Paralegal

Reed Smith LLP.; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Reed Smith LLP in Leeds is seeking a Paralegal to join a hybrid Corporate Support and Sanctions Screening team. You will handle day-to-day tasks on live matters under close supervision and help develop broad regulatory compliance capabilities.

This entry-level role offers exposure to transactional and regulatory work, with scope for future specialisation, and requires strong teamwork, organisation and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification required (2:1 or equivalent).
• Up to 12 months' prior relevant paralegal experience (or experience as a foreign qualified lawyer).

Responsibilities

• Handle day-to-day workload on live matters under close supervision, completing assigned tasks accurately and within agreed timescales.
• Deliver work to a high standard in line with applicable quality expectations and required hours targets.
• Prepare execution versions of legal documents and coordinate document signing and completion processes.
• Manage and track signing processes, ensuring documentation is executed accurately and within required timeframes.
• Assist with the administration and management of conditions precedent processes, including maintaining checklists and monitoring completion requirements.
• Conduct sanctions screening and related compliance checks in accordance with firm procedures and client requirements.
• Draft and manage client, counterparty and stakeholder correspondence relating to ongoing transactions and screening activities.
• Support project and transaction management activities, including maintaining trackers, monitoring deadlines and coordinating deliverables across multiple stakeholders.

Skills

Teamwork

Adaptability

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

Deadline management

MS Office

Resilience

Interpersonal skills

Can-do attitude

Self-improvement

Education

Degree-level qualification (2:1 or equivalent)

Desirable: Law degree or Graduate Diploma in Law

Tools

Microsoft Office

Virtual data rooms

Document management systems

Transaction management tools

Job description

Position summary

Working within a delivery team, the Paralegal is an entry-level or junior-level role responsible for managing day-to-day work on live matters under close supervision. The role supports a hybrid Corporate Support and Sanctions Screening practice, assisting with transactional and regulatory compliance activities while developing broad capability as a general resource for the team, with scope for later specialisation.

Job duties and responsibilities

Core Responsibilities

• Handle day-to-day workload on live matters under close supervision, completing assigned tasks accurately and within agreed timescales.
• Deliver work to a high standard in line with applicable quality expectations and required hours targets.
• Assist with other tasks required by the manager, the relevant practice group and other groups across the global firm.
• Contribute to the maintenance of relevant delivery frameworks and standard operating procedures as directed by the manager.
• Identify personal training and development needs and address them with the manager or through individual learning.
• Apply a continuous improvement mindset and identify opportunities to improve processes within assigned work.
• Learn to use relevant technology solutions for service delivery and identify opportunities to apply technology to improve outcomes.
• Build effective working relationships with colleagues, stakeholders and, where relevant, the firm's clients.
• Provide peer-level quality control review of work produced by colleagues when requested by the manager.

Corporate Support and Sanctions Screening Responsibilities

• Undertake basic transactional due diligence in support of corporate transactions and related matters.
• Prepare execution versions of legal documents and coordinate document signing and completion processes.
• Manage and track signing processes, ensuring documentation is executed accurately and within required timeframes.
• Assist with the administration and management of conditions precedent processes, including maintaining checklists and monitoring completion requirements.
• Compile, organise and maintain transaction bibles, executed originals and related matter records to support transaction execution and compliance requirements.
• Conduct sanctions screening and associated compliance checks in accordance with firm procedures and client requirements.
• Escalate potential sanctions and compliance issues appropriately and under supervision.
• Draft and manage client, counterparty and stakeholder correspondence relating to ongoing transactions and screening activities.
• Support project and transaction management activities, including maintaining trackers, monitoring deadlines and coordinating deliverables across multiple stakeholders.

Job duties and responsibilities included are not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary. Reed Smith reserves the right to revise or modify job duties and responsibilities at any time.

Required skills and experience

Essential

• Enjoys working as part of a team and adapts working style to support effective teamwork.
• Comfortable with change and embraces opportunities to work faster and smarter.
• Demonstrates strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities and tight deadlines without compromising quality or client service.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and able to learn new software quickly.
• Demonstrates resilience under pressure and accountability for delivery against objectives and deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships.
• Able to work proactively within a global organisation.
• Reliable, organised and able to anticipate and address potential issues.
• Demonstrates ownership of continuous development and self-improvement.
• Positive and pragmatic "can-do" approach.

Desirable

• Exposure to corporate transactions, company secretarial work or transactional support activities.
• Experience undertaking due diligence, KYC, sanctions screening or other compliance-related reviews.
• Familiarity with transaction management tools, virtual data rooms and document management systems.
• Experience coordinating multiple stakeholders and competing deadlines across complex matters.

Qualifications

Essential

• Up to 12 months' prior relevant paralegal experience (or experience as a foreign qualified lawyer) gained within a professional services environment.
• Degree-level qualification required (2:1 or equivalent).

Desirable

• Law degree, Graduate Diploma in Law, or equivalent qualification from a common law jurisdiction.

Supervisory responsibilities

Reports to the Managing Staff Attorney. The role has no formal direct reports or people-management responsibilities. The successful candidate may be asked to undertake peer-level quality control review activities as directed by their manager.