Legal Assistant

Positive Employment is currently recruiting for a Legal Assistant for our client a local government based in Brent.

The successful candidate will provide advice, draft correspondence and documents to support Lawyers and Senior Lawyers. Prepare cases for hearings and to process a heavy caseload. Provide advocacy in routine cases.

They will work in 1 or more of the following areas: Children’s Social Care; Community Care; Civil and Criminal Litigation; Education; Employment; Housing; Contracts; Regeneration & Property.

This is a 4 month contract with the possibility for extensions.

Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to:

• Undertake legal and technical tasks in connection with legal cases within an area of specialism.
• Interviewing clients and witnesses and drafting statements, preparing documents for courts and tribunal including applications, statements of case, draft orders and pleadings.
• Drafting correspondence, documents, notices, orders, giving advice in writing and on the telephone and in person.
• Representing the council in court.
• Take notes at hearings and conferences with Counsel, instructing counsel, research and dealing with correspondence.
• Be responsible for a case load of routine legal work.
• Attend court or tribunals or public inquiries as an advocate in straight forward applications or similar.
• Assist and support other members of staff.
• Prepare bundles for court hearings in accordance with Practice Directions.
• Keep up to date with new and proposed legislation, new cases, and other developments and to review and give basic advice as required.
• Keep more senior staff informed of any important issues arising which may affect the satisfactory progress of cases.
• Conduct searches of the Probate Registry, Land Registry, Office of Public Guardian, and others are required.
• Make appropriate use of information technology.
• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and all employees are required to act in such a way that at all times safeguards the health and well being of children and vulnerable adults.
• Carry out duties with due regard to the organisation's Customer Care, Equal Opportunities, Information Governance, Data Protection and Health and Safety policies and procedures.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the general level of responsibility of this post.

Personal Requirements:

• Law degree or substantial experience of working in a legal department.
• Knowledge of the law and practice relating to one or more of the following areas: Children’s Social Care; Community Care; Civil and Criminal Litigation; Education; Employment; Housing; Contracts; Regeneration & Property.
• Significant experience of administrative work in an office environment dealing with correspondence, filing, preparing documents and using IT systems.
• Ability to prepare cases for hearings.
• Ability to undertake advocacy in routine cases.
• Ability to undertake routine litigation.
• Ability to analyse information, evaluate evidence, solve problems and present solutions at an appropriate level.
• Ability to provide advice and present arguments in a confident, articulate and persuasive manner.

Working Hours: 09:00am - 17:00pm, Monday - Friday

Pay: £22.29 p/h

Please note this role is within the scope of IR35.

Key Words: Court, Case, Advice, Argument, Legal, Litigation, Law