Grade 7 Lawyer

Litigation

• Conduct a variety of litigation, including complex judicial review claims in the higher courts, ensuring that CICA is appropriately represented in all forums; drafting submissions and instructing counsel as appropriate in Tribunal and higher court proceedings.
• Liaise proactively and collaboratively with the Government Legal Department, the Office of the Advocate General and the Ministry of Justice to ensure CICA has effective representation in litigation through Great Britain and across two legal jurisdictions.
• Procure external legal services as appropriate, in conjunction with MoJ Commercial colleagues, to conduct specialist legal services and ensure CICA templates (e.g. for Trusts) remain fit for purpose, providing instruction and assistance as appropriate.
• Contribute to the overall aims, objectives and performance of CICA's Legal Team and CICA's corporate objectives by providing legal advice that supports the delivery of a compassionate, efficient, trauma-informed service to victims of violent crime.
• Support the Director of Legal & Policy Services in ensuring that CICA operates in accordance with legislative and policy frameworks and in ensuring the effective provision of a range of legal services.
• Where compensation is to be paid into a Trust, providing legal input to the Trust terms and establishment.
Advisory
• Provide high quality legal advice on a range of issues including interpretation and application of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Schemes, judicial review claims, the establishment of trusts, data protection and freedom of information.
• Respond to queries in a timely way, meeting internal targets and expediting urgent matters to ensure effective prioritisation.
• Ensure that advice is practical, written at an appropriate level and is understood by the recipient.
• Provide legal review of guidance for external stakeholders and the public that is of a high standard.
• Provide input to MoJ about CICA's legal operations in order to inform Ministerial briefings and potential changes to legislation.
• Provide legal advice/guidance to Parliamentary Questions, MP correspondence and complaints.
• Undertake other duties as required including providing training and managing staff disciplinary proceedings.
Corporate Leadership · Strong communication and leadership within CICA. · Work with other lawyers to identify: o trends and develop legal training for staff within the legal team o development required to processes and procedures within the legal team. · Work with key client departments, including policy, operations and stakeholder management to ensure legal basis of approach is sound. · Contribute and support the Director of Legal & Policy Services and the Head of Policy & Senior Lawyer in successfully delivering the work of the team through participation in senior management meetings and contributing to the formation and delivery of CICA's corporate objectives. · Develop relationships with senior leadership within operational areas to support the development of any action plans within that area. · Provide supervision and development for junior staff, and potentially trainee solicitors.
• Support and develop the team of Presenting Officers who represent CICA at appeal hearings before the First-tier Tribunal, review Tribunal decisions, representing CICA before the Tribunal where required and, where necessary, raising judicial review proceedings on behalf of CICA.
• The role may include line management of a trainee solicitor and/or an administrative officer, in which case you will be required to set clear expectations of line reports, discuss performance regularly to motivate and enhance services which meet customer expectations, and ensure compliance with Law Society requirements.
• Deputising for the Director of Legal & Policy Services as necessary., The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post., The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone's circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) - See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity). For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location's respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended). Some of MoJ's terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made. MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer. All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet. Flexible working hours The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ's Flexible Working policy.
· Solicitor qualified to practice in Scotland and/or England & Wales. Or a trainee who will qualify in Scotland and/or England & Wales within 3 months of the advert closing. Or a former qualified solicitor in Scotland and/or England & Wales who is seeking to return to the profession and is entitled to a practising certificate. · The ability to draft written argument, guidance and correspondence to the highest quality standards. · An excellent and demonstrable understanding of public law and the grounds for judicial review. · A familiarity with criminal law, trust law, data protection and freedom of information. · Strong organisation and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively when under time pressure. · Confident decision maker, able to work independently and as part of a team. · Strong analytical and reasoning skills, with the ability to assimilate information quickly and interpret statutes, case law and other sources of law. Desirable criteria
• Experience of conducting judicial review litigation in the Court of Session and/or the Administrative Court/Upper Tribunal.
• Experience of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 and/or older Schemes including the pre-statutory schemes., Seeing the Bigger Picture
Making Effective Decisions Communicating and Influencing Managing a Quality Service During the panel interview, you will be asked behaviours and strengths-based questions., Candidate must have a valid practicing certificate or be eligible to obtain one - from either the Law Society of Scotland or the Law Society of E&W. Specific licence requirements Solicitor qualified to practice in Scotland and/or England & Wales. Or a trainee who will qualify in Scotland and/or England & Wales within 3 months of the advert closing. Or a former qualified solicitor in Scotland and/or England & Wales who is seeking to return to the profession and is entitled to a practising certificate. Evidence of Experience CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability, Making Effective Decisions Communicating and Influencing Managing a Quality Service
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. We receive over 40,000 applications a year for compensation, from people who have lost loved ones or have been injured as a result of violent crime. We know financial compensation can never fully redress what they have suffered. Nevertheless, what we do is an important part of providing justice for victims and we take pride that the compensation we pay helps people move forward with their lives. Some of the material you will access may include upsetting personal accounts of harm inflicted by others. This could include sexual assault and violence against children which is distressing. We recognise the personal impact this may have and we provide resilience training, to promote wellbeing. We employ around 300 people and are based in Glasgow city centre, with excellent transport links. We are a small, engaged, productive workforce with a real sense of corporate community. We want to keep improving our services and the way we work to best serve the public, meet new challenges, deliver value for money and ensure CICA is a great place to work. This position is based at Buchanan Wharf, 10 Clyde Place, Glasgow, G5 8AQ. We currently operate a hybrid working business model, where a typical employee spends 50% of their working time in the office and the remainder at home., The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. A Great Place to Work for Veterans The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces. For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit:
We offer flexible working 7am - 7pm, Monday to Friday. This role is offered on a full-time (37 hours per week) basis., The MoJ offers a range of benefits: Annual Leave Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years' service. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis. Pension The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best. Training The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities. Networks The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. Support
• A range of 'Family Friendly' policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
• To Transformative Business Services (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail View email address on s1jobs.com);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (View email address on s1jobs.com);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.