About Citizens Advice Barking & Dagenham (CABD) Citizens Advice Barking & Dagenham ‘CABD’: provides the advice people need for the problems they face improves the […]
Organisation Detail
About Citizens Advice Barking & Dagenham (CABD)
Citizens Advice Barking & Dagenham ‘CABD’:
- provides the advice people need for the problems they face
- improves the policies and practices that affect people’s lives
Working in the most deprived Borough in London; every year we support thousands of people in need. Upstream our advice access team supports residents to manage their money, understand their housing or employment rights and navigate social security rules. Downstream, our specialist team focuses on casework and litigation to resolve multiple debts, homelessness, court evictions, employment claims, mandatory reconsiderations and appeals.
Welfare to work, austerity and legal aid cuts mean that local demand for our services and particularly specialist legal casework is high. The pandemic and Cost of Living Crisis is making things much harder for the people.
Our Research and Campaigns team routinely collects evidence to give people a voice and a chance to make things better.
CABD is a Centre of Legal Excellence and a Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year award finalist in 2018 and 2021. We employ a principal solicitor and experienced lawyers. Our first trainee solicitor qualifies this year. Our culture is inclusive and supportive, and our workforce is collectively committed to using the law to tackle poverty, discrimination & inequality.
For further information, visit our website.
Any questions regarding this organisation or the position should be directed to cab.director@bdcab.org.uk
Job Description
About the Justice First Fellowship Trainee Solicitor Post at Citizens Advice Barking & Dagenham
You will join an inclusive and supportive team of in-house lawyers and senior caseworkers who together specialise in housing, community care, welfare rights, employment and discrimination and debt law.
Working in the highest area of deprivation in London, you will have the opportunity to carry out a research, and campaigns project to gain deeper understanding of different and new ways to deliver access to justice.
You will already be passionate about social justice, a hard worker and team player. You will possess a strong commitment to learn all the skills and competencies needed to be a successful solicitor.
By the end of your 2-year training period with us, you will have the skills and expertise that will enable you to work as a solicitor in a social justice organisation of your choice. Whether this is with Citizens Advice, a Law Centre, private practice, specialist NGO or elsewhere.
Our training principal and senior solicitor will develop a training plan with you that builds on any existing experience, knowledge and interests you have and which will provide the tailored support, supervision and training you need to reach this goal. The Professional Skills Course modules is scheduled in as part of this plan.
This post is funded by the Legal Education Foundation as part of the Justice First Fellowship. This means that the post holder will benefit from additional support and guidance frameworks including peer support and linkage with the cohort of other JFF trainees employed at the other funded legal advice organisations.
Please read the job description and Person Specification below and the guidance for completing an application on the final page. Thank you for your interest in this post.
Job Description - Justice First Fellowship Trainee Solicitor
Context and Objectives of Role
The aim of this 2 year role is to ensure a structured traineeship where the post holder develops their individual practice and an ability to function well within a legal advice organization. Our aim is to ensure that by the end of the 2 year training period, the post holder will not only qualify as a solicitor. The post holder will also be market ready to work in a social justice organization of their choice; whether this is with Citizens Advice, a Law Centre, private practice, specialist NGO or elsewhere.
This will be achieved by carrying out the job description with a focus on incremental personal development in all key professional skills:
solicitors conduct rules, conflicts of interest and professional duties to the charity to avoid breaches and negligence
client care, interview, communication skills including difficult and vulnerable clients
research, drafting of letters and legal documents
running a case and case management in 3 seats of law
advocacy skills including representation at court and tribunal
The development, training and experience above will be gained through working in at least three areas of law e.g. Housing, Debt, Welfare rights and/or Employment. Each area has a different manager/supervisor who will provide support and supervision for progression and ensure that you follow any project specific requirements.
The CABD’s registered training principal and will design the plan with the post holder, and manage it throughout the traineeship. The principal will monitor and review with the trainee, their progress to the plan. Mentoring will also be given to enable trainee reflection, identify and solve any barriers to progression.
The plan will be tailored to incorporate an analysis of prior skills, experience and personal interests of the trainee as that relates to our casework areas which in themselves are tied to pre-existing business and development planning needs
During the period of the traineeship, the trainee will have the opportunity to carry out a research and campaigns project to gain deeper understanding of different ways of delivering access to justice.
The trainee will be expected to take the Professional Skills Course and any mandatory exams at an appropriate stage during the period of the traineeship, for which time off for study and training courses will be provided.
Responsible to: The SRA Registered Training Principal
Key relationships: Managers and Supervisors of advice areas in which the trainee will work
Hours of Work: 37.5 hours per week (full time) Monday to Friday inclusive. Hours to be agreed between 9.00am and 6.00pm
Salary: £24500 per annum full-time (including Outer London Weighting) and rising by 3% in training year 2. Plus a 3% pension contribution in line with CABD’s auto enrolment pension policy.
1. Advice and Casework
Provide advice, casework and representation under supervision: -
- Act for the client where necessary by calculating, negotiating, drafting or writing letters and telephoning.
- Negotiate with third parties as appropriate.
- Ensure income maximization through the take up of appropriate welfare benefits appropriate to the caseload.
- Prepare and present cases to the appropriate statutory bodies, tribunals and courts as appropriate.
- Assist clients with other related problems where they are an integral part of their case and refer to other advisers or specialist agencies as appropriate.
- Make home/outreach visits as necessary.
- Work with other staff and teams including providing advice, support or training to ensure service delivery is successful
- Ensure that all casework conforms to the CABD’s Office Manual and the Advice Quality Standard and/or the Specialist Quality Mark and/or other policy or regulatory frameworks as appropriate.
- Maintain case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation.
- Ensure that all work conforms to relevant systems, policies and procedures.
2. Research and Campaigns
- Assist with research and campaigns work by providing information about clients' circumstances.
- Provide statistical information on the number of clients and nature of cases and provide regular reports to bureau management typically through efficient use of IT
- Monitor service provision to ensure that it reaches the widest possible client group typically through efficient use of IT
- Alert other staff to local and national issues.
3. Professional Development
- Keep up to date with legislation, case law, policies and procedures relevant to the Project Read relevant publications.
- Follow training plans that apply to your post
- Prepare for and attend supervision sessions/team meetings/management team meetings as appropriate.
- Assist with Service initiatives for skills and knowledge progression and service improvement.
- Keep up to date with policies and procedures relevant to CABD work and undertake appropriate training.
4. Administration
- Use IT for statistical recording, record keeping and document production
- Develop and maintain good self-servicing standards
- Attend internal and external meetings as agreed with the manager and supervisor.
- Help maintain close liaison with relevant external agencies.
- Help maintain CABD’s local info systems and legal reference resources.
5. Public relations
- Liaise with statutory and non-statutory organizations and represent the Service on outside bodies as appropriate.
6. Other duties and responsibilities
- Carry out any other tasks that may be within the scope of the post skills and knowledge progression.
- Demonstrate commitment to the aims and policies of the Citizens Advice service.
- Abide by health and safety guidelines and share responsibility for own safety and that of colleagues.
