Working as a Paralegal in our Private Client Advisory Team, you will assist the team in providing quality legal advice and other legal services to the firm's clients. You’ll be confident processing client work allocated to you by your supervisor. Your workload will be split between two work areas – working with vulnerable adult clients to support in the management of their financial estates on behalf of their attorneys and working on estate administration for deceased individuals.

Your Role and What You'll Be Doing

You’ll be able to work quickly and accurately whilst also always giving excellent client care. Given the nature of the role, it’s essential that you are an exceptional and confident communicator as you’ll work as part of a highly respected team to assist clients and the firm’s trust corporation to the highest of your ability.

If you are looking for the next step in your career and would like to join a friendly and well-respected team, we would love to hear from you.

The role will include:

• LPA preparation/EPA registration/COP applications - to take initial instructions from clients and to advise, after consultation with the Supervising Team Leader, on the legal action and all alternatives open to the client.
• To draft appropriate LPA/EPA registration forms/COP application forms and take forward applications.
• To keep the client informed as required by the firm's and department's set procedures.
• To assist with tasks on Deputy/Attorney management matters for the Team, to ensure work is carried out at correct level (under supervision of Supervising Team Leader) to include reconciliation of bank statements; preparation of annual Deputy Reports and to comply with all COP/OPG deadlines; complete claims for Local Authority funding or arrange CHC assessment and arrange annual benefits and financial reviews; attend at client properties to inspect, arrange valuations, etc.
• To arrange payment of invoices on Deputy/Attorney management matters for the Team.
• Taking initial calls from prospective clients, accurately recording their enquiry and liaising with qualified colleagues as to who will take on the instruction. As an extension of this task, to obtain details from the prospective client in order to initiate the new matter opening process.
• Drafting initial letters to institutions that hold assets for our clients, to include deceased persons in a Probate matter.
• Drafting/ completing closure forms relating to assets held in a deceased person’s estate.
• Creating and updating schedules of assets and liabilities.
• Assisting the team with the management of estate administration files, on a paper lite basis to include: file opening and compliance, dealing with correspondence; telephone calls; filing documentation and maintaining the digital file; facilitating financial transactions, inputting personal and financial data on the case management system and archiving files.
• Completing both paper and on-line probate applications.
• Drafting documents under the supervision of a qualified member of the estate planning team.
• Communicating with other professional organisations/ asset providers in writing (by letter and/ or email) and also on the telephone.
• Handling original documents including wills, LPAs, death certificates, grants of representation and other legal documents.
• Assisting Team with any other tasks require

Essential criteria

• Law degree, or equivalent legal knowledge gained through relevant legal work experience.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with clients, colleagues and external organisations, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to produce accurate work when managing legal, financial, and personal information.
• Ability to organise and prioritise a varied workload, meeting deadlines and following established procedures.
• Demonstrable ability to work collaboratively within a team while using initiative appropriately within agreed levels of supervision.
• Competent IT skills, including experience of using Microsoft Office applications and electronic case or document management systems.

Desirable criteria

• Experience working within Private Client, Estate Administration, or a similar legal environment.
• Knowledge of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA), and estate administration processes.
• Experience working in a client-facing role, with the ability to communicate professionally and provide an excellent standard of client service.