Employment Paralegal

Ashfords LLP; Exeter; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm in Exeter is seeking a confident and ambitious Paralegal to join their Employment department. This full-time position involves providing expert advice on HR issues, managing employment disputes, and supporting clients through changes like redundancies. Candidates should have a law degree and good communication skills, with a commitment to delivering high quality work. In return, the firm supports your professional development and encourages a healthy work-life balance.

Benefits

Professional development support

Healthy work-life balance

Involvement in responsible business initiatives

Qualifications

• Motivated, good communicator ready to work in a team.
• Ability to manage multiple caseloads and deliver quality work.

Responsibilities

• Prepare legal documents for tribunal cases.
• Conduct legal research and summarize findings.
• Manage case files and keep accurate records.
• Liaise with clients to maintain relationships.

Skills

Legal research

Client communication

Case file management

Understanding of employment law

Education

Law degree

Job description

Overview

We are seeking to recruit a confident and ambitious Paralegal to join our highly regarded Employment department in Exeter on a full-time and permanent basis. Our Employment team provides expert advice and support to a wide range of clients, including businesses, public sector organisations, and individuals.

Our Team’s Responsibilities

• Advising on day-to-day HR and workforce issues such as contracts, policies, and disciplinary matters.
• Managing complex employment disputes, including tribunal claims and settlement negotiations.
• Supporting clients through organisational change, including redundancy, restructuring, and TUPE transfers.
• Advising on discrimination, equality, and diversity matters.
• Drafting and reviewing employment documentation, including contracts, handbooks, and restrictive covenants.
• Providing strategic advice on employment law compliance and risk management.
• Conducting independent external investigations into workplace issues such as grievances, disciplinary matters, and allegations of misconduct, ensuring impartiality and robust reporting.
• Business immigration support, including advising employers on sponsor licence applications, compliance obligations, and visa processes for recruiting international talent.

Key Responsibilities

• Assisting with the preparation of legal documents, bundles, and correspondence for employment tribunal cases and investigations.
• Conducting legal research and summarising findings to support advice.
• Managing case files and ensuring accurate record‑keeping and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Liaising with clients to gather information, provide updates, and maintain strong relationships.
• Supporting fee earners with project work, including organisational change processes, TUPE transfers, and policy reviews.

Qualifications

As a law graduate, ideally with previous legal experience in either an employment or litigation role, you will be enthusiastic about continuing your career in law. You will be a self‑motivated, good communicator who relishes working in a team and is ready to work proactively with colleagues to provide them with all the support they need in order to deliver great results for our clients. You will have an ability to understand and relate to clients’ needs, cope with pressures associated with handling multiple caseloads, be a quick learner, possess excellent IT skills, and be meticulous and thorough to deliver high quality work. You will demonstrate an ability to build strong and lasting relationships with clients and show a genuine commitment to their business needs. Being self‑motivated and ambitious, you will be keen to learn more about the sector.

Our Commitment

In return, as well as supporting your professional development through regular training, we will help you to grow your professional networks both internally and externally, providing an excellent foundation to continue your career in law. Our four core values – Be Open, Think Team, Make a Difference and Always Grow – shape who we are and how we work. We are committed to building an environment where our people can have a rewarding and meaningful career, maintaining a healthy work‑life balance and encouraging involvement in our Responsible Business programme.

Recruitment Process

Our recruitment process typically involves two stages, which are designed not only to explore your skills and experience but also to give you a real insight into what it’s like to work at Ashfords. Throughout the process, our dedicated Talent Attraction team will support you every step of the way. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and encourage you to apply even if you don’t feel you match all the requirements, as we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued and empowered to succeed.