Paralegal

Shoosmiths; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

Shoosmiths in Birmingham is seeking a paralegal to support our Real Estate Occupier team with a range of post-completion and transaction work.

You will manage files from start to finish, draft leases, prepare schedules, liaise with clients and external solicitors, and help with data room set-ups and Land Registry tasks.

The role offers exposure to large portfolio work within a leading national firm and opportunities to develop practical, client-focused skills.

Qualifications

• Degree and ideally LPC or ILEX qualified.
• 6 months' previous paralegal experience within a similar role, or previous paralegal experience within a professional environment
• Excellent client care skills, with an ability to deliver a quality service to both internal and external clients
• Ability to work in a high-pressure environment with short deadlines
• Enthusiastic with a positive, can do attitude
• Good working knowledge of various applications - word, excel, outlook
• Excellent communication skills
• A methodical approach with keen attention paid to every detail
• Good organisational skills to ensure that the tasks are effectively scheduled within working time available, and that urgent work is completed and returned within the specified timescales
• Able to integrate within a team as well as working on one’s own initiative
• Remaining calm under pressure

Responsibilities

• Assisting on large portfolio transactions, including setting up and uploading information in data rooms, drafting documents and document management;
• Assisting a busy department with post-completion real estate transactional work, including serving notices of assignment and making Land Registry applications;
• Assisting on various types of real estate transactions;
• Communicating with clients and external solicitors (both in writing and by telephone) to deal with queries in relation to both post-completion work and own matters;
• Completing property reports and schedules;
• The drafting and reviewing of leases and preparing outstanding points tables;
• Liaising with SDLT team and responding on queries;
• Assisting with various other tasks as required i.e. carrying out winding up searches, contacting insurers to obtain title insurance and drafting insurance demands & needs statements;
• Managing and running own files from the start of a transaction to the end.

Skills

Client care

Communication skills

Under pressure

Organisational skills

Team player

Detail oriented

Education

Degree

LPC or ILEX

Tools

Word/Excel/Outlook

Job description

The Team

Our Real Estate group is one of the largest real estate teams in the UK, advising an impressive range of clients including commercial and residential developers, investors, major corporate occupiers, and banks/funders. Offering exceptional market knowledge, the team holds an outstanding reputation with clients and the market generally. “Clients are full of admiration for this team, noting it combines outstanding technical expertise with a “very” responsive service” (Chambers).

The role

The Team

Our Real Estate group is one of the largest real estate teams in the UK, advising an impressive range of clients including commercial and residential developers, investors, major corporate occupiers, and banks/funders. Offering exceptional market knowledge, the team holds an outstanding reputation with clients and the market generally. “Clients are full of admiration for this team, noting it combines outstanding technical expertise with a “very” responsive service” (Chambers).

Our Occupier team has an impressive client roster and is highly regarded in the market for its depth of expertise and knowledge. The team is investing in growth nationally and is focussed on attracting great talent and great clients.

To find out more about the team, please click here.

The successful candidate will primarily assist the team in Birmingham with:

• Assisting on large portfolio transactions, including setting up and uploading information in data rooms, drafting documents and document management;
• Assisting a busy department with post-completion real estate transactional work, including serving notices of assignment and making Land Registry applications;
• Assisting on various types of real estate transactions;
• Communicating with clients and external solicitors (both in writing and by telephone) to deal with queries in relation to both post-completion work and own matters;
• Completing property reports and schedules;
• The drafting and reviewing of leases and preparing outstanding points tables;
• Liaising with SDLT team and responding on queries;
• Assisting with various other tasks as required i.e. carrying out winding up searches, contacting insurers to obtain title insurance and drafting insurance demands & needs statements;
• Managing and running own files from the start of a transaction to the end.

This role involves working with all members of the team and is key in supporting our delivery of excellent client service.

Skills & Qualifications

• Degree and ideally LPC or ILEX qualified
• 6 months' previous paralegal experience within a similar role, or previous paralegal experience within a professional environment
• Excellent client care skills, with an ability to deliver a quality service to both internal and external clients
• Ability to work in a high-pressure environment with short deadlines
• Enthusiastic with a positive, can do attitude
• Good working knowledge of various applications - word, excel, outlook
• Excellent communication skills
• A methodical approach with keen attention paid to every detail
• Good organisational skills to ensure that the tasks are effectively scheduled within working time available, and that urgent work is completed and returned within the specified timescales
• Able to integrate within a team as well as working on one’s own initiative
• Remaining calm under pressure

The Firm

Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking and above all for our ability to focus on what matters. From offices across the UK and Brussels, we support some of the world’s most exciting and ambitious businesses; amazing clients making an impact. We empower our people to be their authentic selves and deliver together in supportive teams committed to excellence and innovation. The first top 50 law firm to achieve ‘Platinum Standard’ Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm.

We have an outstanding benefits package to complement our competitive remuneration system. In addition to the competitive salaries, great working environment and high-quality work, we believe that all staff should be rewarded for their commitment to the continued success of the firm through a comprehensive and flexible range of benefits.

To discover more about our benefits, please visit: Benefits Package

Shoosmiths is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. Disability Confident is a government scheme designed to encourage employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term conditions. The Disability Confident scheme replaced the Two Ticks Positive about Disabled People scheme. We had been accredited as a two tick employer for many years - Disability Confident broadens and develops that original commitment, and demonstrates we have adopted a proactive approach to employing disabled people and developing their abilities.

As part of our accreditation, we commit to interviewing any applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria for each vacancy. In some circumstances we may only be able to interview those that best meet the essential criteria due to the volume of applications received.

Further information on the Disability Confident scheme is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to and usable by everyone. If you have a disability or long-term condition and would like to receive information in a different way, or need us to make any adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please get in touch with the Talent Acquisition team on [e-mail]. We can consider your needs and requirements, and how we can assist you to apply for our roles. For example we can provide a copy of our application via email so that you can complete it using your own accessibility software.

Equal opportunities

Our approach to our people is underpinned by our approach to diversity, inclusion and well-being. Our ambition is to build a diverse and ambitious workforce that reflects all backgrounds and talents, and a workplace that is supportive and inclusive, recognises and nurtures talent, and has a strong sense of community between colleagues.

This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.