Paralegal

We’re a national law firm with a local reach. Our philosophy is ‘Expert Hand, Human Touch’ – something you’ll find in the way we work with our clients and how we support our teams. But we’re more than just a law firm – we’re a team of people working together to help individuals and businesses navigate life’s ups and downs. Working here you’ll feel a part of our friendly and inclusive environment. We’ll value you for who you are and what you bring. We support each other and push boundaries to achieve incredible things and make a real difference to our clients and communities.

We are always looking to support our colleagues in working in a way that best works for them. Please do speak to one of our Talent Acquisition Team to find out more information about our flexible working policies, including working from home.

We are looking to add a talented Paralegal to our Public Law & Human Rights team to be based in Gatwick.

There is an exciting opportunity available in our Public Law and Human Rights team in our Gatwick office working alongside a team of solicitors, mainly working within the area of education. The team works nationally and specialises in assisting private clients to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal, the Education Health and Care Plan process and liaising with the local authorities in respect of any failings. The work is varied and includes work with schools and colleges along with some legal aid work.

Our Public Law and Human Rights department is ranked as a leader in a range of fields in both the Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 directories many of our solicitors are ranked individually.

We are instructed in interesting and often high profile, cutting-edge cases. We have forged a national reputation for our work on test cases. We have a national reach, with public law teams in ten offices across the country.

This position would suit a well-motivated individual who has a genuine interest in working within Public Law & Human Rights. The successful candidate must…

• hold an undergraduate degree or equivalent;
• be willing to travel to the Gatwick office twice a week;
• have some paralegal or public law experience, particularly within the above areas (other areas of law would be advantageous but not essential);
• have excellent client care skills and a sensitive, sympathetic understanding of clients’ needs;
• have excellent analytical and organisational skills in order to take a thorough approach to documenting work;
• be IT literate and have great attention to detail;
• be able to operate independently and as part of a team to deliver the best outcomes for our clients;
• a working knowledge of legal aid systems is desirable.

We’re proud of our values, and we’re looking for people who share them;

• To be pioneering with an imaginative outlook
• To be approachable and caring
• To be tenacious in the pursuit of our objectives
• To be efficient in the provision of our services
• To work with a foundation of integrity.

If you thrive on being busy and can adapt well to new challenges, then we will give you all the training and support you’ll need to help you succeed in this highly rewarding role.

• Flexible working options - Make work fit around your life, not the other way around.
• 25 days holidays as standard - You can ‘buy’ up to 35hrs of extra holiday too
• Generous and flexible pension schemes.
• Volunteering days - Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid!)
• Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.

We also offer a wide range of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported to work in a way that best suits you. This includes our Flexible by Choice programme which gives our colleagues more choice over how they wish to work subject to role and client requirements. We have recently been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2023!

Our responsible business programmes are fundamental to who we are and our purpose. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish, and we have established a number of inclusion network groups across our business to support this aim. Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It’s made up of four strands: Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono.

As part of the Irwin Mitchell Group’s on-boarding process all successful applicants are required to complete the group’s employment screening process. This process helps to ensure that all new employees meet our standards in relation to honesty and integrity therefore protecting the interests of the Group, existing employees, clients, partners and other stakeholders.

Depending on the role you apply for we may carry out checks that will establish your eligibility to work in the UK, and criminal record check and financial checks with a credit reference agency will also be undertaken.

The employment screening process will fully comply with Data Protection and other applicable laws.

Irwin Mitchell LLP is an equal opportunity employer.