Maritime, Trade and Offshore Finance Senior Paralegal

Stephenson Harwood LLP; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international law firm is seeking a paralegal to join their MTO Finance team in London. The role requires a minimum of 1 year paralegal experience, strong communication skills, and a law degree or equivalent. This position offers a hybrid working model and the opportunity to be part of a dynamic team focused on innovative financial solutions in shipping. The firm values diversity and encourages applications from underrepresented demographics.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 1 year’s paralegal experience is essential.
• Desirable experience or interest in shipping.
• Strong academics, including a law degree or GDL and LPC.

Responsibilities

• Work with the MTO Finance team and offer support as needed.
• Perform legal and factual research tasks.
• Prepare and draft correspondence.
• Prepare reports and basic notes of advice.
• Manage transactions, including organization and tracking case files.

Skills

Paralegal experience

Interest in shipping

Excellent drafting skills

Presentation skills

Communication skills

Good knowledge of Excel

Organized

Time management

Proactive

Team player

Education

Law degree or GDL and LPC

Job description

What we will offer

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We will offer you a place where you can be yourself and where there are no limits on what you can achieve. With us, you can take ownership of your career and have honest conversations throughout. You would join an ambitious firm with a clear strategy for profitable growth where you can get early responsibility and early involvement in growing the business. Here you can expect a competitive and fair reward as well as recognition based on all round performance. This forms part of our internal promise to you, The Deal, between the firm and its employees.

Team Structure

All of our fee‑earning paralegal roles in London sit within our integrated Paralegal Services group. This group was founded in 2021 to help build upon our already successful use of paralegals to the firm’s success and supporting our growth aspirations through the increased adoption of paralegals across all of our practices.

The integrated Paralegal Services team combines the advantages of paralegals being aligned to specific practices and the ability to gain tailored knowledge and experience, with the advantages in taking a firm wide best practice approach towards hiring, resourcing, developing and managing paralegals.

This specific role has a primary alignment to Maritime, Trade and Offshore (MTO) Finance.

Regarded as one of the leading ship finance firms in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Our award‑winning ship finance team is recognised for its commerciality and its ability to solve problems using innovative financing structures.

With 100 specialist lawyers spread across all our offices, we have one of the world’s largest shipping and offshore finance practices. Our global ship finance teams are ranked in the top tiers in the Global, European, UK and Asia‑Pacific editions of the leading legal directories with many of our partners being named as leading individuals.

Main Responsibilities

• Working with the MTO Finance team and offer support as needed
• Performing legal and factual research tasks
• Preparing and drafting correspondence
• Preparing reports and basic notes of advice
• Transaction Management – including organisation and tracking case files

Most of our roles are hybrid, meaning that colleagues benefit from working in our office and remotely. We are happy to discuss this and other flexible working arrangements with you as part of the application and interview process.

Attributes/Skills Required

• A minimum of 1 year’s paralegal experience – essential
• Experience or interest in shipping – desirable
• Strong academics, including a law degree or GDL and LPC
• Excellent drafting, presentation and communication skills
• Good knowledge of Excel
• Organised, with good time management skills and the ability to work to deadlines
• Proactive and resilient
• Team player

This job description is indicative only and does not represent an exhaustive list of responsibilities. The firm reserves the right to alter or change the responsibilities at any time, in line with the firm’s strategy and business needs.

About the Firm

Stephenson Harwood is an international law firm, and we’re committed to creating ‘positive partnerships’ with our clients. We represent listed and private companies, institutions and individuals, building lasting relationships to help them succeed in a complex and ever‑changing world.

Our focus is on five core sectors: Energy Transition, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Private Capital and Funds, Technology, and Transportation and Trade. With more than 1,400 people, including 210+ partners, across eight offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we combine deep legal capabilities and broad commercial expertise. We have also forged close ties with high‑quality law firms around the world, blending local knowledge with global savvy for clients in over 100 countries. We understand the power of diversity in delivering that high‑calibre advice to our clients. We want to attract diverse talent and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics. Our brand strengths:

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