Scotland Completed and passed (or expect to pass by 14 March 2024) the Diploma in Legal Practice/Professional Legal Practice (DLP/DPLP).
Areas of Law
Immigration and Asylum, Violence Against Women, Human Rights and Equalities
Location
1/1, Libertas House, 39 St Vincent Place, Glasgow, G1 2ER
Starting Salary and Hours
£26,000-£29,000 p.a. and 35 hours per week
Organisational Benefits
- Comprehensive well-being support for all employees - 37.5 days annual leave, inclusive of public holidays - Flexible working arrangements
Interview Dates
Interview Date 1: Tuesday 16 January 2024 Interview Date 2: Thursday 18 January 2024
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Organisation Detail
JustRight Scotland is Scotland’s legal centre for justice and human rights. Our organisation is comprised of 4 legal centres and our policy and participation hub: (1) Scottish Refugee and Migrant Centre; (2) Scottish Anti-Trafficking and Exploitation Centre; (3) Scottish Just Law Centre; (4) Scottish Women’s Rights Centre; (5) Just Right for All & JustCitizens. At JustRight Scotland, we are dedicated to upholding equitable workplace practices, including union recognition. Our commitment extends to offering a living wage, flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and comprehensive well-being support for all our team members.
What can a trainee expect by training at your organisation?
The post holder will have the opportunity to gain experience across our 4 centres of legal excellence:
Scottish Refugee and Migrant Centre - working with women, children and families who are struggling to access their rights because of their refugee, asylum seeker or migrant legal status;
Scottish Women’s Rights Centre – working with women who have been affected by abuse and violence in Scotland with the aim of improving their access to justice and experience of the justice system;
Scottish Anti-Trafficking and Exploitation Centre – working with child and adult survivors of trafficking and exploitation, as well as serving as a hub for outreach, policy, training and research; and
Scottish Just Law Centre - working with people in Scotland to challenge discriminatory policies and practices of public bodies and service providers with the aim of improving their access to justice.
All our centres require the application of human rights law, and a human rights-based approach to service delivery. The post holder will also work alongside our experienced team of human rights lawyers by contributing to our policy, training and research work through our hub JustRight For All.
Importantly, the post holder will have the opportunity to develop their own specialist legal project for JRS working under the expert guidance and supervision of our management team.
Main Responsibilities and Duties
Specific
Under supervision, provide initial legal advice and human rights information to individuals and organisations, through legal outreach work conducted at a national level, including through legal surgeries and telephone advice lines
Under supervision, provide direct legal advice and representation to clients, including advocacy at relevant tribunals and courts
Under supervision, develop a legal project for JRS
Contribute to the implementation of yearly project plans for the centre in which they work, including meeting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) regarding casework, fees, policy and legal education activities
Maintain timely and accurate records of work undertaken using our casework system and other procedures designed to manage and track our work in a safe, efficient and effective manner as set down in the JRS operational manuals and any manuals and policies designed for the organisation and/or project
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of areas of law relevant to the focus of project work, as well as knowledge of key developments in human rights and equalities law, and public law
Contribute to the identification of key policy issues and to policy and influencing work in areas of importance to our client groups
Contribute to the development and delivery of internal and external professional training, as well as the development of human rights information and other resources for our public legal education programme
Contribute to reports to funders and ensure that work undertaken within a funded project adheres to any requirements set out by funders of that project
Travel, when required, to conduct work across Scotland, UK and abroad. This includes representation at courts, attendance at other JRS offices, and attendance at outreach surgeries and training venues
General
To work independently but also collaboratively with other members of the JRS team and our collaboration partners
To complete other tasks necessary to contribute to the operational management, sustainability and development of JRS in the pursuit of its strategic goals
To prioritise work effectively and ensure that work is completed professionally and to high standards
To conduct all work in line with JRS policies and procedures, including our Equalities and Diversity Policy
To ensure that an inclusive, human rights-based approach lies at the core of how work is conducted, and to represent the organisation publicly in the spirit of JRS values of expert, inclusive, strategic, and trust
Person Specification
Essential
Ability to obtain an entrance certificate issued by the Law Society of Scotland allowing entry into a legal traineeship in Scotland.
Excellent English written and oral skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues in clear, jargon-free, language
Ability to complete tasks to a high standard without significant supervision
Ability to work in a small team in a cooperative, flexible and supportive manner
Ability to manage own time by prioritising tasks and meeting competing deadlines
Ability to develop successful collaborative working relationships externally
Confident ability in use of MS Office: Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
A commitment to the promotion of human rights and working to increase access to justice
A commitment to an inclusive, human rights-based approach to working with clients
Understanding, awareness of, and commitment to, the principles and practice of equal opportunities and diversity
Desirable
Knowledge of UK and European human rights law and procedure
Understanding of the experiences of at risk and marginalised communities in the UK
Experience of working cross-sector or in collaboration with other partner organisations
Experience of organising and delivering professional training or public legal education
Experience of working on and contributing to influencing policy
