Paralegals - in-house regulatory - General Dental Council (GDC)

Deadline 23 March 2025 at 23.59

Job description

Salary: £34,735 - £40,864 pa

Location: London – Hybrid (2 days per week minimum office attendance)

Contract: 1 x permanent and 4 x fixed-term contracts (up to 18 months with possibility of extension)

Hours: Full time

The General Dental Council (GDC) is the statutory body responsible for regulating dental professionals in the UK.

We have an exciting opportunity in our In-house Legal Services Team. We are looking for one permanent and four fixed-term Paralegals to join the team. Our Paralegals prepare cases for fitness to practise hearings and associated court proceedings under the supervision of a lawyer and ensure cases are prepared for presentation before one of the GDC’s statutory committees in a timely and cost-effective manner.

The role

• Support and administer the management of a caseload of fitness to practise cases, ensuring that all actions are taken in a timely manner, under the supervision of a lawyer.
• Progress the investigation of fitness to practise matters under the supervision of a lawyer.
• Prepare documents for use in fitness to practise proceedings, including hearing bundles and submissions, instructions to counsel and expert witnesses.
• Conduct witness interviews, draft admissible witness statements and identify and support vulnerable witnesses throughout fitness to practise proceedings.
• Correspond with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring appropriate recording of relevant information.
• Undertake effective case and cost management in accordance with team procedures.
• Support the management of proceedings in the Courts.
• Undertake legal research in support of cases.
• Identify and escalate risk as appropriate to the supervising lawyer.
• Participate in team and organisational project work and training.
• Demonstrate positive alignment with organisational behaviours and values, including equality, diversity and inclusion.

About you:

The successful candidate will:

• Have relevant legal qualifications or extensive relevant legal experience (essential).
• Have healthcare regulation casework experience or transferable criminal or civil litigation experience (essential).
• Have demonstrable experience of interviewing witnesses, drafting witness statements, and preparing case and hearing documentation (essential).
• Have demonstrable experience of legal drafting, evidential analysis and legal research.
• Have experience of dealing with a variety of stakeholders, including members of the public.
• Have the ability to draft documents clearly and concisely using plain English.
• Have excellent communication skills, including dealing professionally with vulnerable individuals.
• Have demonstrable experience of planning and organising workload and managing own time effectively.
• Be reliable, proactive, methodical and excellent attention to detail.
• Comply with GDC policies and statutory obligations, including data protection and equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Have strong ICT skills, including the use of case management systems and Microsoft Office products.

Benefits:

The GDC is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, that provides an environment that reflects our values and culture and allows employees to flourish.

To support this we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, including flexible working arrangements from day one and employee networks that aid growth and development.

Some of our benefits include:

• 27 days holiday (plus statutory) - rising to 30 days after 2 years’ service
• Pension contributions up to 10%
• Buy/Sell annual leave
• Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Adoption leave from 1 years’ service.
• Life assurance, income protection plan and enhanced sick leave policy
• Staff discounts including eye care contributions and discounted gym membership

We encourage and support the recruitment, retention, and career development of people from as wide a range as possible of ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds.

How to apply:

For further details about the role and to apply please click the apply button. Please indicate in your application if you are applying for a permanent role, fixed-term role, or either role.

Closing date: 23:59 on 23 March 2025.

Please note that we reserve the right to bring this recruitment campaign to an end without notice, and we encourage all interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

The GDC is committed to equality and diversity. We encourage and support the recruitment, retention, and career development of people from as wide a range as possible of ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds.