Paralegal

About us.

North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.

About the role.

An opportunity has arisen for a Children Law Paralegal with practical experience of public family law. You will be joining a professional team of Solicitors, Barristers and Legal Practitioners and you will make a difference by providing skilled legal support and assistance to the Child Protection Legal Team under the direction of our highly experienced lawyers.

This is an opportunity to join a dynamic and high performing team in a permanent role. On a daily basis, you will support a busy team of lawyers to ensure the effective delivery of social care legal work for the Council.

You will undertake case preparation and provide case support on public law cases (both pre-proceedings cases and court cases) and be involved in a number of other tasks to support the team. You will also liaise with a range of professionals including social workers, external solicitors and barristers, expert and lay witnesses, police and court officers.

This position is designated as mobile working (majority home-based but with an expectation of attending the office when required). The office base will be at Town Hall, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1UJ. When providing support on court cases, you will need to attend the Family Court at Bristol.

Work style.

At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.

This role falls into the category of Mobile/Field Worker which means you can expect to work in the following way:

• 0-1 day in the office.
• Includes field workers who primarily work remotely.
• Comes into the office for meetings or focused work. Virtual connections with the team are essential, with portable technology supporting work on the go.

About you.

• Qualifications - 5 GCSEs at grade A*-C (including English Language and Maths).
• It will be essential for you to have knowledge and experience of children law and practice and family court processes.
• We require you to be able to work as part of a team, under pressure within tight timescales and have the ability to build and maintain positive working arrangements with colleagues, clients and all other relevant parties.

What we offer.

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment.

We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Local Government Pension.
• Opportunities for professional development.
• Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums.
• Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year.
• Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team.
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes.

Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet.

How to apply.

If you share our vision and values and are ready to make an impact to North Somerset, please select the apply online button below. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your application by 11.59pm on the application closing date. When completing our online application form, please detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

Want to know more and apply?

For an informal discussion, please contact Debbie Freeman, Principal Legal Practitioner on 07385 378470.

Important information.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.

Anticipated interview date: Wednesday 04 November 2026.

Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK and are unable to provide Sponsorship for this role.

Equal opportunities.

At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early or extend the closing date depending on the number of applications received.