Paralegal (full time)

This position has closed.

Willans LLP is a full service law firm noted for giving expert, practical and personal service to local, national and international clients. Our agriculture and rural affairs team is rated in the prestigious national legal guides Legal 500 and Chambers UK.

We have a strong, loyal and varied client base of farms, estates and land owning clients across the three counties and beyond. Our team advises on the broad spectrum of issues affecting rural businesses and land owners, with particular expertise in the development of land. Typical matters include acquisitions and disposals of land, farms and whole estates, land development agreements, including options, promotion agreements, conditional contracts and overage, renewable energy projects, agricultural tenancies, partnerships and business structures.

An opportunity has arisen for a paralegal to join our friendly agriculture and rural affairs team to support our solicitors on a wide range of transactional and advisory work varying in scale and complexity.

We will offer opportunities for hands on experience in client meetings and provide tailored learning and development opportunities to enable you to thrive in the role, which is likely to consist of experience which is qualifying work experience for the purposes of the SRA’s qualifying examination route.

A bit about the role

We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic, bright and personable with a “can do” attitude and wants to build their career in real estate, whose role will include:

• sitting in on meetings with clients
• transactional support for the agricultural property partners and solicitors in the team
• preparing first drafts of basic documents
• dealing with Land Registry applications and requisitions
• preparation of reports on title and auction packs
• marketing activities such as writing newsletters and assisting in the preparation of seminars
• file opening, archiving and billing
• other ad hoc paralegal/admin duties

A bit about what we need from you

• You will be proactive, motivated and able to manage your workload effectively. You will need excellent communication skills, since the role will involve plenty of client contact and you will be kept busy on a variety of different transactions
• You will need to have excellent time management skills; we will be relying on you to ensure that deadlines are met and enquiries are dealt with quickly and efficiently
• You will also possess strong analytical and research skills
• You will be a strong team player and IT savvy
• You will be University degree qualified. A law degree would be desirable but is not essential
• Previous paralegal experience within commercial or agricultural property would be desirable but is not essential

A bit about us

Willans employs around 100 people from our regency offices overlooking the park on Imperial Square in Cheltenham. We provide a friendly and supportive working environment and the opportunity for hybrid working across the firm.

Whilst quick to recognise and nurture talent, offering training and career development opportunities is just a small part of how we invest in our people. We will support and guide you in building your individual profile, offering opportunities for you to get involved in marketing initiatives both online and offline, including local networking events and functions.

Our lively calendar of relaxed social events ranges from quiz nights through to pizza evenings and in-house baking competitions. We also support countless initiatives around the county from events at Cheltenham Festival to University of Gloucestershire law school. Our charity committee also organise fundraisers across the firm to support our charity of the year, and we have a green committee which helps champion environmentally-friendly improvements across our offices, from in-house composting and recycling outlets to energy efficiencies and carbon footprint reductions.

Contract: permanent, subject to a satisfactory probationary period

Hours per week: Full time (Monday to Friday 9am-5:30pm with an hour for lunch)

Start date: Asap

Remuneration: As well as a competitive salary and pension, we offer a range of staff benefits including medical cover, 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays) and excellent working conditions.

To apply please email us your CV with a covering letter for the attention of Bridget Redmond, our managing partner.

Willans is an equal opportunities employer.

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