Immigration lawyer jobs

RLS Caseworker / Solicitor

As a RLS Caseworker / Solicitor you will conduct a small strategic caseload of asylum and refugee family reunion cases and assist on litigation (where eligible) under our legal aid contract to push for better decision-making, secure results for individuals and pursue improvements in the relevant law, policy and practices. 

You will also act as the supervising caseworker/lawyer for the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative (APBI), which is a specialist casework project delivered by RLS with funding and pro bono assistance from 11 leading commercial law firms. As part of this role, you will supervise pro bono lawyers to provide high quality legal representation for Afghans on matters including family reunion, the ARAP scheme, the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme and others. The project is now in its 3rd year and won the Most Effective Pro Bono Partnership Award at the Law Works Pro Bono Awards in 2022 as well as being nominated and commended for numerous other awards in 2022 and 2023. Please note that RLS recognise that pro bono legal work is always an adjunct to, and not a substitute for, an adequate system of publicly funded legal services. 

Key responsibilities

• Have conduct of a small strategic caseload and provide high quality legal advice and representation to clients
• Supervise the work of volunteer pro bono commercial lawyers on cases
• Deliver training to pro bono commercial lawyers
• Ensure that all legal work is promptly and accurate recorded on RLS’s case management system and keep relevant time recording
• Develop and disseminate relevant information on legal developments in this area for relevant stakeholders, including both the Afghan Community and building the capacity of other practitioners
• Work in close collaboration with the other project Lawyer/s to develop and share experiences and best practice in relation to all aspects of casework (legal, evidential and procedural) and relevant internal processes
• Work in close collaboration with the Legal Director and Casework Supervisorto ensure that appropriate steps to achieve the aims and objectives of the project are taken, including ensuring that relevant data is obtained and assisting with the timely completion of the project Operational Plan/s
• Work in close collaboration with the APBI Coordinator to contribute to the production of materials such as project periodic reports, information on emerging and strategic issues in relation to ‘safe’ routes for use in advocacy, content for newsletters, social media posts and articles to raise awareness of the project and its aims and outputs
• Participate in, and contribute to, RLS’s monitoring, evaluation and learning framework
• Be an active member of the RLS team participating in team meetings at both the UK and International level: engaging in a collegiate and collaborative environment that includes participating in the development of a new and exciting legal organisation
• Work in close collaboration with the Community Engagement and Research Lead to contribute to the production of information sheets and other materials to disseminate to the Afghan community/ies
• Maintain accurate and confidential records in line with GDPR
• Adhere to RLS safeguarding policies and procedures at all times. 

Person specification: 

Essential

• Be either a member of the Bar, a solicitor and accredited to IAAS Senior caseworker level, accredited to IAAS Senior caseworker level, or OISC accredited to Level 3
• Experience of asylum casework
• Experience of refugee family reunion procedures and applications, including applications outside of the Immigration Rules reliant on Article 8 ECHR and other human rights provisions
• Experience of online immigration applications
• Demonstrable knowledge of legal aid provision and ECF applications
• Experience of and commitment to working in a collaborative way on legal cases
• Good verbal and written communication skills in English
• Strong organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines
• Strong attention to detail, responsiveness, reliability and dependability
• Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills and an ability to deal professionally and collaboratively with both legal and not-for-profit stakeholders
• Computer literacy
• Right to reside and work in the UK
• Enjoy working with a small team in a flexible and fast-paced environment, as well as being an independent self-starter able to work with a high degree of autonomy
• Have a strong commitment to upholding the human rights of asylum seekers, migrants, and refugees
• Commitment to the aims of the project and the values of RLS
• The successful candidate will be required to obtain an enhanced DBS certificate (we cover the cost). However, a criminal record is not a barrier to the role. 

Desirable

• Demonstrable supervision experience strongly preferred
• Those with lived experience of navigating immigration systems are strongly encouraged to apply and will be favourably considered
• Experience of legal aid casework
• Experience of conducting immigration appeals and/or public law litigation
• Experience of supervising commercial lawyers in a pro bono project setting
• Experience of preparing and delivering training

We seek an Advice Coordinator and IAA supervisor IAA L2 (IAA L3 desirable), or solicitor with equivalent qualifications for an exciting position leading partnership projects with Shelter, London Youth Gateway, and the East London Foundation Trust Mental Health Services.  The post holder will manage and supervise a team of IAA level 1 and 2 immigration advisors providing specialist immigration advice and casework to migrants at risk in London. You will play a key role in coordinating service delivery, including advice drop-ins and outreach visits in mental health settings.

