Paralegal Officer

Salary £29,701 - £33,119 per annum | Fixed Term 12 month contract | Full Time 37 hours per week | Preston

Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role

We're looking for a passionate and enthusiastic Paralegal with the drive and passion to deliver an effective and very specialist service to our stakeholders.

About The Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Lancashire County Council's Legal Department as a paralegal officer on a fixed term basis within the Adult Social Care, Education and Employment Team.

The successful candidate will be expected to provide legal and administrative support to a team of lawyers predominantly in respect of employment law. The employment team operates in a fast-paced environment, dealing with a wide range of early conciliation and employment tribunal cases as well as providing in house legal advice. Although this role will primarily focus on employment work, the education and adult social care teams also deal with a wide range of issues in relation to the Care Act 2014, the Mental Capacity Act 2004 and the Court of Protection, as well as advising schools on a day-to-day basis and inhouse services in respect of special educational needs.

For this role you will need to have experience of working in a legal environment.

Please refer to the job description and personal specification for further information regarding the scope of work and responsibilities for the post. Please ensure you address all the criteria from the person specification in your supporting evidence.

About You

You'll be an ambitious & experienced Legal professional looking to take the next step in your career possessing the drive and passion to create a better environment for the people within our region.

- You'll ideally have a further-level legal qualification (e.g. Degree, LPC or Ilex) or working towards
- You'll have previous experience of working within a legal environment
- You'll have experience of working within a team supporting Lawyers in either a legal practice or an in-house legal service
- Previous knowledge or experience within ASC, Employment or Education Law would be highly desirable
- Previous experience within a Local Authority environment would be highly desirable
- You'll be an excellent communicator able and comfortable communicating with a range of stakeholders at all levels
- You'll be comfortable explaining legal and procedural issues to non-legal audiences
- You'll be able to demonstrate strong analytical and legal research skills

Closing Date: 15/11/2026

About Us

At Lancashire County Council, we're committed to delivering services that make a real difference to the people and communities we serve. Our Information Governance Team is at the heart of that mission, helping ensure transparency, accountability and the responsible use of information.

When you join us, you'll become part of a supportive and knowledgeable team where your expertise is valued, your development is encouraged and your contribution has a direct impact across the organisation.

In return, we offer:

- Competitive salary
- 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Flexible working opportunities
- Health and wellbeing support
- Family-friendly policies
- Financial and travel benefits
- Training and development opportunities

Please refer to the job description and personal specification for further information regarding the scope of work and responsibilities for the post.

Please ensure you address and evidence all the essential criteria from the person specification at the application stage in your supporting evidence. Some criteria will also be addressed further at the interview stage.

Please take care to upload your supporting documentation before submitting your application. No additional documentation will be accepted after the closing date.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications.

Local Government Reorganisation

The Government has confirmed that local government across Lancashire will be reorganised, with the current 15 councils being replaced by four new unitary councils covering North, South, East and West Lancashire from April 2028.

If you are successful in your application, you will initially join Lancashire County Council. However, as part of the planned transition, your employment will transfer to one of the new unitary councils from April 2028, subject to the implementation of the reorganisation and relevant employment legislation.

Throughout this period, our focus remains on delivering excellent services to our communities. By joining us now, you'll play an important role in shaping the future of local government and helping to build a strong new organisation that will serve residents for years to come.

Job Description & Person Specification