Trainee Lawyer/Paralegal

What We Will Offer

We will offer you a place where you can be yourself and where there are no limits on what you can achieve. With us, you can take ownership of your career and have honest conversations throughout. You would join an ambitious firm with a clear strategy for profitable growth where you can get early responsibility and early involvement in growing the business. Here you can expect a competitive and fair reward as well as recognition based on all round performance. This forms part of our internal promise to you, The Deal, between the firm and its employees.

Team Structure

Regarded as one of the leading ship finance firms in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Our award-winning ship finance team is recognised for its commerciality and its ability to solve problems using innovative financing structures.

With 100 specialist lawyers spread across all our offices, we have one of the world's largest shipping and offshore finance practices. Our global ship finance teams are ranked in the top tiers in the Global, European, UK and Asia-Pacific editions of the leading legal directories with many of our Partners being named as leading individuals.

Main Responsibilities

• Working with the MTO Finance team and offer support as needed
• Performing legal and factual research tasks
• Preparing and drafting correspondence
• Preparing reports and basic notes of advice
• Transaction Management – including organisation and tracking case files
  
  

Attributes/Skills Required

• A minimum of 1 years’ paralegal experience - essential
• Experience or interest in shipping – desirable
• Excellent command of written and spoken professional English
• Strong academics, including a law degree or GDL and LPC
• Excellent drafting, presentation and communication skills
• Good knowledge of Excel
• Organised, with good time management skills and the ability to work to deadlines
• Resilient with the ability to handle setbacks and pressure
• Willingness to take responsibility early on
• Ambitious self-starter
• Ability to work with a diverse range of clients
• Team player
  
  

This job description is indicative only and does not represent an exhaustive list of responsibilities. The firm reserves the right to alter or change the responsibilities at any time, in line with the firm's strategy and business needs.

We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to having a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, culture or any other protected characteristics. We aim to create a culture where everyone can be themselves and is valued for their strengths and unique perspectives.

About The Firm

About the firm

With 8 offices worldwide and with our headquarters based in London, Stephenson Harwood is a law firm where our people are committed to achieving the goals of our clients - listed and private companies, institutions and individuals across the globe. Our mix of expertise and culture results in a combination of deep local insight and the capability to provide a seamless international service.

Our experience encompasses corporate, commercial litigation and arbitration, employment, pensions and private wealth, finance, marine and international trade, and real estate and projects.

We assemble teams of bright thinkers to match our clients' needs and give the right advice from the right person at the right time. Dedicating the highest calibre of legal talent to overcome the most complex issues, we deliver pragmatic, expert advice that is set squarely in the real world.

We understand the power of diversity in delivering that high calibre advice to our clients. We want to attract diverse talent and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics.

Our values

Individuality

We encourage creativity and develop talent.

Commitment

To be the best and deliver the highest standard.

Teamwork

We work together to build close, long-term relationships

Straight talking

We say what we mean and do what we say.

These values express the personality of the individuals within our firm. They are the behaviours we encourage in our people and the standards which inform our decisions and actions.

Our vision into 2026

To be a successful firm where talented people work together in an entrepreneurial environment, building long term client relationships.

This vision is about who we want to be, as well as who we are. It is as much about our values as about our character – the attributes we want to see from all of our people. That's how we unlock our entrepreneurial spirit, advising our clients with top performing teams.

A key part of the 2026 strategy is to focus on five core sectors: decarbonisation, life sciences, private capital & funds, technology, and transportation & trade. These have been identified as crucial in the drive for accelerated profitable growth.