Monday 6th February 2023 & Tuesday 7th February 2023
About Greater Manchester Law Centre (GMLC) GMLC is a community-led specialist advice provider that campaigns with communities across Greater Manchester to achieve social justice. Across […]
Organisation Detail
About Greater Manchester Law Centre (GMLC)
GMLC is a community-led specialist advice provider that campaigns with communities across Greater Manchester to achieve social justice.
Across GM 620,000 households are in poverty and multiple disadvantage. These are the very people GMLC assists.
We started off as a protest against cuts in advice and closures of law centres. In 2016 we became a provider of legal advice and representation and as we established, a promoter of access to justice, particularly legal aid and collective responses to injustice. Ten years ago, there were 9 Law Centres across GM – we are the sole law centre left.
In the past 6 years, we have built and developed GMLC as a regional specialist advice centre and as an advocate and resource for those seeking access to justice. We are the only GM advice agency that provides or hosts specialist advice services in all areas of welfare law including strategic challenge. We work with and for communities fighting together for free access to justice.
We want everyone requiring legal support and representation across the ten districts of Greater Manchester(GM) to be able to access advice, but more importantly to exercise their rights. Our view is that the Law and litigation should be used as a tool for social change.
Our work is guided by the lived experience of the clients we represent and the communities and campaigns we support. Our aim is to continue to develop GMLC as a hub to allow communities, campaigners and lawyers to come together to collaborate and advocate for community justice such as the right to a decent home, job and standard of living.
We aim to support individuals, build collective responses to poverty and inequality and challenge injustice where we see it.
Any questions regarding this organisation or the position should be directed to reception@gmlaw.org.uk
Job Description
Purpose of the Post
The main purpose of this post is to provide the opportunity to successfully complete a Training Contract with Greater Manchester Law Centre (GMLC) in order to qualify as a solicitor, and in doing so enhance our capacity to advise and represent people in their employment, housing, welfare benefits, and public law cases. We are keen to develop our employment and anti-discrimination work, our aim would be to apply for a Legal Aid Agency contract in discrimination work during the period of the training contract.
The post carries with it the opportunity to identify a project which will develop an area of work with the aim of increasing access to justice. This may include an area that has been removed from scope of legal aid and where ‘access to justice’ for those most affected has been undermined. It can also involve the opportunity to work with other voluntary organisations.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. To assist in the conduct of employment, housing, social welfare, and public law cases with a particular focus on discrimination
2. To develop a case-load of cases that are both in and outside of the scope of our legal aid contracts;
3. To conduct casework and maintain records in accordance with agreed office practice;
4. To carry out research in relation to case-work and wider legal/social welfare issues;
5. To liaise and work together with referring organisations and volunteers;
6. To keep up-to-date with developments and changes in housing, social welfare, public and human rights law;
7. To actively contribute towards GMLC’s campaigning work;
8. To develop a project that aims to increase access to justice and demonstrates the need for free, face to face legal advice and representation.
General:
1. To be self-servicing, including typing, photocopying and maintaining accurate and up to date records;
2. To attend staff meetings and training sessions;
3. To provide information and reports on work undertaken to the solicitor(s) with supervising responsibilities;
4. To carry out all duties with due regard to equality and challenging discrimination
5. To carry out all duties with due regard to health and safety, data protection, and all GMLC policies
6. To carry out other duties which are commensurate with the duties of and responsibilities within this job description as directed by the employment solicitor, supervising Solicitor, or Director.
Person Specification
The items listed below are not in the order of importance.
1. SKILLS AND ABILITIES (Essential)
Have good interpersonal skills:- a) be able to communicate effectively in English verbally and in writing to a varied group of people b) have good listening skills and be able to comprehend verbal information c) be co-operative and a supportive member of a team
Be adaptable and able to work in a busy environment and work well under pressure
Be able to manage assigned tasks in an efficient and timely manner
Be able to conduct casework and organise and maintain case files
Be able to use case management systems
Be able to research different areas/ new points law and maintain an up to date knowledge of housing, welfare benefits and public law.
Be able to develop new ideas and relationships with different organisations
Be able to identify the potential for legal challenge (including by way of Judicial Review)
Be able to act as advocate at Tribunal/ Court hearings
Be able to prepare written reports for a variety of audiences
Be able to develop training material and to deliver training/presentations
2. KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Have an interest in (essential) and working knowledge of (desirable) social welfare, housing and public law/human rights law and practice
Have an interest in (essential) and working knowledge of (desirable) working within the Legal Aid or voluntary advice sector
Have an understanding of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory principles and be able to apply them when dealing with clients and colleagues (essential)
3. EXPERIENCE
Experience of conducting advice work/ casework (desirable)
Experience of resolving employment/social welfare legal issues (desirable)
Experience of working with clients in crisis (desirable)
Experience of working together with other organisations and/or campaigning (desirable)
4. QUALIFICATIONS (It is essential that the candidate has successfully completed the LPC)
A high standard of academic achievement and preferably a 2:1 or better at degree level (desirable)
LPC at commendation level or better (desirable)
5.GENERAL
Have a commitment to the principles set out in the GMLC manifesto (essential)
Willingness to work in line with GMLC’s confidentiality policy (essential)
Willingness to operate procedures as set down in the GMLC Quality manual (essential)
Be able and willing to work occasional evenings and weekends (desirable)
Willingness to undertake a DBS check (essential)
Candidates will be assessed against the person specification using the essential criteria. If the resulting short list produces too many candidates views then those on the list will be reassessed using both essential and non essential criteria.
