Licensing Paralegal

Job Description

Before applying for this job, it is important that you read the Applicant Guidance by clicking on this link and the Job Profile attached. These explain the job role and the type of person we're looking for.

Location: Marischal College, Broad Street, Aberdeen

Duration: Permanent, Full Time

Roles that require PVG Membership

Please note that with effect from 1 April 2023, where a role requires PVG membership, candidates will be required to meet the cost of the PVG membership. This applies only to roles with a full time equivalent salary of £30,000 and above. (Teaching roles and jobs at Grade 11 and above (currently £30,285 per annum / £16.64 per hour)

The Council will pay for the PVG membership cost initially, either £18 for existing PVG scheme members, or £59 for non-members, and this cost will be deducted from an employee’s first FULL month’s salary payment.

about the role

To provide paralegal support in respect of areas of law advised upon by the Licensing Team

To provide a right first time customer and solution focused service based on the principles of continuous improvement, professionalism, integrity and best value

The Licensing Team sits within legal services under the Governance function of the Council. The team is responsible for administering the legal requirements of licensing regimes, primarily under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. The team deal with processing of applications, answering of queries, providing guidance, and enforcement

The paralegal duties include ensuring that all legal procedures and processes are complied with, including providing guidance to members of the public looking to apply for a licence, providing guidance to licence holders on the terms and conditions of a licence , answering queries relating to the application process or operation of licensed activity and the processing applications for licences

In addition, the licensing paralegal will prepare for meetings of the Licensing Board, Licensing Committee and Licensing Sub-Committee - draft reports and agendas for meetings, ensure statutory deadlines are met in respect of the application process, attend meetings and provide support to the Depute Clerk to the Board or legal advisor to the Licensing Committee, ;prepare minutes and ensure that decision of the
Licensing Board/Licensing Committee are recorded and decision letters are issued timeously

Requirements

• Experience of working as a Paralegal in at least one of the following areas:
o Licensing
o Commercial and/or residential property
o Local Government
o Data Protection, Freedom of Information and Human Rights
o Employment
o Planning, Roads and the Environment
o Social Work child care
o Adult Mental Health
o Education
o Public Sector Housing

And/or
• One of the following:
o Relevant law degree including LLB, Law and Management, Law and Business or
Public Administration or equivalent
o Specialist Paralegal qualification in a relevant discipline
o Graduate Diploma in Law
o Graduate Certificate in Law in a relevant discipline

Responsibilities

• An ability to manage personal workload, including managing a number of concurrent
matters effectively so as to meet all objectives, priorities and deadlines in each matter.
• An ability to work co-operatively with colleagues and outside agencies.
• An ability to deal tactfully and fairly with confrontational situations and people.
• An ability to work on own initiative as well as collaboratively within a team structure.
• An ability to prepare and deliver accurate and concise reports with supporting evidence to line manager.

The Individual

Please see the Job Profile for further details.

Aberdeen City Council is an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. For further information, please see our Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Recruitment pack.

Flexible Working

We are happy to talk flexible working and offer flexible working for most roles in the organisation meaning that many of our employees enjoy the freedom of choosing a working pattern that suits them as much as it suits the organisation.

Disability Confident

We are a Disability Confident Employer.  If you consider yourself to have a disability and think you may require a reasonable adjustment to be made for this part of the selection process, or would like further information in relation to reasonable adjustments, please contact AskHR@aberdeencity.gov.uk.

Armed Forces

We are a forces-friendly employer, have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and are a silver award recipient in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.  We have a specific email address for those in the forces, those who have left the forces, as well as their partners / spouses / families: armedforces@aberdeencity.gov.uk.  We are able to answer questions about jobs and our application / selection process, as well as about our employee support provisions.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

We have a number of guaranteed interview schemes available to applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role they are applying for who:

• have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 (all jobs)
• looked after young people, those that are in continuing care or are a care leaver up to the age of 29 (all jobs)
• are aged 16-24 and live in Aberdeen City or have been to an Aberdeen City Council school and are applying for a Modern Apprenticeship (except Trades apprenticeships)
• have done a Foundation Apprenticeship with Aberdeen City Council and are applying for any apprenticeships relevant to the area in which they did their Foundation Apprenticeship
• are New Scots* aged 16-24 and are applying for any apprenticeships

*"New Scots" are defined as refugees and asylum seekers who are in Scottish communities and include those who have been granted refugee status or another form of humanitarian protection, people seeking asylum, those who have been refused asylum, and those whose application has been refused but who remain in Scotland.

Further information can be found at https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/jobs