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- Tasks: Lead a dynamic social justice team to enhance legal aid services and support community-focused work.
- Company: Join a mission-driven organisation dedicated to social justice and access to legal aid.
- Benefits: Opportunity for professional growth, collaborative environment, and meaningful community impact.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while developing your leadership skills in legal services.
- Qualifications: 6+ years as a solicitor with legal aid expertise and management potential.
- Other info: We value diversity and encourage applications from under-represented groups.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
Working closely with your co‑head, you will provide shared leadership to a dynamic social justice team, supporting excellent casework, nurturing staff development, and building strong, values‑led partnerships. Your remit will include strengthening and growing our legal aid services, securing sustainable funding to support community‑focused work, and influencing policy and practice to improve access to legal aid for the communities we serve.
Please Note: We do not expect the appointee to generate legal aid income at a multiple of their salary (although we do want to build this area of income initially to at least £25,000 to £30,000 per annum across the team). The role is focused on developing legal aid practice and income across the team, as part of a mixed‑income organisational model.
As Joint Head of Legal Services, you will:
- Support Strategic Development: Contribute to developing the direction and priorities of Release’s legal services, including expanding legal aid work and strengthening access to justice.
- Provide Practice Leadership: Support a multidisciplinary team of solicitors, legal advisers and volunteers to deliver excellent, trauma‑informed legal support.
- Ensure Quality and Compliance: Help ensure consistent regulatory compliance and quality assurance across legal casework, including legal aid requirements.
- Strengthen and Grow Services: Help develop and improve legal service delivery models, including responding to emerging needs and client priorities.
- Contribute to Systemic Change: Support Release’s wider mission by helping connect legal services with policy, research, and advocacy work.
This role is ideal for someone with strong legal aid expertise and management potential, who wants to take a meaningful step into senior leadership whilst continuing to centre client care, justice and harm reduction.
Person Specification
Essential
- Minimum 6 years + post qualified solicitor with a current practising certificate.
- Minimum 4 years + substantial experience in legal aid casework, supervision and/or compliance.
- Minimum 2 years + experience of supervising others and/or management experience.
- Substantial experience in public law, housing law, and/or community care law within legal aid practice.
- Strong commitment to social justice, harm reduction, and trauma‑informed practice.
Desirable
- Experience working in a charity or non‑profit organisation.
- Experience supporting, contributing to, or developing test case work, policy‑linked casework, or other legal work aimed at achieving wider systemic or community impact, including through indirect, collaborative, or emerging roles.
- Understanding of the impact of drug policy and criminalisation on marginalised communities.
- Experience in developing new services, partnerships, or funding‑linked delivery models.
We are committed to building a legal services team that reflects the communities we work alongside and embeds equity, inclusion, and accessibility at every level of our organisation. We aim to support people to grow into leadership roles with confidence, recognising that talent and potential are developed through opportunity as much as experience. If you are motivated by community impact, collaboration, and strengthening access to justice through legal aid, we encourage applicants who meet the core requirements to apply, even if their experience does not align with every element of the person specification. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of marginalisation and from groups currently under‑represented in senior legal leadership.
Joint Head of Legal Services - Legal Aid employer: Release - L.E.A.D.S
Contact Detail:
Release - L.E.A.D.S Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Joint Head of Legal Services - Legal Aid
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with folks in the legal aid community. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to people on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show your passion for social justice! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, make sure to highlight your commitment to harm reduction and trauma-informed practice. Share stories that demonstrate your dedication to making a difference in the community.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation’s values and recent projects. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their mission. This will not only impress them but also help you feel more confident during the conversation.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re all about building a diverse team that reflects the communities we serve. If you meet the core requirements, we want to hear from you, even if you don’t tick every box. Your unique perspective could be just what we need!
We think you need these skills to ace Joint Head of Legal Services - Legal Aid
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Justice: When writing your application, let your passion for social justice shine through. We want to see how your values align with our mission and how you can contribute to improving access to legal aid for the communities we serve.
Highlight Relevant Experience: Make sure to showcase your experience in legal aid casework and management. We’re looking for someone with a solid background, so don’t hold back on detailing your achievements and how they relate to the role.
Tailor Your Application: Take the time to tailor your application to the specific role. Use the job description as a guide to highlight your skills and experiences that match what we’re looking for. This shows us you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss any important details about the role or our organisation.
How to prepare for a job interview at Release - L.E.A.D.S
✨Know Your Legal Aid Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your legal aid knowledge before the interview. Understand the current challenges and opportunities in legal aid services, especially in relation to social justice. This will show your passion for the role and your commitment to improving access to justice.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams or projects in the past. Highlight your experience in supervising solicitors and volunteers, and how you've nurtured their development. This is crucial as the role involves providing practice leadership to a multidisciplinary team.
✨Demonstrate Your Commitment to Social Justice
Be ready to discuss your dedication to social justice and harm reduction. Share specific instances where you've made an impact in these areas, whether through casework or policy advocacy. This aligns perfectly with the values of the organisation and will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Prepare Questions That Matter
Think of insightful questions to ask during the interview. Inquire about the organisation's future plans for legal aid services or how they measure success in community impact. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if the organisation aligns with your values.
