Company Overview
DMH Stallard provides a comprehensive range of commercial, dispute resolution and litigation, employment, cyber security and cyber‑crime, corporate, intellectual property, real estate and technology, media and telecoms advice to both businesses and individuals. Our clients, our people and our professional networks are the keys to our success. With offices in London and across the region, including Brighton, Gatwick, Guildford, Horsham and Hassocks, we’re proud to have grown to around 400 people.
Culture really matters to us. In our most recent staff survey, 99.6% of our people said DMH is a great place to work, 90% feel they have a strong work‑life balance, and 93.9% express confidence in the leadership team.
We’re committed to building a genuinely inclusive and supportive workplace. Our Women in Law group meets quarterly, and we’re actively working toward gender balance at all levels. We already exceed the industry average, with 40% of our partners being women compared with the sector average at 29%.
We invest in learning and development at all career stages. Our mentoring programme is available to all partners, and we are preparing to launch an internal mentoring programme to support progression right up to partnership.
We also recognise that work‑life balance is essential to long‑term success and well‑being, and we promote hybrid working arrangements to help our people perform at their best inside and outside of work.
We’re proud to have achieved gold accreditation from Investors in People, reflecting our strong commitment to people development and leadership.
Job Purpose
Paralegal required to undertake a wide variety of commercial property, residential investment and real estate finance matters.
To operate as an effective member of the Gatwick real estate team, working on a variety of commercial property, residential investment and real estate finance matters.
Develop good working relationships with clients and other team members, and achieve the targets defined by the Group Head/Head of Department, including contribution, hours and fees.
Responsibilities and Duties
* Participate and contribute to the Real Estate group to ensure an effective working environment, supporting Legal Executives, Solicitors, Associates and Partners on more complex matters as appropriate.
* Attend relevant technical training to ensure that skills and knowledge remain up-to-date.
* Attend and contribute to group meetings.
* Continuously develop technical expertise.
* Maintain awareness of the legal market relating to residential investment, commercial property and real estate finance.
* Deal with a wide range of non‑contentious property work.
* Assist with commercial property transactions, including new leases, assignments, underlettings, licences to assign and alter, surrenders and lease renewals (whether inside or outside the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954).
* Assist with residential investment transactions, including drafting and reviewing contracts and transfers, due diligence, drafting and responding to requests for enquiries, completion and post‑completion tasks.
* Assist with real estate finance transactions, including preparing and completing security documentation (legal charges, debentures, certificates of title), handling Land Registry applications and liaising with lenders and borrowers.
* Ensure achievement of own key financial targets, including fees, contribution and payment of debts and disbursements. This is a 100% fee‑earning role.
* Maintain accurate data on the case manager and the firm’s financial management systems.
* Monitor own performance relative to live files, file closures, billing, time recording and take appropriate action to meet targets.
* Scope all matters appropriately, using budget templates and delivering work on time and on budget.
* Deliver the service to the client, ensuring the highest standards of client care so that clients use DMHS again and recommend the firm to others.
* Assist with marketing and business development initiatives such as writing for e‑newsletters, attending seminars and other business development activities.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required
* Experience in commercial property, residential investment and/or real estate finance (advantageous but not essential).
* Knowledge of property legislation and relevant case law.
* Ability to manage a busy caseload and time to meet client and internal deadlines.
* Understanding of client care and ability to deal with a wide range of clients with differing objectives, including commercial objectives.
* Ability to work within a team, providing support to Legal Executives, Solicitors, Associates and Partners as appropriate.
* Confident Excel skills.
* Competent IT skills including Outlook, Word and time recording systems.
* Attention to detail in drafting documentation.
* Effective communication with clients, in writing, over the telephone and in meetings.
Benefits
* 25 days holiday (of which 3.5 taken during the Christmas period), plus birthday holiday, plus bank holidays.
* Holiday Buying Scheme.
* Enhanced maternity / paternity pay.
* Life assurance.
* Private healthcare.
* Employee assistance programme.
* Sodexo discounts.
* Pension scheme.
* Interest‑free season ticket loans.
* Cycle to work scheme.
* Discounts on legal work.
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