Construction Paralegal

Harrison Drury is a market leading Firm of solicitors with offices across the North West servicing both business and private clients. We have been successful for a fifth time placing in the Top 100 Best Mid-Size Companies to work for in the UK. We are an employer of choice because we have a culture that challenges the conventional law firm approach and focusses our energy on getting great results for our clients, while attracting and developing brilliant people.

The firm has a specialist construction department lead by Katherine Sibley who is a Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer. The construction team provides quality legal services, both contentious and non-contentious to a whole array of clients across the construction industry including contractors, developers, architects and engineers aswell as to residential homeowners. On the non-contentious side the team is skilled in drafting whole suites of construction documentation including construction & engineering contracts, subcontractor terms & conditions, professional appointments, collateral warranties, parent company guarantees, performance bonds and letters of reliance. The team has working knowledge of the main industry forms of construction contract including JCT, NEC, IChemE and FIDIC. The team specialises in contentious construction disputes dealing with breach of contract claims, loss & expense and delay & disruption claims, professional negligence disputes and adjudication enforcements. The team is experienced at running claims in the Technology & Construction Court and using ADR including adjudication, arbitration and mediation.

We are looking to recruit a paralegal at graduate level with a keen interest in Construction Law to either our Preston or Kendal office. Full training will be provided.

The role:

• Responsibility for managing own files, with supervision as required
• Attending client meetings and preparing detailed minutes
• Liaising with Counsel, the Court and other third parties
• Effective administration of the Files. This includes Matter Opening, Matter Closing, Matter Archiving and data updates and billing during the course of a matter
• Ensuring file compliance with relevant regulatory standards and the Office Manual processes
• Using the information in client files to inform the Fee Earner of required action, keep the critical dates accurate and action upon them as required
• Producing Case Bundles in accordance with case requirements and CPR Rules
• Managing meetings for Fee Earners when requested
• Dealing with new enquiries on the phone or by email and converting into new matters and liaising with existing clients for Fee Earner
• Undertaking legal research tasks for Fee Earners
• Drafting documents including correspondence and Court documents
• Preparing relevant legal updates and blog articles for the website

Skills and experience

• Strong academics with law degree
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong planning and organisational skills. Ability to prioritise and manage competing demands
• Legal research skills
• Ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines.
• Experience of working in a Law firm or other professional environment

Desirable

• Previous role as an Administrator / Paralegal in a Legal service line team
• Experience with SOS or similar legal case management systems
• Familiarity with legal documents in a contentious practice area, ideally in relation to County Court and High Court proceedings