UK Inbound Immigration Paralegal – Chinese speaking

Gherson is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, age, sexuality, gender identification, or physical ability.

Main Responsibilities

Knowledge

• Good knowledge of common visa applications such as spousal visas, indefinite leave to remain, naturalisation and Skilled Worker/Global Mobility routes
• Practical experience of UKVI processes and systems for all stages of the process
• Practical experience of working for multiple fee earners

Skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Ability to deal efficiently with competing priorities
• Excellent organisational and interpersonal skills
• Excellent client and customer care and management
• Strong drafting and research skills
• Integrity
• Legal compliance
• Chinese speaker essential

Qualifications

• Law degree, or conversion
• LPC (preferably with an immigration elective)

Key Role Outcomes

Applications. Assist fee earners to prepare applications to meet Home Office requirements, including drafting and submitting application forms, index of documents and letters of representations under a range of categories.

Record keeping. Ensure all emails and documents are filed in the correct system. Assist fee earner in ensuring all documents are captured under the correct case. Assist with issuing invoices.

Professionalism. Deputise for other members of the team in their absence, passing urgent and complex issues to the head of department for guidance. Ensure that all the firm’s procedures are adhered to including anti-money laundering and KYC compliance, file opening, complaints, and accounts procedures.

The Ideal Candidate

Fluent in Chinese, you will be an experienced UK inbound immigration paralegal with at least 6 months experience in a UK inbound immigration team at an SRA regulated firm. You will be a high-energy, can-do individual with excellent organisational and communication skills. You must be a strong team player able to work across several disciplines, and work well with a variety of stakeholders.

Receptionist

Gherson is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, age, sexuality, gender identification, or physical ability.

Please note that this position will require the successful applicant to work in the office five days a week.

Main Responsibilities

Skills

• Excellent oral and written communications skills
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Efficient ability to prioritise a conflicting workload
• Flexibility and dependability
• Practical use of Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint
• Resilient character with a positive attitude
• Ability to be self-motivated
• Professionally presented
• Strong customer service skills
• Strong ability to multi-task

Knowledge

• Prior knowledge and experience of working on a busy reception desk, front office representative, or similar position

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree, or equivalent

Key Role Outcomes

Communication. Welcome clients in a warm and professional manner, answering any questions they may have. Answer all incoming calls promptly, either forwarding them on or taking detailed messages.

Meetings. Co-ordinate the on-line diary, ensuring that meeting room allocations were scheduled appropriately and appointment requests made in a timely manner. Ensure that the meeting rooms are kept tidy, stocked with water and with clean glassware at all times.

Administration. Maintain an up-to-date electronic file of all correspondence and any other relevant documents pertaining to the management of the reception desk. Assist with a variety of administrative tasks including copying, scanning, taking notes, and making travel plans.

Supplies. Management of all supplies including, newspaper and magazine subscriptions, and kitchen and meeting room supplies.

Telephone. Handle all issues relating to the telephone system promptly and with a calm and organised approach.

Post. Arrange couriers and deliveries accurately and in an organised fashion. Manage all incoming and outgoing post, in conjunction with the administration team.

Security. Help maintain workplace security by issuing, checking, and collecting badges as necessary and maintaining visitor logs.

Professionalism. Deputise for other members of the team in their absence, passing urgent and complex issues to management for guidance. Help ensure a professional first impression is made by phone and in person. Maintain a tidy, organised and presentable reception desk.

The Ideal Candidate

You will be an experienced receptionist with a background of working in a fast-paced environment. The ability to multi-task, be proactive and to think on your feet is a must. You will be a high-energy, can-do individual with excellent organisational and communication skills. You must be a strong team player able to offer support and help where required, and work well with a variety of stakeholders.

Paralegal

Gherson is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, age, sexuality, gender identification, or physical ability.

The role is rewarding but demanding and you will get out exactly as much as you put into it. You will join a young and exciting team that pride themselves on their work-ethic, professionalism and client care. Gherson LLP have recently been ranked for both client care and quality of work in the “future lawyers” leader-board run by Legal 500. Juniors in the team receive a lot of responsibility and a lot of support and expect care, hard-work and reliability in return.

Much of the work initially, will be focused around offering first-class administrative and legal support, however what starts as support for fee earners on an administrative level on a given case, will evolve into more substantive work on the very same cases.

Please note that this position will require the successful applicant to work in the office five days a week.

