Social Welfare Paralegals

The Role

We are looking for talented and motivated Paralegals to join our highly recommended and award-winning Social Welfare team in our Whitechapel and Clapham Junction offices. During your time with us there will be opportunities to work on a range of Housing, Community Care, Court of Protection and Public Law cases. Most of our work is funded by legal aid but we also fund cases by way of private fees and Conditional Fee Agreements.

As a paralegal in our social welfare team, you will work for clients with a range of needs, some of whom will be in very vulnerable situations. This could include being deprived of their liberty, accommodated in care homes they do not want to live in and suffering from a lack of community care services. In Court of Protection work you will often act for professional litigation friends, such as the Official Solicitor. In housing cases you will be supporting solicitors who act to stop clients being evicted, to have poor housing conditions remedied, and to ensure local authorities comply with their homelessness duties. Your support will be crucial in ensuring our clients can have full access to justice.

Successful candidates will be based either in our Whitechapel office or Clapham Junction office.

We offer excellent training opportunities and only recruit trainee solicitors from internal candidates. We support lawyers who wish to qualify via the SQE route.

About the Social Welfare Team

We are a team of specialist lawyers working in a number of different areas such as Housing, Community Care and Court of Protection (welfare).Many of us practice across more than one discipline, providing a holistic service to our clients.Our reputation for good quality advice and representation has been recognised by Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500.

Our Court of Protection solicitors act for individuals in the Court of Protection who have been assessed as lacking capacity to make welfare decisions themselves. They are instructed by litigation friends, including professional litigation friends, such as the Official Solicitor, on behalf of the individual. Many of the team are Accredited Legal Representatives, which means they are able to act for the individual in the Court of Protection without the need to be instructed by a litigation friend. We also act for family members of the individual who are parties to Court of Protection cases to provide their own view on what decisions should be made for their family member.

The community care team carries out a range of work including challenging Care Act and Children Act assessments. We are frequently instructed by the Official Solicitor. We are committed to continuing to cover the full range of community care work, including public law challenges involving disabled adults or children and destitute migrants. 

Our housing work covers possession proceedings brought on the basis of rent arrears, anti-social behaviour and other grounds. We act for those facing anti-social behaviour injunctions. Our team also represents tenants living in poor housing conditions.

The department is primarily based at our office in Whitechapel, with a smaller team at Clapham Junction. Our department is split into teams with a ratio of one Paralegal/Trainee Solicitor supporting two-three Solicitors.

We have a strong commitment to the training of our staff. We deliver regular internal training courses for staff of all levels of experience. We meet as a department regularly to share knowledge, discuss case tactics and update on recent developments. We have a Career Development Programme that maps out a route to partnership and we encourage staff to participate.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing a high level of support to solicitors undertaking Housing, Community Care, Court of Protection (welfare) and public law casework.
• Communicating clearly and regularly with clients to take instructions and provide advice under supervision from solicitors.
• Preparing bundles for use in court hearings (and for other reasons).
• Drafting and managing legal aid applications and correspondence with the Legal Aid Agency.
• Preparing witness statements and other court documents.
• Attending court hearings, with barristers where appropriate.
• Carrying out allocated administrative tasks such as liaising with barristers and experts for invoices, arranging appointments and managing entries in solicitors’ diaries, copying and scanning case documents.
• Staffing the new client rota under the management of a senior member of the team. This includes taking details of potential new cases from individuals and referring agencies via telephone and email correspondence.
• Billing tasks and liaising with the in-house billing team as delegated by the solicitor.
• Attending monthly department meetings.

Skills / Knowledge Requirements

Essential:

• Excellent written, oral and telephone communication skills to be able to work effectively with the firm’s client group.
• Ability to prioritise and work efficiently under pressure.
• Good team-working skills.
• Problem-solving ability, with good analytical skills.
• Excellent IT skills (including word processing and use of Excel spreadsheets).
• Commitment to our client group and access to justice.
• A strong academic background, having obtained a law degree (LLB or PGDL) or passed the SQE1.

Desirable:

• Work experience in a legal, advisory or other relevant organisation, including experience of Housing, Community Care, Court of Protection or Public law cases and legal aid work.
• An understanding of financial and commercial targets and the importance of meeting them
• Experience in a client-facing role or with client care responsibilities

Life at TV Edwards

TV Edwards has been providing trusted legal services for more than 95 years. Founded in London’s East End in 1929, we are proud of our heritage and equally excited about the future we are building – a modern, diverse and forward-thinking law firm consistently recognised by Chambers UK, The Legal 500 and The Times Top 250 Law Firms.

Our people and culture are at the heart of everything we do. For the third year running, we have been named one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work, reflecting our commitment to creating a supportive environment where colleagues feel valued, can develop their careers and achieve their full potential.

At TV Edwards, you will find a team of talented, approachable professionals who take pride in delivering high-quality work while supporting one another. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diversity is celebrated and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

As we continue to grow and evolve, we remain guided by our core values of honesty, integrity, excellence and respect – values that shape how we work with both our clients and our colleagues.

Why Join TV Edwards

• Join a firm renowned for excellence, professionalism and community engagement.
• Access to structured training, mentorship and ongoing professional development.
• Participate in meaningful, high-quality legal work that makes a difference.
• Deliver client-focused solutions with integrity and ethical standards.
• Thrive in a culture that champions diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Work in a welcoming and collaborative environment where your contribution is valued.
• Be part of a supportive team that encourages growth, wellbeing and personal success.
• Benefit from family-friendly policies and a genuine commitment to work-life balance.