Mental Health Trainee Solicitor Vacancy – Peterborough, Luton, Suffolk, Cambridge, Northampton

Reeds Solicitors Ltd; Luton; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm is seeking a proactive Trainee Solicitor for their Mental Health Department in Luton. The role offers comprehensive training and the opportunity to work within a collaborative team, ensuring high client care standards while gaining valuable experience in preparing cases for Mental Health Tribunals. This is a fixed-term position with potential for growth after a probationary period.

Benefits

Flexible working schemes

Discretionary bonus scheme

Private medical health care

Discounted gym membership

Cycle to Work scheme

Up to 30 days of holiday

Employee assistance programme

Celebration day off

Fresh fruit baskets weekly

Qualifications

• Must have a legal qualification such as LPC, ILEX or be qualifying via the SQE route.
• Good IT literacy and willingness to learn.
• Effective communication skills in English.

Responsibilities

• Assist solicitors in preparing cases for Mental Health Tribunals.
• Draft legal documents and prepare files for court hearings.
• Respond proactively to client calls and enquiries.

Skills

Attention to detail

Time management

Client care

Teamwork

Proactivity

Education

LPC or ILEX or SQE qualification

Job description

Reeds Solicitors has an exciting opportunity for a proactive Trainee solicitor to join our busy and highly regarded team based in Luton.As a Trainee, you will assist solicitors and litigators in preparing cases ready for Mental Health Tribunals. The Trainee will work within our busy Mental Health Department and will receive outstanding training, setting them up to becoming a superb Solicitor on qualification.

Please note that the training contract is subject to successfully completing your 3-month probationary period, and we will apply for that time as part of your qualifying work experience.

If you would like to apply, please email us at [e-mail] stating MENTAL HEALTH TRAINEE SOLICITOR APPLICATION in the subject line. We will send you an application form to complete.

Roles and Responsibilities

Our work is both challenging and varied and we will be looking for someone to join our busy Mental Health department.

It is essential for, at least, the first six months to be spent on the ground. This will either be in the office or shadowing other members of the team, attending client appointments and also external local appointments, to assist with development and integration into the department. In addition, the main duties include but are not limited to:

• Ensure that the firm’s high client care standard is maintained by responding to client calls and enquiries proactively and appropriately.
• Take clients instructions, review evidence and prepare legal documents under supervision.
• Draft correspondence to clients and third parties under supervision.
• Prepare cases and files for court hearings.
• Effectively manage time ensuring tight deadlines are met.
• Undertake tasks to develop and increase fee earning.
• Assist Team with any work overflow.
• Opening new files on the internal case management system.
• Saving evidence as it is served to the relevant file on the case management system.
• Completing legal forms as instructed by fee earners.
• Completing legal aid forms and billing files as instructed by fee earners.
• Answering calls received through the telephone line and dealing with queries in a professional and confidential manner, ensuring all messages are passed on accurately to the relevant fee earner.

Any other duties as requested by any member of the management team.

The Reeds Mental Health department is extremely collaborative and you would have the benefit of working with Mental Health colleagues across our offices, as well as the wider Court of Protection team when the need arises.

Person Specification

The right candidate:

• Must have a legal qualification such as LPC, ILEX (either completed in part or full), or be qualifying via the SQE route.
• Good communicator in both written and spoken English.
• Good understanding of client care requirements.
• Must be IT literate and be willing to learn.
• Must be proactive in seeking to assist fee earners.
• Consistent attention to detail.
• Excellent time management and organisation skills.
• Good teamwork ethics.
• Must be able to work well under pressure.
• Be proactive and able to work well without supervision.
• Must have a full UK driving license.

Salary:£31,000 per annum inside of London or £28,000 per annum for outside of London, dependent on experience.

Working Hours: 9:00am to 5.00pm, with one hour for lunch Monday – Friday

Job type: Fixed term 24 months if probation is passed.

Closing date:We reserve the right to amend the closing date or withdraw the advert without notice prior to the closing date.

Why Work for Reeds?

At Reeds we do things The Reeds Way – a set of foundational principles that not only tell us how we run our business, but why.

Externally, it governs how we look after our clients. For example, we have developed our Service Pledge, and our whole firm works as a team to make sure we deliver on this every time. The Reeds Way also governs and guides how we try to add value to the communities in which we operate. Internally, the Reeds Way governs our culture, the Reeds working environment, and the working life and career that we offer to all Reeds people.

So, what does all this look like when put into practice? Here is what you can expect from us if you join our team:

• We safeguard a non-negotiable culture of respect for and between colleagues;
• We offer a transparent and fair career development structure with opportunities for all lawyers and fee-earners to progress through the stages and become an Associate, Senior Associate and hopefully Partner;
• All our people – and that means all our people – constantly undergo training and development via The ‘Reeds Academy’ which helps everyone achieve their career goals and get to where they want to be professionally, and to enhance their skills and knowledge;
• We encourage all our staff to think about business development and look for growth opportunities. We are always willing to listen to, and potentially invest in, new ideas;
• We offer competitive salary and benefit packages and have a transparent annual review process which considers your whole contribution to your team and the Firm, not just billing figures;
• We offer to all staff a discretionary bonus scheme for exceptional performance;
• We offer flexible working schemes which include compressed 4 day weeks, 9 day fortnights and TOIL (time off in lieu), as well as other hybrid working schemes;
• You will enjoy the ability to earn up to 30 days of holiday with years of service (standard holiday packages start at 21 days plus all bank holidays);
• There is an additional paid celebration day for you to use as you would like (such as a birthday, anniversary or other key event);
• You will have the ability to buy a further 5 days of holiday, and sell surplus holiday, each year
• Discretionary additional holiday days are given at Christmas (up to a maximum of 2 days);
• We give you private medical health care with the option to upgrade and add optical and dental care;
• Discounted gym membership is available, through private medical insurance;
• We offer an employee assistance programme with access to physical, mental and emotional health advice & webinars, wellbeing videos and programmes, online counselling & mini health checks;
• The Cycle To Work scheme is available, including e-bikes;
• Fresh fruit baskets are placed in each office on a weekly basis.

If you are interested in this position, or would like further information, please [e-mail] with the job title clearly stated in the subject line.