Main Responsibilities

Skills

• Drafting of briefs and instructions
• Excellent communicator
• Demonstrable analytical and organisational skills
• IT literate
• Attention to detail
• Ability to use own initiative

Knowledge

• Immigration law (desirable)
• Criminal law (desirable)
• Litigation experience (desirable)
• European Convention on Human Rights law (desirable)

Qualifications

• Law degree, or equivalent
• LPC, SQE 2 or equivalent (preferably with an immigration elective)

Key Role Outcomes

Communication. Ensure that all correspondence with authorities and clients is dealt with in a timely and professional manner. Understand and uphold the firm and its employees’ obligation of confidentiality to all its clients and matters of the firm;

Client Care and Administration. Create and manage both electronic and hard copy files, and prepare both electronic and hard copy bundles. Ensure the case management system is used effectively, making sure that the client files are always up to date, that documents and correspondence is always filed on the same day. Complete client questionnaires, and submission of, all Home Office and Passport Office application forms, as well as all court and tribunal forms and applications.

Drafting. Drafting, under supervision, of all court pleadings, applications and supporting documentation, in addition to letters, legal advice, statements and witness statements.

Meetings. All court deadlines are diarised, and appointments at courts, tribunals. Moderation of, and note taking at, meetings, and calls with clients and external professionals.

Accounts and billing. Maintain up-to-date time recording on all matters. Undertake accounts duties and billing as required, and understand the Solicitors Accounts rules. 

Business Development. Understand the commercial aspect of the role. Take part in networking events, and write blog articles to be published on the Gherson website.

Professionalism. Deputise for other members of the team in their absence, passing urgent and complex issues to senior fee earners for guidance. Ensure that all the firm’s procedures are adhered to including anti-money laundering and KYC compliance, file opening, complaints, and accounts procedures.

Training. Undertake any specific training when required to do so and fulfil a responsibility of professional self-development.

The Ideal Candidate

You will be a skilled paralegal, with demonstrable experience in Human Rights, Immigration law or criminal litigation. You will be a high-energy, can-do individual with excellent organisational and communication skills. You must be a strong team player able to work across several disciplines, and work well with a variety of stakeholders.

PA to Founding Partner

Gherson is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, age, sexuality, gender identification, or physical ability.

Please note that this position will require the successful applicant to work in the office five days a week.

Main Responsibilities

• Significant Diary and Email management – the successful candidate will be expected to manage a highly complex diary, and to monitor all incoming emails with utmost scrutiny and attention to detail
• Organising business events, networking events and conferences.
• Typing, compiling and preparing presentations/ reports, using MS PowerPoint, Word and Excel
• Audio typing
• Reminding the Managing Partner of important tasks and deadlines.
• Managing databases and filing systems.
• Implementing and maintaining procedures/administrative systems.
• Liaising with staff, suppliers, clients and other executives.
• Collating and filing expenses.
• Conducting research on behalf of the manager.

The Ideal Candidate

Our ideal candidate for the role will have the following;

Skills

• Discretion and professionalism in handling sensitive and confidential informatio.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining accuracy in all administrative tasks.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines for themselves as well as the people they are supporting.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, clients, and external parties.
• Proficiency in using MS Office and Mac operating systems.

Knowledge

• Proficiency in using MS Office and Mac operating systems.
• Extensive experience as a PA.
• Experience working in a law firm for high-level partners.

Asylum and Human Rights Solicitor (Chinese speaking)

Gherson is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, age, sexuality, gender identification, or physical ability.

Please note that this position will require the successful applicant to work in the office five days a week.

Main Responsibilities

Knowledge

• Extensive knowledge of UK immigration law
• Public Law
• Judicial Review process in both the Upper Tribunal and the Administrative Court
• Complex nationality issues

Skills

• Written and spoken fluency in Chinese (Mandarin)
• Excellent drafting ability
• Outstanding knowledge of immigration law and the industry as a whole;
• Must be able to advise, internally and externally across all areas of immigration law;
• Excellent client management and customer care skills;
• Demonstrable ability to lead a team with good organisational and interpersonal skills ;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and able to evidence strong drafting ability;
• Must have a comprehensive knowledge of all regulatory and compliance obligations;
• Strong commercial acumen and experience in creating new client relationships.
• High attention to detail

Qualifications

• 5 years PQE
• Excellent Academics

The Ideal Candidate

You will be an experienced Human Rights Solicitor with a strong public law background and experience in some of the following: Asylum applications, Judicial Reviews in both the Upper Tribunal and the Administrative Court, Complex nationality issues, International Protection and Human Rights, Extradition, and/or Refugee Law. You will have a commitment to achieving the very best outcome in some of the most difficult circumstances. The ideal candidate must be able to and enjoy working with the other experienced members of the other teams in the firm. Given the nature of the firm and the clients, we are looking for a solicitor who is experienced and confident enough to take on difficult and demanding cases, supported by the expertise within the firm and that provided by Counsel.

As this is a role for a senior solicitor, we are anticipating applications from candidates who have excellent drafting skills, and a proven ability to deal with clients and their complex legal issues. Standard requirements of being able to use practice management software, having good time management and being fully up to date with all professional regulatory and compliance obligations apply. More importantly, however, we are looking for a solicitor who is passionate about what they do and is determined to achieve the very best outcomes for their clients.