Bates Wells
Paralegal - Impact Finance

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Paralegal - Impact Finance
Department
Charity & Social Enterprise
Employment Type
Full Time
Location
London
Reporting To
Sung-Hyui Park
Description
We are seeking a Paralegal to join our Impact Finance team and provide dedicated support across its practice. This is an opportunity to get hands-on experience of our clients in this sector, many of whom are household names, and to develop your skills and experience in this area.
The Role
This is an excellent opportunity for a Paralegal to join our market-leading Impact Finance team, advising banking, finance and impact investing clients including ethical lenders, banks, UK and international impact investors, DFIs, social enterprises and charities. The team sits within our top ranked Charity & Social Enterprise department. This is a unique opportunity to use your skills and experience to make a real difference. You will have a high degree of client contact, developing your own relationships and networks.
Key Responsibilities
- Perform expected paralegal duties as delegated by fee earners. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Legal research and summarising legal documents.
- Provide support to fee earners on the Finance team’s transactional work in the debt finance space which shall include:
- Supporting with project management aspects.
- Drafting ancillary documents.
- Liaising with local counsel.
- Managing the signing process.
- Review, summarise and monitor relevant regulatory updates.
- Support fee earners on matter management where requested.
- Support fee earners in knowledge and business development such as research and preparing documentation and presentations.
- Attend client meetings and produce meeting minutes.
- Play a key role in developing and maintaining the ChaSE Finance team's legal precedents, knowhow and resource bank. Contribute to the creation of new knowhow materials and ensure existing resources are kept up to date and fit for purpose.
- Participate in team meetings and sector groups, including coordinating meetings and circulating information related to sectors.
- Be proactive in providing high-quality legal service to our clients.
- Display effective time management and career development.
- Attend internal and external training as and when required.
- Keep up to date with developments in law and practice.
- Engage with the firm’s internal forums and programmes.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
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Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Specific tasks may change over time, so we’ll need you to be adaptable and flexible as we continue to meet our clients’ needs.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
About you
- You are a graduate with experience as a paralegal and/or a Law Degree, or graduate level legal qualification (such as the Graduate Diploma in Law or equivalent) – a postgraduate level legal qualification such as the Legal Practice Course or the SQE qualifications is desirable for this role, but not essential.
- Ideally, the successful candidate will have a keen interest in Banking, at least one year’s experience supporting banking transactions and experience of organising signings, drafting ancillary documents and managing local counsel and will have excellent project management skills.
- You have excellent written and verbal communication skills including a focus on attention to detail.
- The ability to build, maintain and nurture relationships.
- A client-centric approach.
- Teamwork – there is a place for individual effort but we highly value a collaborative approach.
- A results-focused mentality – we hope you’ll challenge the status quo if you feel it’ll benefit our work.
- You are an excellent problem solver. You think logically to reach solutions and are not afraid of working in unfamiliar areas.
- You are proactive and comfortable taking on responsibility to run with your own workstreams where appropriate to do so.
- You are technically excellent, commercially minded and have great people and project management skills.
- A genuine interest in the work we do; we encourage questions about the business and invite you to test assumptions and propose ideas.
- Finally, we want people whose values reflect our own and who feel inspired working in a firm with a strong social purpose.


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Benefits
- Impact-Driven Purpose We align profit with social purpose to create lasting positive impact for our people, communities, and planet.
- Committed to the Climate Through our Climate Programme, we reduce environmental impact and drive a just transition to net zero.
- Championing Inclusion We foster a diverse, inclusive culture where creativity and innovation thrive.
- Flexible and Hybrid Working Our hybrid model supports balance, with part-time options and at least two office days weekly.
- Progressive Benefits We offer green pensions, IVF support, private healthcare, and more for your well-being and growth.
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