Praxis is a dynamic, award-winning human rights charity supporting migrants in crisis or at-risk, ensuring that their essential human needs are met and that they are able to overcome the barriers they face. We work to build community, challenge exclusion and discrimination, influence policy and improve services. We advocate and campaign for lasting changes to policy and practice to address the root causes of the issues faced by at-risk migrants.

We are a progressive organisation, committed to an inclusive workplace which reflects our values and the society we want to live in.

We recognise that how you feel about your work is impacted by what is happening in your life outside of work. As a result, we offer generous family leave policies, with equal parental leave, flexible and hybrid working, and enhanced annual leave through our Life Happens and Religious and Reflective Leave policies. We take care of our staff by thinking about their health and wellbeing and offer reflective practice, a Menstrual Champion and a range of policies to support people at work.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from candidates with lived experience of the migration system or who have experienced homelessness.

Having a criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify you from this role. We believe in second chances and assess each application on individual merit. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of background.

Our Attractive Benefits Package Includes 

· Culture of flexible and hybrid working (where appropriate)

· 25 days annual leave increasing to 30 with service (plus paid Bank Holidays)

· Equal parental leave (incl. 26 weeks on full pay, eligible after 1 year in post)

· Religious/reflective leave, life happens leave and menstrual leave

· Reflective practice for all frontline roles

· Employee Assistance Programme offers counselling and support 24/7

· Workplace Pension Scheme and Life Assurance (1x annual salary)

· Financial wellbeing support, including payroll savings, signposted advice and hardship loans

If you need us to make an adjustment or provide additional support as you apply for a role, please email our Recruitment team who will contact you to discuss how we can help.

For more information you can contact Daniel Ashwell 

To apply, send us your CV and cover letter demonstrating your capabilities in relation to each of the points of the job description marked ‘A’. Where relevant use your answers to illustrate how your competencies have helped you to achieve positive results. This will give you the best possible chance to be shortlisted. Applications will only be accepted with a cover letter.

BACKGROUND

This is an exciting opportunity to join the legal aid casework team at Asylum Aid. You will be responsible for coordinating and delivering the billing of our legal aid work (including controlled work, certificated work and inter partes bills), which is vital to ensure the financial sustainability of our work. Asylum Aid holds legal aid contracts in the immigration & asylum and public law categories.

For thirty-five years, Asylum Aid has been providing legal representation to some of the most vulnerable people seeking asylum. We have built an expert service, delivering vital and life-saving services in some of the most complex legal cases, with a particular speciality working with unaccompanied children, survivors of trafficking, torture or other forms of human cruelty, and stateless people. Our vision is that all those in need of protection from persecution and other forms of human cruelty in the UK can obtain it, and are treated fairly and with dignity.

Since August 2020, Asylum Aid has been part of the Helen Bamber Foundation Group. Asylum Aid operates as an independent charity, led by its own Executive Director within the group structure, and is ambitious about growing its impact and reach in the future to ensure protection from persecution for those who need it. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

This role would suit a person with strong attention to detail and excellent organisational skills and numeracy. The ideal candidate will have already embarked on or be looking to develop a career providing excellent legal aid billing support and coordination essential to the financial sustainability of legal aid practice, whether within the charity sector or private practice. You will have a strong commitment to the values of Asylum Aid and an understanding of the importance of sound legal aid billing practices to our continued ability to provide our expert service to our clients. Prior experience is not essential as full training will be given and peer support is available.

The focus of the role of billing coordinator is to ensure the efficient and robust delivery of costing and billing of legal aid files conducted under Legal Aid Agency (LAA) contract (Legal Help / Controlled Legal Representation and certificated work) as well as liaising with external costs lawyers to oversee the preparation of Inter Partes bills and negotiations with the paying party where we have obtained an order for our costs in judicial review proceedings.  This includes reconciliation of Legal Aid Agency payments received and made, and to provide essential coordination within the organisation to support lawyers in ensuring files are billed promptly and accurately, and costs are maximized. The billing coordinator will work with the Director of Legal Casework to develop and maintain an effective tracking system to ensure timely progression from case closure to billing.

