Child Care Solicitors

You will form an important part of our team, providing expertise to parents, grandparents, other family members, interveners and children directly or through their CAFCASS appointed Children’s Guardian.

Overseeing due diligence to legal aid applications and CCMS procedures. Making preparations for court such as court bundles and instructing counsel. Ensuring the Child Care team provides a quality, first class service.

Performance measures:

• Manager/client satisfaction
• Ability to multi-task and work under pressure to meet deadlines
• Running your own caseload with limited supervision
• Quality of work drafted and completed
• Achieving time recording targets
• Achieving costs/fees targets

Covering all aspects of Child Care work, you will provide technical expertise and guidance to team members and external clients. You will manage and supervise colleagues, i.e. solicitors, trainee solicitors and caseworkers/paralegals to manage appropriate caseload types and complexities. Assisting with the delivery of appropriate training and development opportunities within the team.

Varied duties including dealing with a range of care work including: all Legal Aid/CCMS procedures, Care Orders, Interim Care Orders, Supervision Order, Interim Supervision Orders, Emergency Protection Orders, Police Protection Orders, Special Guardianship Orders, Placement Orders, Adoption Orders, International Adoption Orders, Pre Proceedings Meetings, Child protection case Conferences, Child protection review Conferences, defending allegations of injury, abuse or neglect, Child Arrangement Orders, Domestic abuse/violence cases, Prohibited Steps Orders and Specific Issue Orders. You will represent parents, grandparents, other family members and children directly or through their CAFCASS appointed Children’s Guardian.

To develop the department and generate work and build upon existing contacts. We give you the freedom to work how you want – whether that’s in the office, at home or a space of your choosing. We want your workspace to be a productive place.

Responsibilities:

• Organisation: Independently managing your own casework, liaising with clients, providing advice over the phone, by email and other mediums. Analysing large volumes of legal information at speed and with a high level of accuracy. Working to strict deadlines, logically and methodically with a meticulous eye for detail.
• Taking a professional proactive approach to work, with a strong client care focus. Dealing with vulnerable clients and children in a sensitive manner to resolve complicated matters surrounding Child Care cases.
• Drafting: Preparing and drafting documents including witness statements and processing evidence. Preparing documents to meet legal requirements.
• Case types: Managing a varied general Child Care caseload, including: All Legal Aid, CCMS procedures, Care Orders, Interim Care Orders, Supervision Order, Interim Supervision Orders, Emergency Protection Orders, Police Protection Orders, Special Guardianship Orders, Placement Orders, Adoption Orders, International Adoption Orders, Pre Proceedings Meetings, Child protection case Conferences, Child protection review Conferences, defending allegations of injury, abuse or neglect, Child Arrangement Orders, Domestic abuse/violence cases, Prohibited Steps Orders and Specific Issue Orders. You will represent parents, grandparents, other family members and children directly or through their CAFCASS appointed Children’s Guardian.
• Court: Attending conferences and undertaking own advocacy at Court.
• Growth: Business development and marketing to support the work volumes brought in by the Firm. Demonstrating excellent networking and communication skills with the ability to promote the Firm to generate new business.
• Commerciality: Ability to apply the Law with a degree of commerciality. Prepared to give your viewpoint to clients in a jargon-free manner. Understanding of other practice areas that may cross over into Child Care e.g. Family Law.
• Health and Safety: Complying with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Taking responsibility for their own health and safety and that of others.
• Equality and Diversity: Carrying out responsibilities in line with our Equal Opportunities Policy and Procedure and Equality & Diversity Policy.
• Confidentiality: Maintaining confidentiality of information relating to clients, colleagues and other third parties in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR, including outside of the work environment.

26 days annual leave + Bank Holidays. After a year service get birthday off. Company Pension. Social Events. Encouragement of internal progression. Opportunity to earn bonus. Hybrid working – 3 days in the office 2 days working from home.

Person Specification:

• Ideally has experience of working in a multi-site, fast-paced legal business in a Child Care Solicitor role working across a variety of cases.
• You will be a Child Care Solicitor with between 1 year to 10 years PQE (there is no upper limit regarding the amount of experience and applications are invited from even the most experienced candidates).
• Has a working knowledge of best practice within Child Care.
• A Guardian following and your own networks across the geographical area would be highly advantageous but not an essential requirement.
• You will have strong business development capabilities.
• Experience in own advocacy is an advantage, but not an essential requirement.
• Demonstrates a positive, friendly, flexible, and capable manner, and can build relationships quickly.
• Works ethically and sensitively to support vulnerable individuals through Child Care processes.
• Has strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Has excellent time management, organisational and computer skills including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as well as document management systems.
• Is familiar with a legal case management system.
• Strong client facing and good influencing skills, able to deal with queries both verbally and in written format, in a jargon-free manner.
• Is able to ensure a high level of service with existing clients in order to secure repeat business.
• Stays up-to-date with the latest relevant legislation, policy changes and changes in the Law.
• Remains efficient and productive under pressure.
• Ideally has experience of supporting junior colleagues within a small team.
• Works to ambitious targets with stretching KPI’s and complies and delivers within set deadlines.

Education/qualification requirements:

• You will be a Child Care Solicitor with between 1 year to 10 years PQE (there is no upper limit regarding the amount of experience and applications are invited from even the most experienced candidates).
• Accredited with the Law Society (Children Panel Accredited).
• Must have a clean, valid Practicing Certificate at time of application.

Package:

• 26 days annual leave + Bank Holidays.
• After a year service get birthday off.
• Company Pension.
• Social Events.
• Encouragement of internal progression.
• Opportunity to earn bonus.
• Hybrid working – 3 days in the office 2 days working from home.

We value diversity and are committed to equal opportunities.