We're looking for a Paralegal to join either our Bristol, Southampton or Plymouth office on a full-time permanent basis.  You'll be supporting our in-house solicitors in the General Counsel team within our wider Risk and Best Practice team. This is a rare opportunity to gain some excellent legal experience within a unique area of our business.

About the team

The Risk & Best Practice team, ensures we meet our regulatory obligations, comply with our service standards and procedures and manage our risk. The General Counsel team, led by Nicki Shepherd, sits here and is closely involved with the firm's supplier contracts, of which there are several hundred.

What will you be doing?

As a Paralegal you'll quickly become an integral part of the team and can expect a varied workload each day. You'll be providing legal and administrative support including working with the team on some large and ongoing projects, which will make it possible for you to take ownership of your part in the project, manage your workload accordingly and use initiative to improve existing processes. You'll be involved with the administrative process of logging the firm's supplier contracts to the database, and also help with detailed legal analysis and negotiation of individual contracts.

As well as the above you'll research and respond to a wide variety of risk related enquiries and issues. Sometimes these enquiries can be complex and you'll work with the team to brainstorm the best approach. This will include talking to the right people, working on a solution and helping track that solution through to the firm's policies & procedures, training and IT solutions. You'll also help draft information to send to clients including responses to tenders and client compliance audits.

What does the ideal candidate look like?

The team are extremely busy so you'll need to be able to pick things up quickly. You'll have a high level of personal integrity, understand the importance of confidentiality both within and outside the firm, and be prepared to go the extra mile to help everyone who the team supports within the firm, at all levels. Ideally you'll have some previous experience within a legal setting and will have already completed your legal education. It goes without saying you'll be a natural communicator both written and verbal with high attention to detail. Due to the nature of the role you'll be organised with excellent attention to detail, a self-motivated with great people skills.  We use Microsoft Word, Excel, FileSite, and Skype for Business so excellent IT capabilities are necessary to be successful in this role.  

What makes it great to work here?

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a close-knit and supportive team where you can learn from true leaders in their field and build your experience with access to great quality work. You would gain a good understanding of the internal risk and compliance function of a law firm alongside useful legal experience in contract analysis, negotiation and drafting. It would suit an individual who may be considering a future in risk and compliance within any professional organisation, or one who is looking to add valuable transferable skills to their portfolio to help them develop a career as a lawyer. Supported by a collegiate approach, and firm wide commitment to career development there are fewer better places to continue, or perhaps even start, your legal career.

And that's not all, alongside a competitive salary you'll receive a flexible benefits package so you can pick and choose between the benefits that matter most to you.

We invest a lot in our people - it's our people and culture that make it a great place to work.

In addition, through our Diversity & Inclusion practices and programmes we work hard to ensure that difference is visibly valued and welcomed. Visit our D&I page to find out more.

So you're interested but have some Questions?

Sounds like a role that you can do? Then we want to hear from you.  Please follow the instructions to make a formal application – just a few contact detail questions and then upload your CV. 

If you have questions about the role please do contact me Kim Southway on 0117 989 65.

If this isn't the role for you (or the right time) why not connect with me on LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter (@WBD_CareersUK) to keep up to date with all of our opportunities.  We also have  a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/womblebonddickinsoncareers/)