This role will work closely with the Legal Team of Asylum Aid and the Finance team of the Helen Bamber Foundation Group. You will also have access to the London Legal Support Trust Centres of Excellence legal aid billing peer support group and peer-to-peer support.

As this is a new role, there will be clear targets set as to the additional legal aid income brought in as a result of the extra capacity it will bring and a review will be undertaken after 12 months as to whether it is having the desired impact on our legal aid income.

Equal Opportunities

Our commitment to principles of equity, diversity and inclusion is an integral part of our approach to our clients, our volunteers and our staff, and we are an equal opportunities and Living Wage employer.

We are committed to attracting and recruiting diverse candidates because we are keen to make sure that our staff, trustees, volunteers and ambassadors reflect the communities we serve and the wider community we work in.

We genuinely welcome and encourage applications from candidates from range of backgrounds, especially people of colour, people with disabilities, people from low socio-economic backgrounds, refugees, stateless people and others with lived experience of forced migration or trauma who are under-represented in our organisation.

We recognise and value the role of lived experience in meeting the needs of our clients and acknowledge the under-representation of people with lived experience of forced migration and statelessness in the refugee and migration sectors. We value experience gained overseas as well as in the UK and you will receive full training to enable you to transfer your knowledge and skills to the UK context.

How to apply 

Please note that the successful candidate will be offered the job subject to suitable references and a basic DBS check.

If appointed you will be required to give your consent to Asylum Aid to receive regular updates on your criminal records status throughout your employment. 

The first stage is to complete on our online application form on our website by 9.00am on 12 May 2025

The website form will ask you to:

1. Upload a short covering letter. Please tell us why the position appeals to you, and how your

relevant skills and experience, including any voluntary experience and lived experience, matches the listed responsibilities and person specification. Please also state in your covering letter when you would be available to start the role.

2. Upload your current CV

3. Complete an online Equal Opportunities monitoring form – completion of this form will help us ensure that our recruitment procedures operate in such a way as to provide genuine equality of opportunity. The questions are entirely optional and this information will not be available to members of the selection panel.

Selection Process

We anticipate that we will invite candidates to an initial 15-minute online screening meeting week commencing 19 May 2025, followed by shortlisted candidates attending in-person interview week commencing 26 May 2025. We will also ask you to complete a short written task ahead of/on the day.

At Helen Bamber Foundation Group we want to be transparent about what kind of qualities we are looking for and build trust from the very beginning of your journey with us. The first step is your interview, and we mean ‘your’ interview so we will provide you with your interview questions ahead of the interview. This will allow you time to prepare, and ensure you have your best examples in mind.

We regret that we can only respond to applicants who make it to the interview stage.

We offer a guaranteed interview for refugees, stateless people and others with lived experience of forced migration, provided that they meet at least 50% of the essential criteria.

Eligibility

Please note that the successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK (as a small charity we do not have the capacity to sponsor work visas).

Successful candidates will also be subject to a basic DBS check. If appointed, you will also be required to give your consent to the charity to receive regular updates on your criminal records status throughout your employment and to disclose any relevant convictions incurred during your time with us.

Adjustments

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. If you require a different format of the application form, such as large print or Word format, or if you would like to discuss any specific requirements, please get in touch with us though phone or email.

Experts by Experience Support

We are also proud to be a member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network , which aims to increase representation of people with lived experience in the charitable sector.

If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network and access other information and resources at  which may help in preparing your job application. .

Please complete this form request support and they will confirm if they can match you with a mentor to support your application

We're looking for someone with a passion for and knowledge about migrants’ rights. You will be joining our small and friendly public legal education team to lead our work empowering migrant communities with the knowledge and skills that they need to secure access to justice.

You will be working with a team of information experts, educators and volunteer lawyers.

Role: Head of Migrants Rights Programme

Reports to: Head of Education and Training

Salary: £23,499 pa for 21 hours per week  (FTE £39,165, inclusive of London Allowance)

• Pay increases are agreed annually in line with NJC negotiations and usually take effect from 1 September each year

Hours: 21 hours per week

Location: Remote.

