Paralegal Manager

Osborne Clarke; West of England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Osborne Clarke is recruiting a Paralegal Manager for the PREF group, based in Bristol with occasional travel to Reading and London. The role oversees paralegals across Real Estate, Banking, Construction, Planning and Environmental and Projects, including pastoral care and training delivery.

The Paralegal Manager will develop careers within a two-line-management structure and report to the Operations Director. Excellent people-management skills are essential; a qualified lawyer is not required.

Qualifications

• Excellent people-management skills.
• Paralegals line management across multiple practice areas.
• Role does not require being a qualified lawyer.

Responsibilities

• Daily management of the paralegals.
• Resolution of daily and ongoing management issues.
• Producing management reports.
• Providing pastoral care to team members.
• Managing absences and ensuring adequate cover.
• Ensuring provision of administrative support for the team.
• Supporting the Operations Director with reports and diary management.
• Resource forecasting and planning for short/medium/long term.
• Recruitment and induction of new paralegals.
• Monitor performance against the paralegal contribution framework.
• Coordinate training and development plans.

Skills

People management

Paralegal coordination

Job description

Role profile

We have an exciting new role for a Paralegal Manager to join our Projects, Real Estate and Finance (PREF) group. This role will be based in our Bristol office, with occasional travel to our Reading and London offices.

Overview

To line manage our paralegals who work across our practice group (including Real Estate, Banking, Construction, Planning and Environmental and Projects).

To be responsible for the pastoral care and delivery of training to the paralegals.

To lead the development of the paralegals' careers in line with a contribution framework.

Background

We have over 20 paralegals who span the full range of work across the different practice areas. They are primarily located in our Bristol office, with others based in our London and Reading offices.

There is a wide range of experience and roles from brand new paralegals to senior paralegals, who are about to qualify as solicitors and are seeking associate roles.

With the introduction of our new paralegal contribution framework, setting out what is expected from each of the four levels of paralegal contribution, this anticipates each paralegal having two line managers, the Paralegal Manager and a technical line manager with whom that paralegal regularly works.

The Paralegal Manager will be responsible for all line management of those paralegals, but not technical supervision.

They will work closely with the technical line managers and report to the Operations Director.

We are seeking a candidate with excellent people-management skills. They need not be a qualified lawyer.

• Daily management of the paralegals
• Resolution of daily and other on-going management issues.
• Producing management reports.
• Providing pastoral care to team members.
• Managing, approving and recording absences (sickness, annual leave etc.) and ensuring the provision of appropriate cover.
• Ensuring adequate provision of administrative support is in place for the team.
• Supporting the Operations Director with administrative tasks, including running reports and some diary management.
• Resource management
• Forecasting and planning resource requirements over the short, medium and long term.
• Recruitment and induction of new paralegals.

Performance management

• Constantly monitoring the performance of the paralegal in meeting the requirements set out in the paralegals contribution framework and proactively identifying and implementing agreed improvements to working practices.
• Monitoring and managing processes for ensuring the team delivers work to the required quality standards.
• Performance management of team members in line with the firm's review structure, including performance improvement where necessary.
• Management of the team and individual's training requirements, skills, development and progression plans.
• Stakeholder management
• Working with challenging stakeholders in what can be a highly pressured working environment to meet their requirements.
• Work with the Client Partners to ensure the correct level of paralegal support is in place.
• Working Practices
• Instigate and manage projects to improve the utilisation and working practices of the paralegal teams.

About Us

Osborne Clarke is an international legal practice with over 330 Partners and more than 1,260 talented lawyers in 26 locations*. Our sector-based approach enables us to help our clients tackle the issues they are facing today, and prepare for the ones that they will face tomorrow. Advising them both comprehensively and commercially. We love working closely with our clients on new deals, products and solutions which will transform their businesses, markets and even sectors. And our unique approachable culture is not an added extra, it's fundamental to our success.

At Osborne Clarke we value difference and encourage applicants from all backgrounds.

We want everyone to feel that OC is a place where you can be yourself and belong, and our range of interest groups and diversity networks - not to mention our great teams - are a part of making that a reality.

We value the health and wellbeing of our people and our wide range of initiatives and benefits support this.

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