Legal Assistant - Adult Social and Education

Job Title: Legal Assistant: Litigation and Social Care
Grade: £16.71 - (rate dependent on experience)
Location: Hybrid
Contract: Temporary ongoing (initial 6-month assignment with view to extend)
Working Hours: 36 hours per week

Job Overview

HB Public Law, a shared service between a number of North West London boroughs and home countries local authorities, is recruiting a proactive and detail-oriented Legal Assistant. This is a key career-graded role designed to support HB Public Law by carrying out legal work and developing, implementing, and supporting cutting-edge practice management processes.

The successful candidate will play a central role in conducting a significant caseload across several legal specialisms. This position offers improved career opportunities and the chance to move between teams to cover a wider range of legal specialisms.

Key Responsibilities

• Caseload Management: Advise on and have conduct of legal files for civil and criminal litigation, children's and adults social care, and education matters. Maintain a significant caseload in compliance with Lexcel requirements.
• Legal Support & Research: Provide advice, undertake research, and support lawyers. Provide clear and accurate advice to clients in person, on the telephone, and in writing.
• Representation & Advocacy: Represent clients in court, tribunals, panels, and external meetings. Undertake advocacy.
• Governance & Panels: Clerk Education Exclusion Panel meetings. Provide advice to members, officers, and project teams proactively.
• Systems & Compliance: Provide administrative and systems assistance as a super user of an electronic case management system. Ensure compliance with office procedures and Lexcel & IIP standards.

Requirements
Knowledge

• General knowledge of English law, practice, and procedure in civil and criminal litigation and children's and adults social care and education work.
• General knowledge and understanding of public law principles as they apply to local government.

Experience

• Experience of working in a legal environment; contributing positively in a team; providing written and oral legal advice and guidance to officers/clients; conducting a caseload with minimum supervision covering at least one of the following areas: civil and criminal litigation and children's and adults social care and education work.

Education/Qualifications

• Educated to degree standard, with a qualification in law (e.g., law degree, CPE, LPC) or be studying for/obtained a recognised legal qualification, or substantial experience working in a legal environment in lieu of qualification.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Skills & Abilities

• Must be able to manage and prioritise workload; understand and meet Lexcel standards; demonstrate excellent client care skills; conduct legal research; use fully Microsoft products & a case management system; draft legal documents, correspondence, and pleadings; and present a confident and professional demeanour.

About Us
HB Public Law sits within the Legal and Governance Services Department of Harrow Council. The shared legal practice provides clients with a greater range and depth of legal expertise, reduced cost, and greater resilience.
Harrow Council is the 12th largest London borough and one of the most culturally diverse local authorities in the UK. Located just 10 miles from the city centre and 13 minutes from Euston via Harrow & Wealdstone station, it offers excellent transport links and accessibility to the M1, M25, and A406.

For almost 60 years, Pertemps Recruitment Partnership has been the market leader in providing permanent and temporary staffing solutions and we are one of the most established players within the recruitment industry. The Sunday Times has listed us as one of the Best 100 Companies to work for 14 years running. We are not a big scary faceless company, quite the opposite: we strongly believe in the personal touch with everything we do. We are proud to be an accredited 'investor in people' which is reflected across our business in the length of service and career progression of our employees.

London Borough of Harrow Council is the 12th largest London borough and one of the most culturally diverse local authorities in the UK, making it a great place to live, work and visit. Located 10 miles from the city centre and just 13 minutes to Euston from Harrow & Wealdstone station there are great transport links via the Metropolitan Line, Watford DC Line and national rail service. It is easily accessible to the M1, M25 and A406.
The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, any your data protection rights, can be found by visiting www.cifas.org.uk/fpn