5287520 – Legal Assistant

1.       To work in the following areas:

•       Civil Litigation

•       Housing

2.       To provide advice, draft correspondence and documents to support Lawyers and Senior Lawyers.

3.       To prepare cases for hearings and to process a heavy caseload.

4.       To provide advocacy in routine cases

1.    To undertake legal and technical tasks in connection with legal cases within an area of specialism including:

•       Interviewing clients and witnesses and drafting statements, preparing documents for courts and tribunal including applications, statements of case, draft orders and pleadings.

•       Drafting correspondence, documents, notices, orders, giving advice in writing and on the telephone and in person.

•       Representing the council in court

•       Take notes at hearings and conferences with Counsel.

•       Instructing counsel

•       Research

•       Dealing with correspondence

2.    Be responsible for a case load of routine legal work

3.    Attend court or tribunals or public inquiries as an advocate in straight forward applications or similar.

4.    Assist and support other members of staff

5.    Prepare bundles for court hearings in accordance with Practice Directions

6.    Keep up to date with new and proposed legislation, new cases, and other developments and to review and give basic advice as required.

8.    Conduct searches of the Probate Registry, Land Registry, Office of Public Guardian, and others are required.

9.    Make appropriate use of information technology.

10.  Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and all employees are required to act in such a way that at all times safeguards the health and well-being of children and vulnerable adults.

11.  Carry out duties with due regard to the Council’s Customer Care, Equal Opportunities,

Information Governance, Data Protection, Health and Safety and Emergency Planning & Awareness (including to provide assistance where available) policies and procedures.

12.  Employees should embed environmental sustainability into their work, actively contributing to Brent becoming a carbon-neutral borough in 2030.

13.  Undertake any other duties commensurate with the general level of responsibility of this post.

All criteria are essential

Application Form(A)

Test/assessment (T)

Interview (I)

(Please indicate all that apply)

•     Law degree or substantial experience of working in a legal department

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•       Knowledge of the law and practice relating to one or more of the following areas:

•       Civil Litigation

•       Housing

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•     Significant experience of administrative work in an office environment dealing with correspondence, filing, preparing documents and using IT systems

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•       Good presentation skills, including the ability to communicate clearly and concisely in writing and orally

•       Ability to provide services in a manner which is consistent with the Council’s equal opportunities policies

•       Accurate data entry skills

•       Good organisational skills

•       Ability to prepare cases for hearings and to process a heavy caseload

•       Ability to undertake routine litigation

•       Ability to prepare cases for hearings

•       Ability to undertake advocacy in routine cases

•       Ability to analyse information, evaluate evidence, solve problems and present solutions at an appropriate level

•       Ability to provide advice and present arguments in a confident, articulate and persuasive manner

•       Ability to develop and maintain good working relations with clients and work collaborativey corporately and departmentally.

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