Birketts is an ambitious full service, top 50 UK law firm, operating in East Anglia, Essex, London and the surrounding areas. With a rich heritage spanning over 150 years we’ve built an enviable track record advising businesses, institutions and individuals in the UK and internationally.
Throughout our history our ethos has remained simple: we provide clear legal advice and value and insight to our clients.
We believe that through this approach and a combination of technical excellence and high quality service we can develop long-lasting partnerships and become our clients' solicitor of choice. |
Birketts is recruiting for an ambitious, driven and forward thinking Paralegal / Legal Executive to come and join our growing Commercial Property team on a permanent basis. The role will be based from our newly refurbished modern office in Norwich, situated 10 minutes from the City centre.
'Legal Team of the Year 2019' by the Estates Gazettes Awards - We have one of the best regarded and largest dedicated property teams within the country, numbering over 100 specialists. Our property lawyers are particularly experienced in dealing with development and investment, planning, secured lending and landlord and tenant matters.
Our lawyers come from a range of backgrounds, including major City practices, other major national and regional firms, industry and local government and include individuals with construction, planning and commercial expertise. The depth and range of expertise means the team can work together in major and complex transactions on cost effective terms, providing our clients with true value for money.
The team deals with a wide range of high quality commercial real estate work, much of which is complex, high value and high profile. Led by four Partners and supported by a diverse group of lawyers the team deals with six predominant practice areas, namely, real estate finance, strategic land, residential development, commercial development, investment disposals and acquisitions and corporate support.
The team represents a number of high profile clients in sectors such as:
- Housebuilding
- Retail
- Roadside retail and leisure
- Public sector, including Local Authority, health and education
- Service office sector
- Charities
- Ports
- Logistics, storage and distribution.
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We are looking for an experienced Commerical Property Paralegal. You will be given early responsibilities, with the opportunity to manage your own small caseload (and fee-earn alongside the experts) and the chance to get involved in some really exciting and complex transactions!
You will provide professional, proactive, high level legal support to an allocated group of fee earners and to the wider fee earning team. The role is within a team that manages a diverse caseload of all types of commercial property work.
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- To be expert in a variety of software packages such as Microsoft Word and Excel to produce correspondence and documents, spreadsheets and presentations to ensure relevant documentation is produced to a high standard to meet clients’ and fee earners’ expectations and deadlines
- To be, or become expert in legal software such as Hi Q, Expert Time Recording and Compare Docs
- To prepare correspondence and requests for due diligence information following receipt of instructions from the client
- Drafting of security documentation and accompanying documents
- Liaising with fee earners and and clients in respect of Commercial Property Standard Enquires and additional enquiries
- Preparation and submission of Land Registry applications (including the preparation and submission of SDLT returns)
- Updating the client on progress when required
- To format, paginate, number and present documents in Birketts LLP house style or client standard form
- To proof read all work, checking for spelling and grammar.
Professional Skills
- To immediately clarify instructions from fee earners and the client should they be unclear or if deadlines are not made explicit
- To respond to internal and external telephone enquiries politely and professionally and take accurate telephone messages(name/number/company), passing them on to the relevant fee earners etc. immediately
- To provide full support to fee earners in the full range of activities that are performed and to carry out any other duties as reasonably requested.
General Approach
- Show initiative when responding to queries and actively try to seek solutions to problems;
- To support your fee earners when clients are demanding the work product to be delivered;
- To support and build working relationships with your own fee earners as well as other members of the wider Commercial Property team;
- To effectively liaise with staff from other departments and external contacts as required.
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This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a dynamic and growing team dealing with high quality and varied property work.
We are looking for:
- Legal experience in Commercial Property is essential
- A Law degree or equivalent is welcome but not essential
- Excellent computer/technical skills in particular working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of software including Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels of seniority and liaise effectively with other internal departments and external contacts
- Ability to use discretion
- Positive and enthusiastic approach to team work
- A flexible, highly motivated, proactive and ‘can do’ working style
- Self-motivated, ability to use initiative and provide pro-active support the Commercial Property team
- Ability to pay attention to detail and check own work
- Good organisational skills, able to prioritise, make decisions and work effectively within a sometimes pressurised environment
- Commitment to ongoing learning and development.
We would welcome applications from candidates who start as a Paralegal and progress through to our Solicitor Apprenticeship scheme, (which takes 27 months to achieve) and during this time, you will have the opportunity to work alongside a leading Partner of Birketts and their team who hold a wealth of knowledge and expertise in this area of law. |
We are committed to recruiting individuals on merits of suitability for each role, on the basis of qualifications and experience. All applications are treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation, race, disability, religious beliefs and any other protected characteristic, ensuring that there are equal opportunities at all stages of the recruitment process.
Benefits
One of the best things about joining Birketts is our rewards package. At Birketts we’re appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:
- 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays
- Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
- Private Healthcare - BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
- Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
- Staff Profit Share / Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
- Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
- Paid CSR day (Corporate Social Responsibilty)
- Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
- Gym Flex membership
- Electric car scheme
- Dress for your Day Policy
- Discounted legal services.
For further details, please do contact harriet-griffiths@birketts.co.uk. |