12237 - Legal Support Officer

Ministry of Justice; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the UK seeks a Legal Support Officer to provide administrative assistance in a multidisciplinary environment. You will manage correspondence, prepare court documents, and support legal staff while working hybrid between home and office locations in Nottingham or Birmingham. The role requires strong organizational skills and computer literacy, and offers opportunities for professional growth in a supportive setting.

Qualifications

• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Adobe products including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Excellent communication skills for internal and external interactions.
• Experience in a legal setting to understand the nuances of legal documentation.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative assistance to legal staff.
• Monitor routine correspondence and set reminders for tasks.
• Prepare and submit court application documents.

Skills

Computer literacy

Written & oral communication skills

Experience in a legal environment

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Tools

Microsoft Office

Adobe

Job description

Role: Legal Support Officer x 2

Business: Office of Public Guardian (OPG)

Location: Hybrid working between home and either Embankment House, Nottingham or Victoria Square House, Birmingham. Some travel between either site may be required.

Grade: AO (Administration Officer)

Salary: £25,582

Contract Type: Permanent

Minimum Hours: 29 hours over 4 days, per week

Organisational Overview

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. We are an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005.

OPG is responsible for registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and supervising deputies who are appointed by the Court of Protection.

OPG is a fantastic place to work offering a range of development opportunities. The OPG is a disability confident employer and is committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve.

OPG is currently delivering an ambitious transformation programme. This will change the way we provide services and help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support and will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. Transformation will ensure we can better support adults at risk and create high-quality services that are accessible and affordable.

Team Overview

The team – comprising 70 to 80 staff members – is multidisciplinary in nature and aims to provide a high quality and efficient specialist legal service for OPG. We have Senior Lawyers, Lawyers, Senior Paralegals and Paralegals, a Legal Support team as well as an excellent team of legal operations specialists.

The team has two principal functions:

to conduct litigation on behalf of the Public Guardian in the Court of Protection, managing the whole litigation process. This involves reviewing cases from colleagues in Operations, Investigations and Supervision, and making a decision as to whether to issue applications covering the following:

• Determination of the lawfulness of certain provisions of LPAs and the severance of unlawful parts;
• Removal of attorneys appointed on the ground they are not acting in accordance with their MCA obligations;
• Removal of non‑compliant deputies.

to provide legal advice across the organisation on a wide range of matters including policy, investigations, complaints and where litigation is threatened/brought against OPG.

The work is important, rewarding and challenging in ensuring timely action is taken to prevent abuse. Whilst being based across several different offices, the team works well together as a community, team members are well-supported and there is progression at all levels. For paralegals, there are potential opportunities for support with applications to qualify as lawyers. We are committed to becoming a Government leader in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance legal operations and service delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide administrative assistance to Legal Paralegals, Lawyers, and Operational Managers.
• Monitor and manage routine correspondence (post and email), set calendar reminders, and communicate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Submit court application documents to the Court of Protection (COP).
• Serve court applications to external parties and parties as directed by court orders.
• Prepare and distribute court bundles for hearings.
• Issue safeguarding letters to various entities (e.g. DWP, financial institutions, care homes, local authorities).
• Operate and update a case management system, ensuring data accuracy and compliance with regulations.
• Follow data assurance policies and maintain information security.
• Manage office supplies, oversee stationery ordering, and ensure stock levels are maintained.
• Participate in ongoing professional development and education.
• Engage in regular appraisals to enhance skills and meet role competencies
• Hybrid working arrangement, including office attendance, is required for certain tasks.

Agreed Expectations

The successful candidate will be expected to work from their base location on a weekly basis in line with current Civil Service requirements, outside of any reasonable adjustments. Office attendance is required at 40%.

Occasional travel to other offices is required.

Skills & Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Computer literate with a confident approach to learning new and specialist software. Proficiency is required in the use of Microsoft Office computer packages and Adobe, i.e., Word, Excel, Outlook, MS Teams, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent written & oral communication skills.
• Experience of working in a legal environment.
• Flexible approach to dealing with the changing nature of the work and working to tight deadlines.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks and manage time efficiently.
• Strong attention to detail and a high level of accuracy in all work.

Desirable Skills

• Experience handling sensitive and/or confidential data.
• Experience of working in an office environment.
• Experience working with a legal case management system.