Reeds Solicitors LLP is looking for a Legal Assistant to join their busy and highly regarded Court of Protection team based in the Bristol office. This is an exciting opportunity to join their fast growing and supportive department across England and Wales with flexible and hybrid work available.
Reeds Solicitors is looking for a keen and hardworking Legal Assistant, who is interested in Court of Protection work. No previous CoP or Legal Assistant experience is needed, but we do need someone who will be confident getting stuck in from the outset, drafting documents and statements for the court, liaising with other professionals, and communicating with clients. If you have any personal or professional experience supporting people with learning disabilities, autism, dementia or mental health diagnoses then they would be particularly interested to hear from you.
More information about the work that we do can be found here:
Court of Protection Solicitors – Reeds Solicitors LLP
Reeds Solicitors is a very progressive company and offer development opportunities to all employees. It runs an annual trainee solicitor recruitment process, and all internal candidates are automatically offered a first stage interview. Therefore, this role may be suitable to someone who is looking to obtain a training contract and progress as a solicitor.
Roles and Responsibilities
The work is both challenging and varied and Reeds Solicitors is looking for someone to join their busy team, working closely with the Team Leader.
The right candidate would:
- Assist with diary management and administrative duties such as preparing court bundles;
- Prepare applications for and liaise with the Legal Aid Agency;
- Assist solicitors throughout all stages of case preparation, including:
- Attending court hearings and meetings with solicitors and/or counsel;
- Drafting court documents including applications, witness statements, briefs to counsel and letters of instruction to experts;
- Considering disclosure and evidence and preparing notes of the same;
- Attending client visits in hospitals, care homes and other care settings;
- Any other duties as directed by the Team Leader.
The Reeds Complex Crime department is extremely collaborative and you would have the benefit of working with your criminal defence colleagues across our offices, as well as the wider team when the need arises.
Person Specification
Essential:
- Must hold an undergraduate degree or equivalent;
- Must be an excellent communicator and have a good understanding of the client’s needs to achieve the best possible outcomes;
- Must have a genuine passion for this area of practice and emotional intelligence given the nature of the work;
- Must have a good understanding of client care requirements and a commitment to legal aid;
- Must be enthusiastic about expanding skills and knowledge and keen to keep abreast of developments in case law and practice and procedure;
- Must be a keen team player;
- Must have excellent time management and organisational skills and confidence working in a fast-paced environment.
Desirable:
- Have some paralegal or CoP/public law/human rights legal experience.
- Have a full UK driving licence.
Salary – Up to £24,720 per annum depending on experience.
Working Hours – Monday – Friday, 9:00am to 5.00pm, with one hour for lunch, flexible and hybrid working is also available.
Job Type – Permanent
Closing Date – We reserve the right to amend the closing date or withdraw the advert without notice prior to the closing date.
Why Work for Reeds?
At Reeds we do things The Reeds Way – a set of foundational principles that not only tell us how we run our business, but why.
Externally, it governs how we look after our clients. For example, we have developed our Service Pledge, and our whole firm works as a team to make sure we deliver on this every time. The Reeds Way also governs and guides how we try to add value to the communities in which we operate.
Internally, the Reeds Way governs our culture, the Reeds working environment, and the working life and career that we offer to all Reeds people – About Us – Reeds Solicitors
We are a forward thinking, dynamic, Leading Top Tier Legal 500 company, who put their clients and employees first. We are a fun and flexible firm with good opportunities for development and career progression, in fact we have been award-shortlisted for our flexible working and wellbeing policies. We expect a lot from our employees but in return we offer:
- A culture of respect for colleagues and the best possible service for our clients.
- Employee assistance programme with access to physical, mental and emotional health advice & webinars, wellbeing videos and programmes, online counselling & mini health check
- We safeguard a non-negotiable culture of respect for and between colleagues;
- We offer a transparent and fair career development structure with opportunities for all lawyers and fee-earners to progress through the stages and become an Associate, Senior Associate and hopefully Partner;
- All our people – and that means all our people – constantly undergo training and development via The ‘Reeds Academy’ which helps everyone achieve their career goals and get to where they want to be professionally, and to enhance their business skills and knowledge;
- We encourage all our staff to think about business development and look for growth opportunities. We are always willing to listen to, and potentially invest in, new ideas;
- We offer competitive salary and benefit packages and have a transparent annual review process which considers your whole contribution to your team and the Firm, not just billing figures;
- We offer to all staff a discretionary bonus scheme for exceptional performance as well as performance related bonuses;
- We offer flexible working schemes which include compressed 4 day weeks, 9 day fortnights and TOIL (time off in lieu), as well as a true commitment to hybrid working;
- You will enjoy the ability to earn up to 30 days of holiday with years of service (standard holiday packages start at 21 days plus all bank holidays);
- There is an additional paid celebration day for you to use as you would like (such as a birthday, anniversary or other key event);
- You will have the ability to buy a further 5 days of holiday, and sell surplus holiday, each year;
- Discretionary additional holiday days are given at Christmas (up to a maximum of 2 days);
- We give you private medical health care with the option to upgrade and add optical and dental care;
- Discounted gym membership is available, through private medical insurance;
- We offer an employee assistance programme with access to physical, mental and emotional health advice & webinars, wellbeing videos and programmes, online counselling & mini health checks;
- The Cycle To Work scheme is available, including e-bikes;
- Fresh fruit baskets are placed in each office on a weekly basis.
Read more about Reeds Solicitors here.
How to Apply
If you are interested in this position, or would like further information, please email [email protected] with the job title clearly stated in the subject line.