Paralegal Jobs

About Hempsons

With 250 staff and lawyers working across our five offices nationwide, Hempsons is a leading law firm for the health and social care, charity, education and social enterprise sectors, with a growing practice in police misconduct and discipline.  We help clients overcome a constantly evolving list of challenges.  This is a time of change and opportunity for our clients, as highlighted by recent investment into the NHS and the sharpening focus on innovation, technology, integration, new ways of working and efficiency.

Our aim is to provide outstanding legal services that deliver the best possible client outcomes whilst nurturing a culture that makes us a “great place to work”.

The Role:

You will support a team of solicitors and legal advisors (three partners, a senior consultant, a consultant, two solicitors, a senior legal advisor, and trainees).The team specialises in regulatory, crime and professional discipline work on behalf of individual healthcare practitioners and police officers.

We defend doctors, dentists and other healthcare practitioners in proceedings before their regulatory body, represent them (and other professionals) in police station interviews and in magistrates and crown court proceedings, represent them at inquests, and assist them with professional disciplinary matters that may arise with their employers.

We act for police officers (often on instructions from the Police Federation of England & Wales or insurers), defending them in police misconduct/gross misconduct proceedings, representing them at police station interviews under caution and through any criminal proceedings which follow, as well as in specialist post-incident procedures and at inquests.

Given the nature of our work, experience of, and confidence in, advising and assisting at police stations, including police station accreditation, would be a significant advantage.

There may also be an opportunity to work with other teams (such as the litigation and advisory teams) if necessary.

Your key responsibilities will include (but not be limited to):

•            Assisting lawyers (in particular those undertaking work on behalf of police officers) with preparation of cases for hearing, including bundles for court/tribunal and attending hearings with counsel to assist and take a note;

•            Assisting lawyers with cases especially in relation to document management and records;

•            Attending conferences with counsel and client meetings, including minute taking;

•            Attending police station interviews and post-incident procedures;

•            Undertaking a wide range of tasks to help support the progression of cases.

Skills and Competencies:

•            A law degree 2:1 or equivalent experience and police station accreditation or relevant previous experience of police misconduct/police station/criminal defence work;

•            A genuine interest in this area of law;

•            Excellent organisational skills and IT skills;

•            Strong communication and interpersonal skills;

•            Ability to work within a team and independently;

•            Ability to plan and prioritise work to ensure deadlines are met;

•            An appreciation of the need to comply with internal and client data security guidelines.

Hempsons is an equal opportunities employer

Hempsons is committed to providing equal opportunities for all and to encouraging diversity through recruitment. Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and decisions to progress will be made with reference to entirely objective criteria only.