The Pro Bono department work alongside the Injury departments to provide a free and comprehensive legal service as part of our commitment to help those with serious injury. The team provide patients and their families with free legal advice on any issues that can arise following a serious injury or illness. Those issues can include: Debt and financial issues; Critical illness/personal accident insurance; Powers of attorney/deputyship applications; Post-discharge care; Housing; and Welfare benefits.
Standard Pro Bono Paralegal Duties:
* Attends initial meetings with patients
* Has day-to-day oversight of their own files
* Produces correspondence
* Undertakes legal research
* Takes instructions from clients
* Drafts witness statements for clients and witnesses in respect of welfare benefits appeals
* Provides representation / advocacy for patients at welfare benefits appeal hearings
* Drafts necessary forms for applications to Court for Deputyship Orders, Lasting Powers of Attorney, welfare benefits appeals, and insurance policies
* General administration, including filing, supporting internal processes and supporting the team’s partners, including message taking, diary arrangements, travel planning and supporting business development activities
* Contributes to department activities, such as business development initiatives (e.g., drafting articles/presentations and attendance at business development events) and internal know-how/training sessions
* Undertakes other ad hoc duties as required by the team
Job Skills Required:
* Essential: LPC, Bar Course or SQE1 (must have received final grade), and at least a 2:1 at undergraduate level
* Excellent typing and IT skills, including good working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook)
Business Development and Financial skills:
* Understands client needs and displays an appropriate sense of urgency
* Demonstrates general commercial awareness and vision, helps to build client relationships through pursuing own business development/marketing initiatives
* Assists with and/or attends social, fund-raising or training activities
* Represents the firm appropriately, develops own professional network and raises personal and firm profile
* Records time effectively, achieves/exceed hours targets
Knowledge-Sharing Skills:
* Makes use of the firm’s collective knowledge resources, promotes internal knowledge-sharing
* Attends and contributes towards know-how or team meetings
General Skills:
* Well organised, uses initiative, prioritises appropriately, applies self, shows attention to detail, manages own workload and meets deadlines
* Demonstrates excellent communication and interpersonal skills (respectful, positive, articulate, professional and sympathetic)
* Delivers helpful internal services with a “can do” approach, shows commercial awareness and represents the department/firm appropriately
* Shares information and ideas
* Accepts and follows instructions, listens, makes notes, questions appropriately, co-operates
* Shows sound judgement and decision-making skills; acts within boundaries
* Shows commitment, passion and enthusiasm
* Is a respectful, reliable and supportive team player
* Reflects the firm’s culture