Paralegal (Education Team)
Permanent
Grade: Consultation grade - subject to formal evaluation under the Pay Equity Review
Working 36.5 hours per week
A brilliant opportunity to join a dynamic progressive legal service where you will be given the opportunity to work on some incredible projects and cases while learning and developing as a leading local government lawyer.
Birmingham City Councils legal service is unique and one of the largest in-house local authority legal teams. The City Council is on its journey of resetting reshaping and restarting and everyone within legal services is essential to the Councils success and achieving beneficial outcomes for our citizens. You could be part of this.
Legal Services covers all areas of work that the Council undertakes from employment to property from social care to contracts. The variety of work that our team undertakes is wide and at the highest level. The work is challenging and rewarding in equal measure. Based in Victoria Square in the City Centre you will have excellent transport links access to Courts and tribunals partner organisations and all the benefits that working in the wonderful City of Birmingham brings.
Birmingham City Council is committed to achieving excellence putting our citizens first acting courageously and being true to our word. If this resonates with you then we want to hear from you.
Due to a redesign of the service we have a Paralegal vacancy available.
The Education legal Team advises on a broad range of Education Legal matters including questions relating to School Organisation, Elective Home Education, Special Educational Needs, School Improvement, School and Governor Support, Education Transport, Admissions, Exclusions and Alternative Provision. The Team also deals with claims for Judicial Review brought against the City Council in respect of education matters and appeals in the Upper Tribunal relating to SEND matters. Your case load would consist of a range of matters to support the team to provide the above advice including significant involvement in the School Admissions Appeals and Exclusion Review Services.
As a paralegal you will be proactive and innovative and be able to show good attention to detail. Able to conduct legal research interpret legislation and summarise key points in a clear client friendly manner. You will have a commitment to exceptional legal support.
Key responsibilities
* Provide paralegal and legal support to the Education lawyers and clients.
* Undertaking case work on own cases and co-working with colleagues.
* Represent the City Council in legal proceedings and meetings as appropriate including clerking School Admission Appeals and Exclusion Independent Review Panels.
* Carrying out legal research preparing applications and drafting documents and correspondence.
* Liaising with Council officers and to communicate both orally and in writing with outside bodies including Solicitors, Counsel and Court / Tribunal staff.
* Assisting team members, lawyers and other staff members on progression of legal cases as required.
* Ensuring that the Departments policies, procedures and practice standards are adhered to.
You will need to be educated to degree level or equivalent or have equivalent experience of working in a legal environment and be able to demonstrate an interest in the subject area. You will have experience of working in a Local Authority or a legal environment.
Benefits of working at Birmingham City Council
* 30 days annual leave; increases to 33 days after 5 years and 35 days after 10 years plus option to purchase additional leave.
* Access to voluntary benefits providers that support health, wellbeing and making the most of your leisure time.
* Family friendly policies e.g. maternity / adoption, paternity, shared parental leave, carers leave.
* Health and wellbeing support networks e.g. independent and confidential employee assistance and counselling, occupational health etc.
* Employee communities and support groups including Corporate Black Workers, Support Group, Disability and LGBT Networks, Menopause Support Forum etc.
* We are a disability confident employer.
* Membership of job-related pension scheme West Midlands Pension Fund or Teachers Pensions with generous employer contributions.
* Access to My Rewards over 800 individual brands providing discounts and savings including high street stores, supermarkets, utility and insurance providers as well as great days out to name but a few!
* Opportunities to join great salary sacrifice schemes e.g. Cycle to Work, Annual Travel and Car Parking as well as making the most of Tax and National Insurance savings (additional schemes to launch soon).
Please upload an up-to-date CV and Personal Statement via the attachments part of your application. The Personal Statement should outline how you meet the essential criteria for the role through your personal qualities, skills and experience and include your motivation for applying to the post. Note the Personal Statement should be no more than 1500 words. Unfortunately we cannot consider any applications without a CV and Personal Statement attached.
Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer and we are committed to employing retaining and developing all of our people.
We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application.
For any informal enquiries please contact : We welcome applications from people with caring responsibilities and flexible working options will be considered.
Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements before any employment offer can be confirmed.
Job Description and PersonSpecification
Key Skills
Legal Drafting, Proofreading, Google Docs, Organizational skills, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Case Management, Legal Research, Research Experience, Paralegal, Filing, Writing Skills
Monthly Salary Salary : 34434 - 41771
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