Mental Health Paralegal

Please send your CV and cover letter to

– applications without a cover letter will not be accepted.

About GN Law

GN Law is an independent law firm with a committed team of solicitors, paralegals and support staff. We represent clients locally in North Finchley, Whetstone and Barnet and more widely across London and the UK.

Our team of around sixty people are passionate about the work that we do in supporting the most vulnerable in society and making law more accessible to all. We aspire to be empathic, efficient, and approachable in all that we do.

Our specialist areas of law include:

● Court of Protection
– safeguarding the rights and interests of vulnerable individuals, ensuring that any decisions made on their behalf are in their best interests, and providing a legal framework for managing their affairs when they lack the mental capacity to do so.

●
Mental Health
– supporting and representing patients detained under the Mental Health Act.

●
Claims Against Police & Public Authorities
– holding public authorities to account for misconduct, unlawful acts, and abuses of power.

●
Wills, trusts and probate
– legal advice and helping clients to plan for their future and the future of their families.

●
Family
– divorce proceedings, financial proceedings on divorce, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, private children matters and care proceedings.

About the Role

We are currently recruiting paralegals for our Mental Health Department
in our Finchley office. You will be supporting solicitors in advising and assisting people detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. The position is based at our North Finchley office in London.

It is essential that applicants have a genuine interest in, and commitment to, upholding the rights of detained patients and vulnerable individuals. It is preferable that applicants have a full driving licence and have use of a car, as the hospitals we visit are often remote.

Main Responsibilities

• Visiting clients in hospitals

• Reviewing medical records and reports, preparing witness statements and correspondence

• Conducting legal research and preparing clients for their tribunal hearing

• Liaising with clients, family members, experts, and other professionals

• Managing elements of your own caseload under supervision

• Contributing to departmental and firm-wide initiatives

Person Specification

Essential:

• Punctual, reliable, and willing to travel to client visits

• Good organisational skills able to manage time efficiently and meet deadlines

• Strong attention to detail

• Sensitive to the needs of vulnerable clients

• Good communication skills, both written and verbal

• A qualifying law degree or SQE1 equivalent

• Right to work in the UK for an extended period.

Desirable:

•Some understanding or experience of mental health or mental capacity law

• Completion of the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or SQE2

• Exposure to vulnerable client groups or secure services is beneficial but not essential

• Previous paralegal experience in areas such as mental health, personal injury, clinical negligence, or elderly client work is desirable but not essential

Career Development

• Many of our paralegals go on to secure a 2-year training contract with us, either through the LPC or as Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) linked to the SQE
• We are looking for candidates eager to build a long-term career at GN Law, with a clear passion for this area of law and a desire to progress within the firm.

Employment terms

Salary
– £24,000 pa. Increases are subject to annual review and the GN Law pay policy.

Pension
– The post-holder will be enrolled automatically in the GN Law pension scheme.

Contract type
– Permanent, subject to satisfactory completion of a 6-month probationary period.

Hours
– 37.5 hours a week.

Location
– GN Law offices, Lodge Lane, North Finchley, London – hybrid working available.

Annual leave
– 20 days in addition to public holidays. The leave year is 1 January–31 December and leave is calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Maternity /Paternity and shared parental leave
– We offer an enhanced package of maternity/shared parental pay.

Application process

Please send your CV and cover letter to

– applications without a cover letter will not be accepted.

• You must demonstrate how you meet all of the essential criteria in the Person Specification

• If you do not have access to email, you can send a paper application to the address given on the application form. Please get in touch if you have any other access requirements in order to submit an application

• All applicants are also requested to complete and submit an
  Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form available via the Careers page
  on our website. Any information collated from this form will not be used as part of the selection process and will be treated as strictly confidential

• We cannot be held responsible for applications that do not reach us, or that arrive after the deadline

• Interviews will take place over two stages. An initial interview will be carried out online. The second stage will be held at our office, 2A Lodge Lane, London N12 8JR

• If you are shortlisted for an initial interview, we will contact you directly

• No references will be taken up until a provisional offer of employment has been made

• Unsuccessful applicants will be informed by email.