Paralegal/Legal Officer - Litigation
In this supporting role to the litigation team within Legal Services you will be assisting with drafting and preparing cases for court on a variety of civil and criminal court functions related mainly to housing matters, debts, anti-social behaviour and prosecutions.
You will primarily be progressing Housing Conditions (Disrepair) cases at Pre-Action Protocol stage and in proceedings as this is a particularly busy area for the team. There will also be opportunity to work on a wide variety of matters due to ever-changing priorities. The variety of the work makes this an exciting role within a supportive and friendly team.
The title of the role within our structure is Legal Officer – Litigation which is the equivalent to a paralegal role.
What’s in it for you?
* Salary range of £35064.26 - £38,638.08
* Cost of living pay award negotiated annually as a salary increase
* Flexible, hybrid working - we understand the importance of a good work-life balance.
* We offer a generous annual leave entitlement! You’ll receive 23 days annual leave which increase with service, plus bank holidays, PLUS 3 given days which are usually used over the Christmas period when our main offices are closed. You’ll also have the option to buy more annual leave.
* We do not work on Bank Holidays.
* A fantastic local government pension scheme.
* We’ll support and encourage your career by providing excellent opportunities for training and development, as well as cover your Professional Body Membership fees where essential to the role.
* Employee perks, including multiple retailer and lifestyle discounts to help you get the most out of your money and enjoy your free time.
* An easier commute: free use of Canterbury’s Park and Ride, flexi bus tickets, and a cycle to work scheme.
* Stay healthy: Access to free counselling, advice and webinars through our employee assistance programme, as well as contributions to the cost of Flu Jabs.
About this Legal Officer job opportunity in Canterbury, Kent:
This role assists the Litigation team in providing an efficient and proactive litigation service to the Council.
Here’s what you’ll get up to :
* You will be receiving instructions from clients, preparing court bundles and other papers for matters before the courts;
* Legal research and drafting advice notes to clients;
* Drafting correspondence within proceedings and at pre-action protocol stage.
* You will be adapting to working on different areas of litigation to focus on particularly busy areas.
* You will help meet the demands of the civil and criminal courts processes including meeting court deadlines and drafting documents to initiate court processes and statements.
* You will prioritise workloads to ensure that urgent matters take priority as necessary whilst routine work continues to meet deadlines
* Liaise with clients to receive further instructions to fill any gaps in the information provided.
* You will advise clients on procedure to clients
Working pattern:
* Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays .
* This is a full-time permanent post at 37 hours per week
* The team work in a hybrid way with a mix of some days in the office and some days working from home which may change to meet the demands of the service and ensure cover.
About you, the ideal person for the job:
* A background in litigation law and procedures or work experience in a similar role.
* Experience of working well with clients and familiar with taking clear instruction.
* Excellent drafting, negotiation and communication skills
* A proven ability to manage a varied caseload with minimal supervision.
* Strong time management skills.
* A levels (or similar) qualification or equivalent skills gained by experience.
So, if this Paralegal job opportunity in Canterbury looks right for you, please apply today! Simply click the “Apply Online” button and create your account to begin your application form.
For an informal chat to find out more about the role or what it’s like to work for Canterbury City Council’s Legal Services team, please contact Jan Guyler by email to jan.guyler@canterbury.gov.uk. Jan is our Head of Legal Services & Monitoring Officer and very much welcomes your email.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at Canterbury City Council.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity in everything we do. We provide a safe and welcoming environment where everyone is valued, included and respected.
Our diversity strengthens our ability to serve the diverse communities we support through our work.
To demonstrate this through our actions, all applications are anonymised for the shortlisting panel, allowing all applicants to be assessed on merit alone.