Paralegal

Band 5 · Legal assistant · 364 job evaluation points

Paralegals handle their own caseload of routine legal matters under a lawyer's supervision, such as standard contract reviews, information requests, and claims support.

Responsibilities

Review routine agreements, such as software licences, services, and data processing agreements, against the organisation's standards.
Manage a caseload of routine claims or disputes, preparing documents and liaising with external lawyers and indemnity schemes.
Research legal questions and draft advice for a lawyer to review.
Support responses to complex information requests and data subject rights requests.
Keep templates, precedents, and legal guidance up to date.
Coordinate the work of legal assistants and administrators.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
Legal researchThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: research complex or novel questions, such as how existing law applies to new technology analyse conflicting sources and reach a reasoned view track changes in law and guidance and explain their effect on the organisation
Contract drafting and reviewThis reference	Working (2)	You can: review routine agreements, such as non-disclosure and simple services agreements, against the organisation's standards mark up contracts and explain the changes spot clauses that need a lawyer's review, such as unlimited liability or automatic renewal
Litigation and dispute resolutionThis reference	Working (2)	You can: collect and organise documents and evidence for a case prepare chronologies, bundles, and witness statement drafts liaise with external lawyers, insurers, or indemnity schemes on routine matters
Information and data lawThis reference	Working (2)	You can: review data sharing and data processing agreements against templates support responses to information requests and data subject rights requests explain the lawful bases for using health data in common situations
Legal adviceThis reference	Working (2)	You can: prepare draft advice on routine matters for a lawyer to review answer straightforward questions using approved guidance identify the legal issues in a set of facts
Legal administrationThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: run the legal team's administration and improve its processes report on workload, spending on external lawyers, and turnaround times administer legal technology, such as matter management and e-signature tools
Stakeholder relationship managementUK GDaD PCF	Working (2)	You can: identify important stakeholders and communicate with them clearly and regularly tailor communication to stakeholders' needs and work with them to build relationships while meeting user needs build and reach consensus with stakeholders work to improve stakeholder relationships using evidence to explain decisions
Information governance and data protectionThis reference	Working (2)	You can: apply data protection principles to your work contribute to data protection impact assessments handle information requests and records correctly
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Working (2)	You can: explain the clinical and care workflows your work supports use common health care terms correctly with clinical and care colleagues recognise when a change could affect patient care and raise it

Typical qualifications and experience

A law degree or an advanced paralegal qualification, or equivalent experience.

Band 5 outline

Knowledge: Professional or technical knowledge, typically from a degree or equivalent experience.
Autonomy: Works to broad objectives within professional standards; plans own work.
Scope: Own professional work within a team or product.
Leadership: May guide and check the work of support staff and apprentices.
Accountability: Quality of own professional work.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	4	Gives complex, sensitive, or contentious information needing persuasion, negotiation, or training skills, or highly complex information.	32
Knowledge, training, and experience	5	Expertise in a specialism, underpinned by theory or practical experience (degree level or equivalent).	120
Analytical and judgemental skills	3	Judgements on a range of facts or situations needing analysis or comparison of options.	27
Planning and organisational skills	2	Plans straightforward tasks or activities, some ongoing.	15
Physical skills	3	Developed skills needing speed or accuracy, such as advanced keyboard use.	27
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	3	Implements policies for own area and proposes changes that affect other areas.	21
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	2	Handles cash or valuables, looks after equipment used by others, controls stock, or authorises small payments.	12
Responsibility for people	2	Supervises or coordinates staff day to day, trains others regularly, or gives basic HR advice.	12
Responsibility for information resources	4	Adapts or designs information systems to others' specifications, or runs information systems for a department as the main duty.	24
Responsibility for research and development	2	Regularly does research, development, trials, or equipment and system testing as part of the job.	12
Freedom to act	3	Follows defined policies and procedures; work is managed rather than supervised.	21
Physical effort	2	Frequent sitting or standing in a restricted position, or occasional light to moderate effort.	7
Mental effort	3	Frequent concentration on unpredictable work, or occasional prolonged concentration.	12
Emotional effort	2	Occasional exposure, or frequent indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.	11
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 5: 326 to 395)			364

Emotional effort is level 2 because the job regularly reads clinical records and accounts of harm in claims.