Public Law Solicitor (x2) - Birmingham

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is seeking a motivated and talented Public Law Solicitor to join our highly regarded Public Law Department. This is an excellent opportunity to develop your career with one of the UK's leading law firms, recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a top-tier practice and awarded Law Firm of the Year at both the 2024 LexisNexis Awards and the 2023 Modern Law Awards. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in the City of London, Duncan Lewis Solicitors is a national, award-winning, paperless law firm with over 500 professionals nationwide. Our ethos is simple: "We give people a voice." Our Public Law team is recognised by The Legal 500 as a "dynamic team" that is "exceptional in ability and reach." Ranked and recommended for its excellence nationwide, the department acts on both publicly funded and private matters, specialising in judicial review, civil liberties, human rights, and challenges against public bodies including the Home Office, HMRC, local authorities, and the NHS.

The team has a strong track record of securing emergency relief, pursuing landmark cases through the higher courts, and representing vulnerable and marginalised individuals in matters that shape legal precedent and drive meaningful change. Joining Duncan Lewis means becoming part of a diverse, supportive and forward-thinking organisation where you will have the opportunity to develop your expertise alongside experienced and professional Public Law practitioners committed to achieving the best outcomes for clients.

Duties and responsibilities

• Report directly to Department Director
• Responsible for all aspects of Public Law work including providing technical expertise and guidance to other team members
• Ability to manage and supervise Solicitors, Trainee Solicitors and Caseworkers to manage appropriate caseload types and complexities
• Assisting with delivery of appropriate training and development in the department
• Variety of duties including dealing with a range of Public Law work including:
• Unlawful detention
• False imprisonment
• Abuse by detention staff and removal escorts
• Conditions in detention
• Age assessments
• Asylum support
• Challenging non-appealable decisions
• Challenging removal notices
• NHS & Local Authority challenges
• Policies, practices and decisions made by the Immigration and Asylum Tribunals (First-tier Tribunal / Upper Tribunal)
• Bail decisions
• Preparing and managing funding applications to the Legal Aid Agency
• Preparing draft documents including witness statements and processing evidence
• Preparing applications (incl drafting application forms, index of documents and letters of representations)
• Attending conferences and court

You will have a professional pro-active approach, strong client care skills and be interested in Business Development and Marketing to supplement the substantial work volumes brought in by the company.

Experience and qualifications

• Must have a clean, valid Practising Certificate at the time of applying
• Be committed and highly driven to provide an excellent standard of service to our clients
• Strong management skills
• Committed team player with ability to approach team concerns fairly, foster culture of positive change and encourage cross referrals
• Previous proven supervisory experience and working to key performance indicators
• Professional with a pro-active approach; excellent client care skills and ability to deal with client matters in a sensitive manner to deal with vulnerable clients and resolve complicated practicalities involved in Public Law issues
• Excellent networking and communication skills with the ability to successfully market the Company and generate new business
• Working knowledge of the Legal Aid Guidance for Public Law matters and have the ability to service privately funded cases
• Have extensive experience in dealing with all Public Law related work
• Experience in own advocacy is an advantage
• Excellent IT Skills - familiar with Microsoft Office applications and document management skills

Benefits

• Competitive salary with structured pay review process
• Company pension scheme
• 22 days annual leave, increasing with length of service
• Additional birthday leave
• Occupational sick pay
• Payment of practising certificate and relevant professional membership fees
• Access to extensive e-library resources and training webinars
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and wellbeing support
• Employee referral scheme
• Eye care vouchers
• Enhanced family-friendly benefits
• DBS checks paid by the Company
• Flexible and hybrid working options, including part-time arrangements where appropriate
• Support for solicitor qualification and SQE1 examinations
• Clear career progression opportunities
• Support for industry recognition, awards, and professional profile development
• Company Medical Cash Plan

Company culture

At Duncan Lewis, we are committed to excellence, diversity, and social justice. Our teams work on matters that have a genuine impact on people's lives, often representing vulnerable individuals and holding public bodies to account through expert legal representation. We foster an inclusive and collaborative working environment where talent is recognised, professional development is encouraged, and employees are supported to achieve their full potential. With award-winning training, clear progression pathways, and a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, Duncan Lewis offers an exceptional platform for building a successful legal career. Join a firm where your contribution matters and where you can help give people a voice.