Legal Researcher

Legal Researcher Position within HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), Civil Service Grade HEO, Full Time, Permanent, allocated on a reserve list for 12 months. Salary £40,014–£42,859.

Eligibility: Only existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited NDPBs. Staff on fixed‑term appointments must be recruited through fair competition.

Key Responsibilities:

• Research and monitor developments in UK, ECHR, EU jurisprudence and legislation.
• Research, write and produce materials for publication for the IAC judiciary.
• Write summaries of immigration and asylum cases from UK and EU courts.
• Write headnotes for the Immigration Appeal Reports in consultation with senior Upper Tribunal judiciary.
• Monitor case law and legislative developments, including Immigration Rules, to contribute to LRU publications, judicial resources and training events.
• Support the SEO Lawyer in case‑management of Country Guidance decisions of the Upper Tribunal.
• Support the SEO Lawyer in case‑management of permission‑to‑appeal decisions from the Court of Appeal.
• Work across jurisdictions to provide legal research and case‑management services to other tribunals when necessary.
• Produce and oversee maintenance of legal research resources, especially the LRU Electronic Library on eJudiciary and other judicial websites.
• Liaise with content managers for internal and external public websites to ensure materials are relevant and up‑to‑date.
• Deliver training to IAC judiciary on legal research methodologies and using electronic legal and country information databases.
• Respond to research requests from IAC judiciary regarding recent case law, legislation and country information.
• Provide research materials for judicial training events.
• Provide accurate, relevant and prompt research responses to IAC judiciary.
• Provide prompt responses to requests for information from members of the public.
• Ensure all LRU publications meet the high standards required for internal and external subscribers.
• Liaise with Judicial Office and Court of Appeal to maintain resources on external websites and permission‑to‑appeal tracker.
• Represent the LRU at internal and external meetings, workshops and committees, including at a senior level.
• Provide secretariat services for judicial committees such as UTIAC Reporting Committee, Country Guidance Advisory Group and Editorial Board.
• Contribute to managing and training a small team of staff.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Expected:

• Undergraduate Law Degree or equivalent legal work experience.
• Knowledge of the legal and administrative functions of the Tribunal system and the relevant Chamber.
• Knowledge of relevant law and methodologies of legal research.
• Ability to acquire new specialist knowledge rapidly.
• Excellent legal reasoning, research and writing skills.
• Effective communication at all levels, both verbally and in writing.
• High interpersonal skills to develop and maintain effective relationships with staff and stakeholders.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to analyse problems and situations quickly and effectively.
• Competent use of IT and legal resource material.
• Knowledge and experience of immigration law is desirable.

Benefits:

• Annual leave of 25 days on appointment, increasing to 30 after five years of service; additional paid time off for public holidays and a privilege day.
• Pension – the Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes.
• Training – extensive range of training and development opportunities.
• Employee‑run networks for minority groups, disabled, caring responsibilities, women, LGBTQ+.
• Family‑friendly policies, flexible benefits, etc.

Working Arrangements & Further Information:

• Hybrid Working arrangements available where business need allows; minimum 60 % of working time in office.
• Flexible working policy applies.
• All applications for part‑time, flexible and job‑sharing working patterns will be considered.

Eligibility: UK nationals, national of the Republic of Ireland, national of Commonwealth countries with right to work in the UK, national of EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein (with settled/status) and certain family members, Turkish nationals and certain family members, etc.

Staff on fixed‑term appointments must be recruited through fair open competition. Vacancies advertised cross‑government are open to all Civil Service employees and accredited NDPB employees appointed on merit.

Reserve List: May be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information: MoJ: 0345 241 5359 (Mon‑Fri 8 am‑6 pm) – quote job reference 13397. HMPPS: 0345 241 5358 – quote job reference 13397.