Crime Fee Earner

Senior Paralegal / Accredited Police Station Representative

With a proud history spanning over a century, our client has grown from its roots in Axbridge to offices in Winscombe, Worle, and Weston-super-Mare. They are committed to providing a professional, approachable, and personal service across all areas of law we practice. Whether their clients are privately funded or supported through legal aid, we ensure high-quality legal support tailored to individual needs.

We are currently looking for an experienced Senior Paralegal who is an Accredited Police Station Representative to join their Criminal Defence team. This is a fee-earning role and ideal for a highly motivated and client-focused professional.
The successful candidate will be based in our Weston-super-Mare office, with regular attendance at police stations and courts across the region including Somerset and Bristol. There is scope for flexible and remote working where operationally possible.

Key Responsibilities

• Representing clients at the police station as an Accredited Police Station Representative
• Conducting client interviews, preparing cases, and managing files from initial instruction through to court proceedings
• Attending and assisting solicitors at court hearings
• Liaising with clients, counsel, experts, and other third parties
• Handling legal aid applications and managing own fee-earning workload
• Supporting the Criminal Duty Solicitor team as needed

Requirements

• Accredited Police Station Representative status is essential
• Significant experience in criminal law and managing own caseload
• Strong advocacy skills (Magistrates Court experience desirable)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Organised, proactive, and able to work both independently and collaboratively
• Willingness to work out-of-hours on a rota basis

Desirable

• Experience with legal aid billing
• Knowledge of case management systems
• Interest in further career progression opportunities, such as qualifying via the SQE route

Salary & Benefits

• Competitive salary upwards of £28,000, depending on experience
• Generous payment structure for out-of-hours police station work
• Annual bonus scheme linked to individual fee income
• 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays (annual leave policy under review)
• Office closure during Christmas period
• Flexible working arrangements subject to business needs
• Supportive team culture with experienced secretarial support
• Opportunities for career development within the firm