The financial services regulation practice is seeking to recruit a paralegal on either a permanent or fixed term contract basis.

The firm

We are a distinctive London-based law firm, focused on our clients and on delivering excellence in the international legal market.

We are large enough to advise on the most complex matters, giving you the opportunity to work for big brand clients on challenging transactions.  We are also small enough to be able to give you greater responsibility in close-knit teams.  The size of the firm and its culture means that everyone knows each other and people are approachable and supportive.

We are a firm which relies on the quality of its people and their experience; this is what distinguishes us from our larger competitors and enhances our reputation for solving our clients' most complex legal issues.

Our focus is to foster an inclusive culture throughout the firm, from entry level to partnership.  It is about recruiting, retaining and promoting all staff in the firm fairly, and we strive to ensure that everyone has the same chance to develop and advance.  An inclusive, forward-thinking culture also enables us to provide innovative solutions to our clients.

The team

The financial services regulation department is a team of almost 20, including two paralegals.  The practice advises the full range of financial services firms, including banks, investment banks, hedge funds and private equity houses on, amongst other things, regulatory developments, enforcement and investigations, regulatory obligations, governance and accountability and market conduct and financial crime.

The role

The individual will be required to carry out a broad range of good quality work. Key duties will include:

• drafting and amending agreements for a major asset management client;
• regular contact with clients;
• supporting fee-earners with their day-to-day work; and
• assisting the professional support lawyer with research.

The individual will also receive the departmental training given to trainees in addition to benefiting from the paralegal development programme outlined below.

The candidate

Ideally the candidate will have:

• strong academic qualifications from A-levels with a minimum 2:1 degree obtained from a well-respected institution or the GDL;
• completed the legal practice course at a well-respected institution;
• previous paralegal experience;
• excellent written and oral communication, drafting and research skills;
• the ability to take a self-motivated and pro-active stance, to work flexibly and independently following appropriate instruction or in a team, and to take responsibility for the work product delivered;
• an organised, meticulous and methodical approach to work;
• effective interpersonal skills; and
• familiarity with standard WP (Word 2010, MS Office), database and research software and typical office IT systems in general.

Please note that the job description is not exhaustive and may vary in line with changes in the team’s objectives and firm’s policy.

Paralegal development

We have a paralegal development programme which is designed to equip our paralegals with the broad range of skills and knowledge they need to be effective in their roles.  The programme also includes sessions covering essential legal and business skills required at the start of a career in law, recognising the fact that many solicitors begin their careers as paralegals.  For the right candidate, this role could either provide an opportunity for a long-term paralegal position or potentially a stepping stone towards a training contract.

Our commitment to inclusion

At Macfarlanes we understand the importance of an inclusive culture, the continued development of which has been identified as one of our key priorities.  Our focus is to foster an inclusive culture throughout the firm, from entry level to partnership.  It is about recruiting, retaining and promoting all groups in the firm fairly, and we are continually reviewing our processes to ensure that everyone has the same chance to develop and advance.  An inclusive, forward-thinking culture also enables us to provide innovative solutions to our clients.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, bringing different perspectives and experiences, making Macfarlanes an exciting and stimulating place to work. We seek to recruit the best candidates, regardless of gender, race or ethnicity, background, religion, physical abilities, sexual orientation or any other characteristic.

Direct applicants only.  Strictly no agencies.