Paralegal - Court of Protection

JMW Solicitors; Manchester; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

JMW Solicitors is seeking a Paralegal to join their Court of Protection team in Manchester. This role involves supporting clients with financial and property affairs, ensuring their needs are met in a compassionate manner.

Ideal candidates will possess at least 1 year of relevant experience and have a strong commitment to client care. The position offers a permanent, full-time opportunity with a focus on helping vulnerable individuals manage their financial affairs.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of experience in Court of Protection or transferable professional skills.
• Commitment to excellent client care and support for vulnerable clients.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills.

Responsibilities

• Managing property and financial affairs of individuals lacking mental capacity.
• Supporting solicitor file handlers in their cases.
• Communicating with clients and external parties regarding financial management.

Skills

Client care

Financial planning

Excellent communication skills

Attention to detail

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Paralegal - Court of Protection

Department: Court of Protection

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Manchester

Description

We're looking for a Paralegal to join our award-winning Court of Protection team in Manchester, as our team and workload grows.

The Court of Protection department look after the property and financial affairs of individuals who lack mental capacity to do themselves.

Key Responsibilities

• Carrying out work on a broad range of property & financial affairs deputyship and some personal injury trust matters, arising from both personal injury and clinical negligence both currently in litigation as well as having settled, and/or from the Office of the Public Guardian panel and local authorities.
• Administrative and paralegal grade D work within a sub-team within the wider department. Supporting the solicitor file handlers (along with the other paralegals) with their cases.
• Making regular payments to clients and third parties, keeping accurate schedules of income and expenditure and cash management, forecasting future spending and creating and maintaining budgets.
• Dealing with utility bills and other household/everyday bills and invoices, verifying payee details, setting up bank accounts and cards for clients and consolidating bank accounts.
• Liaising with DWP, benefits agencies, banks, utility providers, pension or other income providers, local authority, social workers, NS&I and other financial institutions, any debtors, care homes, NHS, care providers, therapists/clinicians, case managers, and other professional bodies.
• Day to day contact with and supporting clients, their families and care providers, dealing with their individual lifestyle requirements, providing practical advice and supporting and protecting their needs on a wide range of issues including financial planning, management of their funds and assets and care arrangements.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

We are looking for people with either 1 years’ experience in Court of Protection or in a professional role with transferable skills such as accounts, payroll, financial planning, tax, banking, administration or any role involving budgeting and processing of payments with ‘life experience’ in the management of their own property and financial affairs.

To be successful in this role, you should also be able to demonstrate:

• A commitment to excellent client care, court of protection work and helping vulnerable clients.
• A positive, can-do, professional attitude, resilience, and emotional intelligence.
• Strong work ethic, working to own initiative and showing good team working skills.
• Excellent IT skills with experience in Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Ability to communicate well orally and in writing, including dealing directly with clients when required.
• Strong attention to detail, organisational and administrative skills.
• Numerate.
• Ability to prioritise tasks efficiently and when to seek input/supervision.

You would preferably be able to demonstrate the following (or will be trained over first 6 months in role):

• Commercial awareness (time recording, billing and cost proportionality).
• Understanding utility bills and payment of household/general outgoings.
• Basic understanding of mental incapacity and options for care funding.