Paralegal

National Highways; Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

National Highways is looking for a Paralegal to join the Operations and Legislation Legal Team. You will work with experienced lawyers on traffic regulation, highway law, and statutory instruments while supporting court proceedings and broader legal matters.

The role is hybrid, requiring two days per week in the office at Guildford or Birmingham. A law degree or GDL and strong communication are essential, with the ability to manage a busy caseload.

Qualifications

• Law degree or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) required or substantial relevant legal experience.
• Knowledge of public law would be advantageous.
• Excellent client handling skills and ability to work under pressure in a busy office.
• Strong written and verbal communication across all levels.
• Ability to independently manage a personal caseload.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist paralegal support to a busy in-house legal department and maintain high standards of client care.
• Support management of a varied civil litigation caseload and assist external lawyers representing National Highways.
• Provide legal and drafting support on operational and highway matters to the team.
• Monitor the team inbox, triage requests for legal advice and allocate to the right colleagues.
• Undertake legal research and provide general support as required.

Job description

Paralegal

This is an exciting opportunity to join National Highways' experienced in-house legal team as a Paralegal within the Operations and Legislation Legal Team. The team provides legal advice on operational matters arising from the day-to-day management of the strategic road network.

This is a varied role where you will apply your legal knowledge across areas including traffic regulation and management, highway law, statutory instruments, network claims, counter fraud, traffic officer powers and supporting colleagues involved in court proceedings. You will also have opportunities to contribute to wider legal matters across the organisation.

Working alongside experienced and qualified lawyers, you will gain valuable experience, develop your legal skills and play an important role in supporting the delivery of Road Investment Strategy 3.

This is a hybrid role, requiring two days per week in the office, based at the National Highways office in Guildford or Birmingham

• Provide specialist paralegal support to a busy in-house legal department, delivering a high standard of professional service and client care.
• Support the management of a varied civil litigation caseload, including claimant and defendant matters, and assist external lawyers acting on behalf of National Highways.
• Provide legal and drafting support to lawyers within the Operations and Legislation team on a range of operational and highway matters.
• Monitor the Legal Services team inbox, triage and allocate requests for legal advice, ensuring queries are directed to the appropriate team members.
• Undertake legal research and provide general legal support across the team as required.

About you.

• Law degree or Graduate Diploma in Law and / or relevant legal experience.
• Knowledge of public law or experience of working in a public law environment would also be an advantage.
• Excellent client handling skills and experience of working under pressure in a busy office environment
• Evidence of excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate across all levels.
• Evidence of ability to independently manage your own caseload.

About us.

Here at National Highways, we manage and improve England's motorways and major A roads, helping our customers have safer, smoother and more reliable journeys. Our priorities are safety, customers and delivery, and at the core of this are our values of passion, integrity, safety, teamwork and ownership.

Legal Services encompasses both the National Highways legal team and the company secretariat and Information Rights team. We aim to provide the organisation with an effective legal service and support the Board, Chief Executive, and its committees on a wide range of issues. We offer strategic legal advice on commercial, planning, operational, highways, employment, regulatory, and property matters, ensuring legal compliance and minimising exposure to risk.

External candidates will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of the pay scale, while current employees will be appointed in accordance with our established pay policy.

We are committed to creating a diverse environment and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.