing and reviewing files, and maintaining databases and version control.
• Use a range of digital tools and technologies to draft legal documents, conduct legal research, perform data analysis and collaborate with others.
• Apply fraud protection measures and cyber security procedures in relation to transactions, keeping up to date with approaches.
• Undertake activities to understand a stakeholder's needs and risks throughout legal transactions, assess risks and benefits of options, and make recommendations to senior team members to act in stakeholders' best interests.

• GCSE in English and Maths (grade 9-4/A-C or above).
• A Level in: 3 x A-Levels (grade A-C).
• Communication skills
• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Problem solving skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Initiative