Addleshaw Goddard is set to increase the size of its Manchester transaction services team (TST) by almost 50% over the coming months, as it looks to step up the amount of work carried out by the paralegal service.

The firm is planning to hire 10 paralegals each month for the next three months, in a recruitment drive intended to bring headcount to 100. 

The team has already grown from five to 70 paralegals since launch in 2010, and the firm is considering relocating it to a separate Manchester base. The increase in manpower comes as part of a firmwide efficiency drive intended to result in the TST delivering at least 10% of its work by 2015. 

Addleshaws recently brought in former Berwin Leighton Paisner Lawyers on Demand business development director Andrew Loach as COO. 

The TST staff handle routine tasks which form the constituent parts of transactional and advisory work, including e-disclosure, due diligence, document management and review. These and other processes are separated out at the start of each assignment, with tasks delegated to the individual best qualified for the job. 

Addleshaws client delivery head Andrew Chamberlain (pictured) said: "The need for additional capacity reflects the success of our approach, and the TST is proving to be an attractive proposition for very capable, talented graduates who bring a range of skills and experiences to our client assignments."

In addition, Chamberlain said the firm is also planning to hire a number of school leavers this year to work under the paralegals within the TST. 

He added: "We are excited by the potential of a larger team comprising a wider range of skills and have begun to explore the opportunities and benefits of resourcing tasks that don't necessarily need to be done by paralegals and graduates. We expect to see around 10 school leavers join the TST this year."

Addleshaws is also looking to ramp up the use of flexible working by its lawyers following a staff consultation on how it can work more efficiently, with the trial of a new flexi-working scheme within its employment practice set to launch soon.