Paralegal (Community Care Law) Jobs
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Springfield Advice & Law Centre is a community based legal practice and a registered charity. We were formed in 1982 when we were set up to serve the mental health community. We are based mainly on the site of Springfield University Hospital Mental Health NHS Trust. Springfield Law Centre is unique as a working model of a health justice partnership.
We are seeking a for a new Director & Head of Legal Practice to take forward this unique, niche Law Centre. There is an opportunity for expanding the work of the Law Centre and showcasing the worth of health justice partnerships.We are looking for an energetic and compassionate lawyer with a broad experience of either housing or community care casework and representation, who is capable of being a legal aid category supervisor in either area, who has the confidence to lead the team and to develop it so that we can continue to make a real difference within the community.
Qualifications and experience
- 5 years’ PQE qualified lawyer, with demonstrable experience of management at a senior level.
- Ability to meet the supervisor for the Legal Aid Agency contract in either housing or community care.
- A track record of implementing and managing change.
- A track record of leading and motivating others demonstrating strong people skills.
- A track record of innovation and problem solving.
- Appropriate skills and experience that demonstrate an ability and commitment to manage staff effectively. This should include support, supervision, and appraisal and performance management.
- Appropriate skills and experience to effectively handle and manage complaints.
- Experience of managing a Legal Aid Agency Contract and Legal Help matters, with billing targets.
- Ability to bill all types of legally-aided work and to report to the Legal Aid Agency.
- Ability to manage a varied caseload of sufficient, appropriate matters to meet the billing target in place.
- Ability to draft appropriate documentation in your specialist area of law.
- Experience of giving successful training or talks, for example giving presentations, or
- representing clients before Courts or Tribunals.
- Skills
- Ability to take an active role in, leading the direction of the Law Centre, developing new strategies and raising profile.
- Ability to manage the Lexcel Quality Mark and ensure that systems and standards are maintained across the organisation so that audits are passed.
- Ability to understand the financial viability of the Law Centre.
- Ability to report effectively to funders and to monitor progress against grant funded projects.
- Commitment to equality and diversity as set out in the principles and policies of the Law Centre.
- Ability to be self-servicing: you will be expected to manage most of your own typing, filing and billing of Legal Help/Aid cases to comply with LAA requirements.
- Ability to prioritise your workload with minimum supervision.
- Excellent communication skills: you must be able to relate well to colleagues, clients and third parties, in person, in writing and on the telephone, despite the pressures of the role.
- You must be very well organised, with excellent ICT skills, in order to work well under pressure without compromising standards.
- Ability to work flexibly and outside regular office hours including attending and reporting to the trustees on the progress of the Law Centre.
Consideration will be given to requests for flexible or family friendly hours of work to include job share, part time working or specific proposals. The Management Committee consider the range and number of duties to be a full-time role and that any reduction from a full-time role will result in a division of duties to accommodate all aspects of the Law Centre’s needs and aspirations.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Central England Law Centre (CELC) provides a vital service to clients across Coventry and Birmingham, providing support for all aspects of housing law through a team of dedicated solicitors, caseworkers, paralegals and support workers.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced caseworker or solicitor to join the team, supporting our clients across Birmingham in the delivery of casework through the Law Centre’s Legal Aid contract.
The successful candidate will be subject to a basic DBS check.
Responsibilities
With responsibility for a caseload of clients across Birmingham, the successful candidate will:
- Advise clients on all aspects of housing law through face-to-face and telephone appointments
- Undertake casework and represent clients at court as appropriate
- Liaise with the Legal Aid Agency in respect of funding applications and claims
- Complete public funding forms via CCMS and paper applications where appropriate
- Promptly cost and bill closed cases in order to meet individual and team targets
Person Specification
- A solicitor or caseworker with proven experience of the delivery of casework through a legal aid contract
- A demonstrable commitment to social justice
- The ability to work sympathetically and effectively with a wide variety of clients
- Experience of advocating for clients in court and with other agencies
- Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of legal aid eligibility requirements and legal aid applications
About CELC:
A fairer, more just society in which an understanding of rights and their power is embedded within communities.
Central England Law Centre is the UK’s largest Law Centre. Our size enables us to provide legal expertise across eight different areas of social welfare law including: discrimination; employment; health and social care; housing; immigration and asylum; public law; and welfare benefits. This means that we can offer services that can address all of the interconnected problems people face in their everyday lives.
Our services are rooted in the communities we serve and we are an organisation that uses its legal expertise to improve the lives of those who are often vulnerable and socially excluded due to poverty, illness or disability.
What we offer:
- 37-hour working week;
- Flexible working hours and a hybrid working arrangement;
- 28 days holiday (rising by 1 day per year of service to 35 days after 5 years of service) plus 8 statutory days;
- Pension scheme membership;
- Access to an employee assistance programme;
Closing date: 12pm on the 15th May 2024
Interviews will be held in week commencing: 20th or 27th May 2024