Coram Children’s Legal Centre 2022

Organisation Detail

Coram is the UK’s first children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year creating better chances for children.  

Coram Children’s Legal Centre (CCLC) is an independent charity working in the UK and around the world to protect and promote the rights of children, through the provision of direct legal services including outreach advice and casework; the publication of free legal information online and in print; research and policy work; law reform; training; and international consultancy. It is a specialist centre for children’s rights in education, immigration, community care and family law and is located on the Coram Campus in central London with bases in Colchester and Leeds. Its Legal Practice Unit provides expert advice and representation primarily under legal aid contract alongside innovative grant-funded and pro bono projects.  We also undertake strategic litigation, including interventions in the higher courts. We are dedicated to promoting children’s rights and championing access to justice through our case work and wider projects.  

It is anticipated the postholder will have the opportunity to gain experience in up to three of our areas of practice. 

For further info visit www.childrenslegalcentre.com. 

For further information, visit our website.

Any questions regarding this organisation or the position should be directed to info@coramclc.org.uk

Job Description

1. Working under supervision to deliver legal casework and provide advice. Specifically, to conduct the following tasks under supervision:
   • meeting with clients to take instructions;
   • providing high quality legal advice in writing and in person to clients;
   • developing case strategies to assist clients resolve their issues;
   • correctly assessing eligibility for and applying for legal aid;
   • liaising with clients, witnesses, counsel, experts, the court and other involved persons in a matter;
   • drafting case documents, including applications, legal representations, witness statements, advice letters, instructions to counsel and experts;
   • preparing court bundles;
   • reviewing and monitoring costs of the matter in compliance with LAA requirements;
   • assisting supervising solicitors with all other elements of casework as required including judicial review litigation.
2. To ensure that all casework is conducted to a high standard and recorded meticulously through our case management system, in compliance with the Legal Practice Unit’s operating procedures, Lexcel, the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Legal Aid Agency requirements and any other regulatory requirements specific to the area of law.
3. To record both chargeable and non-chargeable time and to achieve a chargeable hours and fees target.
4. To keep up to date on relevant law, process and procedure through training and development opportunities and to share information to the benefit of the department.
5. To complete the Justice First Fellowship project with support and supervision.
6. To work with colleagues within CCLC and the Coram group to promote the rights of children and young people including through helping to inform our policy, advocacy and research work based on casework experience.
7. To help to maintain existing relationships with charities, support workers, mental health professionals, experts and other stakeholders.
8. Where fee-earners are absent, to help cover work on their caseloads and to assist fee-earners in other departments within the LPU as may be necessary.
9. To undertake other administrative and non-chargeable tasks where necessary to support the operations of CCLC.
10. To recognise and challenge all forms of discrimination and prejudice in the workplace.
11. To treat everyone with respect, dignity and fairness and to acknowledge and celebrate diversity.
12. To maintain an awareness of your own and others’ health and safety and comply with Coram Group Health and Safety policy and procedures.
13. To maintain confidentiality of information; it will be necessary to comply with all requirements related to the Data Protection Act/ General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

Person Specification

Qualifications

1. Successful completion of the Legal Practice Course or a degree-level in any subject and successful completion of Part 1 of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). 
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
2. Be flexible and able to work hard and juggle several competing tasks at the same time whilst working to deadlines. [E]
3. Be able to work with child and adult clients of a wide variety of cultural, ethnic and educational backgrounds. [E]
4. Be able to interact with clients in a sensitive, professional and compassionate way [E]
5. Have excellent IT skills with the ability to work with a case management system and standard office IT packages. [E]
6. Have excellent written and verbal communication skills including ability to explain complex legal issues to a variety of audiences. [E]
7. Be able to work in an organised and methodical manner with a positive attitude. [E]
8. Be able to manage a supervised caseload and to run it efficiently with meticulous attention to detail and careful case management. [E]
9. Be able to meet time recording targets. [E]
10. Willingness to actively contribute and participate in team meetings, the wider work of the Centre and marketing and business development initiatives. [E]
11. Experience of community care, immigration, family, education or general public law casework. [D]
12. Experience of working in a solicitors’ office, operating under the quality standards and regulatory requirements. [D]
13. Experience of working with children and young people with mental health difficulties, disabilities, those who have suffered trauma and who are facing challenging circumstances or infringements to their rights in the areas of CCLC’s practice. [D]
14. Knowledge and experience of legal aid funded casework work, including time recording and billing procedures. [D]
15. Experience of working with interpreters.[D]
Behaviours and Values
16. A commitment to children’s human rights and support for CCLC’s aims [E].
17. Be committed to high quality legal casework, advice-giving and client care. [E]
18. A positive approach to building excellent relationships [E]
19. As positive attitude and willingness to assist other fee-earners in their work by undertaking steps on their cases. [E]