Prison Law Solicitor Director - Nationwide

Gemini Recruitment are currently partnering with a large and established law firm. Our client serves corporate entities and private individuals in over 25 practice areas from offices throughout London and across England and Wales. Our client’s accomplishments are acknowledged and recommended in The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners, as a top tier firm. Our client holds the Investors in People Gold Accreditation Quality Standard Mark and is LEXCEL, Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001-2013 accredited and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Prison Law Department background: Our client’s Prison Law department provides a unique service to its clients with specialist teams made up of highly skilled lawyers, dedicated to providing their clients with comprehensive advice and assistance to obtain the full range of matters dealt with in prison law. The department ensures that the care required when a client is at their most vulnerable, when taken into custody, continues and addresses issues such as appeals against conviction and/or sentence, Proceeds of Crime, advice regarding categorisation etc. In addition, the department assists with difficulties their clients may face during their stay, transfers to other prisons, recategorisation, assistance with complaints, advice specific to foreign nationals and more. Their specialist practitioners also assist and provide representation during adjudications. Our client also assists in relation to parole, HDC and license conditions. Their expertise is highlighted in oral parole hearings, including for lifers, where advocacy assistance is often instrumental in ensuring early release. Post release, our client’s Prison Law team are also able to assist in relation to license recall matters.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Report directly to and collaborate with the Board to ensure performance targets are met.
• Responsible for all aspects of Prison Law and some Crime work and on occasions, where appropriate providing technical expertise and guidance to other team members.
• Supervising a team of solicitors, trainee solicitors and paralegals.
• Training back office staff.
• Varied workload and duties including: attending clients to take instructions; providing representation at prisons/other detention institutions, file management; progressing cases; advocacy at parole hearings/adjudications; taking client instructions and attending meetings.
• Undertaking probation reviews for new staff and conducting monthly file reviews ensuring that follow up actions are dealt with promptly.
• Ability to manage appropriate caseload types and complexities.
• Dealing with correspondence.
• Maintaining accurate time costing procedures.
• Ensuring compliance with file management.

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

Key Skills Required:

• 5 Years+ PQE.
• Must meet LAA Supervisory Status for Prison Law.
• Proven experience in team management, with a strong track record of achieving key performance indicators, including chargeable and billing.
• Extensive expertise in managing Prison Law caseloads.
• Must have a clean, valid Practicing Certificate at the time of applying.
• Professional with a proactive approach; excellent client care skills and ability to deal with client matters in a sensitive manner and resolve complicated practicalities.
• Be flexible and available to work out of hours as and when required.
• Working to tight deadlines is a requirement of the role.
• Excellent networking and communication skills with the ability to successfully market the Company and generate new business.
• Excellent analytical and organisational skills.
• Ability to use own initiative and sound judgment.
• Excellent IT Skills - familiar with Microsoft Office applications and document management skills.
• Willingness to travel to different locations and attend prisons as required.

This list is not exhaustive and there may be other duties as reasonably required. On offer is an attractive salary package, a supportive team environment and real prospects for promotion. The Company will consider applicants wishing to work part time, full time or with flexible working hours. The Company will allow working from home. The company is committed to Equal Opportunities and embraces diversity and inclusivity of its staff and strives to ensure that their workforce reflects the diversity of the communities they serve.

About Gemini Recruitment and Equal Opportunities: Gemini Recruitment is a leading recruitment agency specialising in legal recruitment. We provide a highly focused service specialising in placements for Solicitors, Legal Executives, Trainee Solicitors, Paralegals and Legal Support Staff. The recruitment process will fully comply with GDPR and other applicable laws. Background checks including CRB / DBS checks will establish your eligibility to work in the UK and suitability to the role. By applying to this vacancy you give Gemini Recruitment Services Limited permission to submit your CV to the hiring company.