• In-person staff meetings occur every quarter and regular in-person events are to be attended as required. Locations vary, prior notice is always provided and travel will be reimbursed

Contract: Two-year fixed-term contract with potential extension

Benefits:

• Flexible working around our core hours of 10:00 - 16:00 Mon- Thur
• 3% pension contribution after 3 months
• 20.5 days annual leave (inclusive of public holidays)
• Access to staff training and development
• Enhanced sick pay
• Enhanced parental leave policies are under development
• Extended Christmas shutdown (typically gifted by the Trustees; not part of your annual leave allowance but not contractually guaranteed)

We particularly welcome applications from people from Black, Asian and other minoritised backgrounds, those with lived experience of the issues we work on, and individuals from communities experiencing economic injustice.

For more information and how to apply please download our recruitment pack.

About the role

As a Foundation we are committed to learning together with others and reflecting and acting on what we learn. We learn to improve our understanding about how to approach the complex issues we are trying to address, to examine how our funding relates to the social change we want to see, and to improve how we work and fund.

The Learning & Insight Officer will play a key part in delivering our learning, monitoring and research activities, and we want the successful candidate to be able to develop their skills and interest within the role. They will work closely with the Head of Learning & Insight, wider Grants team colleagues and others across the Foundation to gather insights from our grants and wider work. These insights will inform our strategic direction and contribute to wider sector learning and understanding.

This is a permanent, full time role (35 hours) but we will also consider a part time role at 4 days/ 28 hours equivalent.

We are committed to best practice and accountability in equity, diversity and inclusion. We value, welcome and respect all the differences that make us who we are including: age, disability and mental health, neurodiversity, cultural background, ethnicity and race, sex, gender identity and expression and sexual orientation including LGBTQIA+ identities, religion and socioeconomic background.

Main Responsibilities

• Work with colleagues to design and implement systems for the LEF to collect data and to capture and share learning in a systematic way that reflects our values and our commitment to Power, Cuture and Inclusion.

• Coordinate a timetable of activities for LEF to learn from its grants and direct work (such as regular feedback surveys and internal reflection sessions).

• Work with colleagues to collate and analyse evidence from organisations we fund to identify key insights and learning (such as reports and notes from grant management calls).

• Work with the Head of Learning & Insight and wider grants team colleagues to prepare our grants data for publication (for example through 360Giving and as part of the Funders for Racial Equality Alliance (FREA) Audit)

• Support the LEF to communicate insights in accessible and engaging ways.

• Work with colleagues to prepare key insight reports and data for a range of audiences such as colleagues, trustees or other funders.

• Work with colleagues to run internal sessions with staff and trustees to reflect on our processes (what is working well, less well and what we can improve about how we work) and understand the progress the LEF is making towards its strategic objectives.

• Work with colleagues to run online and in-person events to bring together the organisations and people we fund to reflect and learn from one another.

• Support the development of a ‘culture of learning’ within the LEF and with grantees and 

• Work with the Head of Learning & Insight to commission and manage external contractors for particular pieces of work (for example, research briefs or learning partnerships).

• Provide administrative support on tasks, such as scheduling meetings.

• Carry out such tasks as the Director of Grants & Learning or Head of Learning & Insight may from time to time deem necessary for the effective and efficient functioning of the Foundation.

To see a full description of the role and what we are looking for, download the candidate recruitment pack.

We’re looking for an analytical, detail-oriented professional to join our senior management team as Finance and Operations Manager. You’ll ensure the smooth operation of our financial and legal aid reporting processes and manage office contracts across our three locations.

Salary: £38,700 per annum, plus 4% pension contributions
Reports to: CEO, Trustees, Finance Board of Trustees, and SMT
Term: Permanent, Full-time (35 hours per week)
Based at: SWLLC’s Croydon Office / Hybrid working available

For more details, please see our application pack. 

To apply, send us your CV and covering letter (no more than two pages of A4), clearly outlining how you meet the person specifications and why you would like to join South West London Law Centres.

Applications without a covering letter will not be considered.

Closing date: 5 pm on 02/05/2025