Paralegal Officer | Highways, Planning & Environment | Preston | Full Time

Job Description

Salary £27,269 - £31,067 per annum | Full Time, 37 hours per week, Permanent | County Hall/Hybrid

As Paralegal (Highways, Planning and Environment), you will manage a caseload and assist the legal team. The role is varied and includes drafting Legal Notices, contributing to Legal Reports and supporting more Senior Staff in the team. As Paralegal you will need to communicate confidently both with internal colleagues and external parties including members of the public. The team provide legal advice to a variety of services including Highways, Planning, Public Rights of Way and the Regulatory and Development Control Committees.

Key Responsibilities:

• Draft and serve legal notices.
• Communicate advice verbally and in writing to colleagues and external parties.
• Contribute to legal reports.
• Prepare electronic bundles for the Planning Inspectorate.
• Conduct legal research.
• Provide legal support and assist senior staff.
• Handle appropriate casework and assist with complex cases under supervision.

What we're looking for:

• 5 GCSEs (including English) or 2 A levels or equivalent.
• Experience in an administrative role. You'll need to be able to work independently on specialised systems and plan your workload to meet statutory deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills. You should be able to explain complex information both verbally and in writing.

Contact Information: For an informal chat, please contact Samantha Mason at Samantha.mason@lancashire.gov.uk, who would be happy to arrange this for you.

Application Details:

• Closing Date: 2nd May 2025
• Interviews: TBC

Application review is ongoing; therefore, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing this excellent opportunity.

Why Join Us?

By joining Lancashire County Council, you'll have the opportunity to shape the career path that is right for you, with access to personal and professional qualifications, coaching, and mentoring. Lancashire County Council is truly the place where you can have the career you've always wanted.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions.
• Great holiday entitlement of 26 days annual leave, increasing with length of service. You will also be entitled to 8 Bank Holidays, 2 additional statutory Bank Holidays, and the option to buy additional leave each year.

We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.

Please ensure you have uploaded and attached your supporting statement to evidence how you meet the criteria for the role. The panel may be unable to shortlist you for interview without this evidence.

Job Description & Person Specification

Lancashire County Council provides public services including education, social services, highways, waste disposal, libraries, registration, planning and trading standards across Lancashire.