Company Profile 

Linnaeus (as part of the wider Mars Veterinary Healthcare family) is a forward-thinking partnership of highly respected primary care and referral veterinary practices across the UK and Ireland, comprising some of the best clinicians in the profession.  

We are all individual but two important things bring us together; a commitment to excellence in everything we do and our passion to make A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. 

At Linnaeus we carefully select the practices we partner with to ensure the highest levels of patient care across our group. Together we provide a growing community of like-minded veterinary professionals who are passionate about what they do. We work with different types of practices, in every field of veterinary medicine, including small animal, farm and equine. 

We also have our Five Principles which form the foundation of how we do business today and every day and we put these at the centre of every decision we make.  This means: 

• We are committed to Quality of work and contributions to society.   

• We embrace our Responsibility (as individuals and a company) to act now.   

• We base decisions on Mutuality of benefit to our stakeholders.   

• We harness the power of Efficiency to use our resources to maximum effect.   

• We have the financial Freedom to make our own decisions, unrestricted by motivations of others. 

The Opportunity 
We are seeking a dedicated and proactive Legal Assistant with an eye for detail to join our Legal Department. In this role, you will provide essential support to the Legal Director and the broader Legal team. Your primary responsibilities will include managing Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs), triaging and managing the Legal Inbox, and offering administrative support. You will work closely with internal and external lawyers, as well as other associates across Linnaeus and Mars, to meet the needs of a dynamic, fast-paced  business. 

Supported by and reporting to the Legal Director, the successful candidate will be joining at a fascinating time of continued growth, scale and progressive legal context. As Legal Assistant you will undertake an important role in the day-to-day operation of the company’s in-house legal function in the business. It is pivotal that the role holder can work autonomously and independently and delights in not only an attention to detail but also by providing a great customer experience. 

The role will also involve working directly with and supporting senior in-house lawyers, the Trainee Solicitor and the entire company team.  

This is an ideal next step for a candidate looking great experience within a small in-house legal team. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs): Manage and respond to DSARs received by our veterinary practices. This includes document collation, data redaction, and ensuring timely responses within statutory deadlines. 

• Legal Inbox Management: Shape and manage the triage process, signpost internal resources, draft templated responses, and escalate complex issues to the Legal Director or external counsel. 

• Administrative Support: Assist the Legal Director and the Trainee Solicitor with diary management, expense claims, invoices, travel arrangements, and other administrative tasks to ensure efficient operation of the Legal function. 

• Collaboration: Work with the in-house Immigration and Employment Lawyer to support immigration administration and other legal matters. 

• Documentation: Prepare presentation materials, FAQs, templates, guidance notes, and other training materials for internal and external use. Collate information for preparation of bids, tenders, proposal documents, team sheets and client briefing documents and prepare the first draft of documentation where appropriate. 

• Client Relationship Management: Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external clients, contributing to business development initiatives and supporting client service initiatives. 

• Billing Support: Assist with the billing process, including tracking, monitoring, and ensuring compliance with billing procedures. 

Person Specification 

Essential 

• Minimum 6 months’ experience in a paralegal or legal support role within a law firm or in-house legal team. 

• Practical knowledge of UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, and Excel. 

• Strong communication skills and attention to detail. 

• Confident, well-organized, and capable of working independently. 

• Professionalism, discretion, and the ability to build authentic relationships with stakeholders. 

• Law degree or other degree plus legal conversion course. 

Desirable 

• Experience in responding to DSARs. 

Why Join Us? 
At Linnaeus, you will be part of a collaborative and passionate team dedicated to making a difference. We value quality, responsibility, mutuality, efficiency, and financial freedom—principles that guide everything we do. If you are a curious, committed, and confident professional, we would love to hear from you.