Public Law Project

Organisation Detail

We have expanded our operations and in-house expertise to meet some extraordinary challenges and opportunities; from Covid-19 to Brexit, from austerity policies to an unprecedented programme of justice reform.

Can you help us achieve access to justice?

For further information, visit our website.

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

Job Description

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The following is an illustrative but not exclusive list of the primary duties and responsibilities of the role:

Casework

1. To assist PLP’s Deputy Legal Director in matters of casework, project development, research and administration.

2. To assist PLP’s Deputy Legal Director and other members of the casework team in the conduct and co-ordination of public law litigation (in particular judicial review) on behalf of individuals and organisations. This might include taking statements from clients and witnesses, preparing funding applications and managing funding on cases, collating evidence, rationalising documentation and bundling, attending court to issue claims and applications, legal research, preparing for hearings and liaising with third parties including external barristers, dealing with costs assessment stages.

3. To assist the team with new enquiries and generally taking instructions from clients. Many of our individual clients are significantly disadvantaged and support and training will be given to assist.

4. To work proactively (with appropriate supervision) and efficiently to help develop financially sustainable cases using legal aid and/or other sources of funding. This includes managing your own task list on a day to day basis.

5. Work with the Deputy Legal Director to develop and maintain networks and referral sources to proactively generate work.

6. Meet financial targets and ensure that all time recording and legal aid and other billing is undertaken in a timely and appropriate way.

7. Compliance with all professional requirements. In particular, responsibilities to individual clients may sometimes require the postholder to work outside normal working hours.

Cross-departmental work

1. In conjunction with the Communications & Events teams, and other staff members where appropriate, to develop, maintain and disseminate information relating to PLP’s expert interest areas in law.

2. In conjunction with the Communications & Events teams, and other staff members where appropriate, to develop, maintain and deliver training courses and conferences to PLP’s client groups, including as a trainer in training events and conferences as required.

3. To work closely with PLP’s Research team contributing ideas and feedback for their work, and contribute to the development of strategies across the Research and Casework teams within Focus Areas.

4. To attend and participate fully in the Justice First Fellowship’s events programme.

5. To work proactively (with appropriate supervision) to develop a project or initiative to advance access to justice as part of the Justice First Fellowship scheme.

General

1. Assist others with gathering data for monitoring and evaluation, both internal for SMT/Board and external for funders and stakeholders, including the LAA.

2. Undertaking general administration and word-processing in connection with your work or to support the Casework team.

3. Participating with other staff in the day-to-day operation of PLP’s activities including the provision of information to inform accounting and financial reporting (including to funders).

4. Contributing to PLP’s policy work. This may involve preparing draft written responses to particular issues on PLP’s behalf, for approval by the Legal Director as appropriate.

5. Contributing to PLP’s general development. This may involve working on fundraising applications or proposals for PLP’s strategic direction, working on research proposals, or even undertaking research.

6. Attend internal and external meetings as required, including representing PLP at external meetings and other fora, as requested.

7. Undertake other tasks appropriate to the role as required.

8. PLP lawyers are expected to attend occasional evening meetings. These and other events may also result in the post holder occasionally having to be away from home overnight. However, PLP recognises that post holders may have caring and other commitments and seeks to be as flexible as possible in this regard. In addition, reasonable notice will be given of such commitments outside normal working hours where possible, and time off in lieu may be taken by arrangement.

9. Undertake other tasks appropriate to role as requested by the senior management team.

Person Specification