Paralegal

DMH Stallard LLP

The firm

DMH Stallard is an award winning South East law, Legal 100 firm with offices in London, Brighton, Gatwick, Guilford, Horsham and Hassocks. DMH Stallard has grown rapidly since it was established in 1970, and has a headcount of approx 380. Our firm provides a comprehensive range of commercial, dispute resolution and litigation, employment, cyber security and cyber-crime, corporate, intellectual property, real estate and technology, media and telecoms advice to both businesses and individuals. Our clients, our people and our professional networks are the keys to our success.

The department

Job Purpose:

• To operate as an effective member of the Personal Injury group.
• To provide legal & administrative support to the Group Head, Senior Associate and the wider team in the Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence team.
• To eventually progress into a fee earning Paralegal position and achieve the targets as defined by the Group Leader, including contribute to hours and fees.
• To support and contribute to the Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence practice within the group.

Responsibilities and duties:

• To participate and contribute to the Personal Injury group to ensure an effective working environment, supporting the Group Head, Senior Associate and the wider team.
• Attend the internal training programme and other relevant technical training to ensure that skills and knowledge remain up-to-date
• To attend and contribute to group meetings
• Maintain awareness of the legal market specifically relating to PI claims and clinical negligence
• Continuously develop their own technical expertise
• Carry out various tasks as and when required either by allocation through the case management templates or by direct delegation from fee earners
• Preparation of correspondence and documents from precedents, digital-dictation and manuscript in compliance with DMH Stallard house style guide
• Completion of standard forms without fee earner assistance and production of standard letters without dictation
• Preparation of trail bundles
• Preparing bundles and drafting instructions to counsel to advise
• Chasing clients for instructions
• Taking initial instructions from potential clients
• Drafting applications
• Chasing hospitals, GPs and doctors for notes, records and reports and collating the same.
• Preparing matters for costing and drafting costs schedules
• Quantum reports
• Provide cover for telephones from 8.30am to 5.30pm if required.
• Maintaining accurate data on case manager and The Bus
• To monitor own performance in relation to the number of live files, file closures, file openings, billing, time recording and to take appropriate action to ensure targets are met.

Other information

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required:

• Some previous legal work experience as a Paralegal, is preferred.
• Knowledge of civil procedures rules essential and awareness of the recent changes in legislation preferred.
• A commitment to client care and enthusiasm for personal injury work and clinical negligence work
• Understanding the importance of client care with an ability to deal with a wide range of clients with differing objectives including being able to understand the personal objectives of the client
• Able to effectively manage their time to achieve client and internal deadlines.
• Able to work within a team and provide support to fee-earners as appropriate
• Confident Excel skills sufficient to enable the reviewing of relevant matters
• Competent IT skills including Outlook, Word and Aderant/iManage
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Communicate effectively with clients, in writing, over the telephone and in meetings
• Convey technical legal information in an effective and accessible way.

Benefits:

• 25 days holiday (of which 3.5 are taken during the Christmas period), plus Birthday holiday, plus Bank Holidays.
• Life Assurance
• Private Healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Sodexo Discounts
• Pension Scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounts on Legal work