The Senior Paralegal will play a vital role in our legal team, providing comprehensive support to senior lawyers and legal executives. This role involves managing complex legal tasks and projects, from conducting in-depth legal research to drafting, reviewing, and proofreading critical legal documents. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of the UK legal system, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
Key Area of Responsibilities:
- Case and Project Management: Independently manage and track the progress of multiple cases and legal projects. Coordinate schedules, maintain case files (both physical and electronic), and ensure all deadlines are met.
- Legal Research: Conduct thorough legal research using databases such as LexisNexis or Westlaw UK, and provide accurate summaries and reports to lawyers.
- Document Drafting and Review: Draft, proofread, and format a variety of legal documents, including pleadings, contracts, agreements, and corporate resolutions, ensuring compliance with UK legal standards.
- Compliance and Regulatory Management: Play a critical role in the company's financial compliance, particularly for lending projects. This includes:
- Conducting Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks on new and existing clients in accordance with UK regulations, such as the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017.
- Performing Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) for high-risk clients and transactions.
- Assisting in the preparation of internal reports and Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to be submitted to the relevant UK authorities.
- Maintaining meticulous records of all compliance checks and client information for audit purposes.
- Staying up-to-date with changes in UK financial regulations and updating internal procedures to ensure ongoing company-wide compliance.
- Administrative and Client Support: Handle administrative tasks, including client correspondence, preparing for meetings and court hearings, and managing billing and invoicing processes.
- Mentorship: Mentor and supervise junior paralegals and legal assistants, providing guidance on best practices and legal procedures.
Qualifications and Experience:
- Must have completed or be currently enrolled in a Juris Doctor (JD) or Bachelor of Laws (LLB) program.
- Completion of a paralegal training program is highly preferred.
- Any additional certificates or training in legal research, legal writing, or specific areas of law (e.g., corporate law, contracts) will be considered a significant advantage.
- 5 years of experience as a paralegal, with at least 2 years in a senior or supervisory role, preferably within a corporate or in-house legal department, with a focus on the real estate industry.
- A strong understanding of the UK legal system, including its procedures, terminology, and key legal principles. Experience with specific practice areas like corporate, commercial, or financial law is a plus.
- Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy in all tasks.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills to handle multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines.
- Must be resourceful and client-facing, with a proven ability to investigate and gather information to find out more about a client's background.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and legal research databases.
- Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.
- A high level of professionalism and the ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
- Keen interest in working in an AI and technology landscape and using these resources in field of legal and compliance
- Experience in lending and offshore structures, exposure in the international financial world