Graduate Legal Trainee position
Job title: Graduate Legal Trainee
This role presents an ideal opportunity for law graduates who are embarking on the LPC course on a part-time basis and who wish to significantly bolster their prospects of pursuing a legal career. The role offers the opportunity to gain hands-on legal experience in a leading Solicitors’ practice.
The role also offers the opportunity to be considered for a training contract, once you have successfully completed your LPC course. We have previously offered training contracts to other Graduate Legal Trainees.
About the firm:
DC Employment Solicitors is a friendly, niche employment law practice, established in 2008 and based in Southampton. It now has 3 partners and 5 other Solicitors, as well as employing Graduate Legal Trainees, Trainee Solicitors and support staff.
The firm offers bespoke advice and representation on employment law and business immigration matters, to a broad range of commercial and private clients.
It is recognised regionally as a ‘Top Tier’ employment law firm, in the prestigious Legal 500 guide to leading Solicitors’ firms. The firm’s Legal 500 ranking reflects the excellent and tailored service it provides its clients to meet their individual needs and circumstances.
Further details can be found at: http://www.dcemploymentsolicitors.co.uk/
Once you have read the ‘Role’ below, if you would wish to be considered for the position, please send your CV, together with a covering letter explaining why you believe you would be a suitable candidate for the role, to clairehodson@dcemployment.co.uk or by post to Claire Hodson at DC Employment Solicitors, 21 Carlton Crescent, Southampton SO15 2ET. The closing date for applications is Tuesday 30th April 2019.
Role:
The position is 4/5ths time, to enable you to study for the LPC while you are working (and earning money!) in a legal environment, providing invaluable practical experience that will help with your LPC course. The 4/5th time working pattern enables you to prepare for and attend monthly LPC weekend tutor sessions and examinations.
As a Graduate Legal Trainee, your role will be to support other fee earners with their interesting and often complex caseloads. You will work closely with and be supervised by the partners, as well as working with the other Solicitors.
You will often be simultaneously working on multiple tasks, so you must be well organised and have the ability to handle large amounts of information. There will be a significant amount of client contact throughout the duration of cases, so it is vital that you have a professional demeanor and excellent written and spoken communication skills.
As well as working with a busy team of fee earners, you will also help the administration team to run the office on a day-to-day basis, which will give you an in-depth insight into the working of a solicitors’ practice.
As you progress through your LPC course, your duties will become increasingly focussed on assisting with fee earning work and taking more responsibility for dealing with client matters.
On successful completion of your LPC, you will be considered for a full-time training contract. If you are offered a training contract, you will be able to count up to 6 months of your experience as a Graduate Legal Trainee towards your 2-year training contract, which enables you to qualify as a Solicitor within 36 months of starting work as a Graduate Legal Trainee.
Essential skills and qualifications:
- LLB/GDL graduate
- Studying/planning to study the LPC on a part time basis
- Well organised
- Able to use own initiative but work within defined parameters
- Able to prioritise
- Motivated and keen to learn
- Confident and clear communicator
Duties include:
- Researching cases and legal information
- Drafting documents and letters
- Liaising with clients
- Working closely with clients to draft statements and chronologies
- Liaising and attending hearings with counsel
- Assimilating and collating case documents
- Attending client meetings and taking minutes
- Staying up to date with legal changes and updating precedents
- Assisting in all aspects of the firm’s marketing initiatives, including drafting articles for publication, updating the firm’s web site and using social media to promote the firm
- Administrative tasks, including:
- Transcribing dictation
- Answering the main telephone line and dealing with general queries
- Photocopying
- Archiving files and maintaining computer records
- Maintaining filing systems
- Assisting Office Manager and other members of the team as necessary
- Events / marketing organisation
- Reception duties (greeting clients; making their visit comfortable and maintaining a professional image)
These are the key duties and responsibilities for the post and they are subject to regular review. Any significant changes to the role will be subject to consultation.
