Grade 7 Lawyer
Full time position
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. We receive over 40,000 applications a year for compensation, from people who have lost loved ones or have been injured as a result of violent crime. We know financial compensation can never fully redress what they have suffered. Nevertheless, what we do is an important part of providing justice for victims and we take pride that the compensation we pay helps people move forward with their lives.
Some of the material you will access may include upsetting personal accounts of harm inflicted by others. This could include sexual assault and violence against children which is distressing. We recognise the personal impact this may have and we provide resilience training, to promote wellbeing.
We employ around 300 people and are based in Glasgow city centre, with excellent transport links. We are a small, engaged, productive workforce with a real sense of corporate community. We want to keep improving our services and the way we work to best serve the public, meet new challenges, deliver value for money and ensure CICA is a great place to work.
This position is based at Buchanan Wharf, 10 Clyde Place, Glasgow, G5 8AQ. We currently operate a hybrid working business model, where a typical employee spends 50% of their working time in the office and the remainder at home.
Role Description
As a Grade 7 Lawyer you will be part of the Legal and Policy Directorate within CICA. Specifically, you will be part of a small, flexible and professional Legal Team, which provides stakeholders with an excellent service and sound legal advice. You will report directly to the Director of Legal & Policy Services, and you will be a member of CICAs Senior Leadership Team.
Key responsibilities
Litigation
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Conduct a variety of litigation, including complex judicial review claims in the higher courts, ensuring that CICA is appropriately represented in all forums; drafting submissions and instructing counsel as appropriate in Tribunal and higher court proceedings.
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Liaise proactively and collaboratively with the Government Legal Department, the Office of the Advocate General and the Ministry of Justice to ensure CICA has effective representation in litigation through Great Britain and across two legal jurisdictions.
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Procure external legal services as appropriate, in conjunction with MoJ Commercial colleagues, to conduct specialist legal services and ensure CICA templates (e.g. for Trusts) remain fit for purpose, providing instruction and assistance as appropriate.
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Contribute to the overall aims, objectives and performance of CICAs Legal Team and CICAs corporate objectives by providing legal advice that supports the delivery of a compassionate, efficient, trauma-informed service to victims of violent crime.
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Support the Director of Legal & Policy Services in ensuring that CICA operates in accordance with legislative and policy frameworks and in ensuring the effective provision of a range of legal services.
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Where compensation is to be paid into a Trust, providing legal input to the Trust terms and establishment.
Advisory
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Provide high quality legal advice on a range of issues including interpretation and application of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Schemes, judicial review claims, the establishment of trusts, data protection and freedom of information.
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Respond to queries in a timely way, meeting internal targets and expediting urgent matters to ensure effective prioritisation.
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Ensure that advice is practical, written at an appropriate level and is understood by the recipient.
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Provide legal review of guidance for external stakeholders and the public that is of a high standard.
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Provide input to MoJ about CICAs legal operations in order to inform Ministerial briefings and potential changes to legislation.
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Provide legal advice/guidance to Parliamentary Questions, MP correspondence and complaints.
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Undertake other duties as required including providing training and managing staff disciplinary proceedings.
Corporate Leadership
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Strong communication and leadership within CICA.
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Work with other lawyers to identify:
o trends and develop legal training for staff within the legal team
o development required to processes and procedures within the legal team.
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Work with key client departments, including policy, operations and stakeholder management to ensure legal basis of approach is sound.
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Contribute and support the Director of Legal & Policy Services and the Head of Policy & Senior Lawyer in successfully delivering the work of the team through participation in senior management meetings and contributing to the formation and delivery of CICAs corporate objectives.
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Develop relationships with senior leadership within operational areas to support the development of any action plans within that area.
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Provide supervision and development for junior staff, and potentially trainee solicitors.
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Support and develop the team of Presenting Officers who represent CICA at appeal hearings before the First-tier Tribunal, review Tribunal decisions, representing CICA before the Tribunal where required and, where necessary, raising judicial review proceedings on behalf of CICA.
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The role may include line management of a trainee solicitor and/or an administrative officer, in which case you will be required to set clear expectations of line reports, discuss performance regularly to motivate and enhance services which meet customer expectations, and ensure compliance with Law Society requirements.
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Deputising for the Director of Legal & Policy Services as necessary.
Essential criteria:
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Solicitor qualified to practice in Scotland and/or England & Wales. Or a trainee who will qualify in Scotland and/or England & Wales within 3 months of the advert closing. Or a former qualified solicitor in Scotland and/or England & Wales who is seeking to return to the profession and is entitled to a practising certificate.
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The ability to draft written argument, guidance and correspondence to the highest quality standards.
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An excellent and demonstrable understanding of public law and the grounds for judicial review.
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A familiarity with criminal law, trust law, data protection and freedom of information.
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Strong organisation and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively when under time pressure.
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Confident decision maker, able to work independently and as part of a team.
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Strong analytical and reasoning skills, with the ability to assimilate information quickly and interpret statutes, case law and other sources of law.
Desirable criteria
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Experience of conducting judicial review litigation in the Court of Session and/or the Administrative Court/Upper Tribunal.
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Experience of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 and/or older Schemes including the pre-statutory schemes.
Other duties
The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.
