Department: Civil Liberties and Human Rights
Location: London (City)
Contract: Permanent – Full time
Salary: 3+ years’ PQE - Dependant on experience
Closing Date: 28th February 2023
No Agencies
Apply with CV and covering letter addressed to: recruitment@itnsolicitors.com
About ITN and the Department:
Our Work: ITN is an award winning leading law firm operating across a number of practice areas. The firm takes pride in its cross-departmental approach to litigation. All departments in the firm are recognised as leaders in their fields.
Our Civil Liberties and Human Rights Department: The CLHR Department is recognised for a wide range of work from private law litigation (largely involving public and private bodies with powers to detain/use force particularly in relation to protest/public order situations), through to inquests arising from deaths in custody, and varied public law matters including claims dealing with prison law, counter-terrorism and data rights. The firm benefits from a range of referral sources, as well as a steady stream of internal referrals. Over the last ten years, our practitioners have been involved in ground-breaking cases against a range of national police forces, the IOPC, the CPS, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office. We have represented individuals, non-governmental organisations, community groups and activist networks in often complex cases.
Our People: Our solicitors are known for their fearless and dynamic approach to litigation. We are known for our capacity to take complex and difficult factual challenges and find and apply novel legal solutions to achieve remedies for our client groups.
We are committed to equality and diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Experienced Solicitor Position
Overall purpose for this role
- To conduct cases on behalf of the CLHR Department
- To assist with the continued development of the Department
- To assist the firm in achieving its professional and commercial objectives. You will ideally have a good network of contacts within the field, including contacts with referral agencies
Main duties and responsibilities
- Managing your own case load
- Developing and maintaining referral sources
- Taking all steps from initial instructions from new clients and arranging funding, through to litigating the case in a CPR compliant manner and then billing the case
- Providing detailed, high quality advice to the client in the appropriate areas of law, in clear and understandable language
- At all times, having strict regard to the SRA's Standards of Professional Conduct and Ethics, particularly the strict requirement of confidentiality of client affairs
Person Specification
Essential
- The role is ideally suited to solicitors who can demonstrate experience in managing their own caseload
- Genuine interest in working in Civil Liberties and Human Rights law
- Experience in claims against public authorities / actions against the police / claims against public authorities
- A thorough and comprehensive understanding of all relevant torts, the Human Rights Act 1998, the Data Protection Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and Inquest law
- Experience working on publicly funded cases with detailed knowledge and experience of Legal Aid processes
- Proven experience in the conduct of cases from initial advice through to witness statement exchange and trial
- Proven ability to make sound strategic decisions prior to and during litigation to achieve the best results for clients whether in settlements or at trial
- Experience in dealing sensitively with clients and experts, including the ability to provide and facilitate solutions effectively when negotiating difficult situations and conversations
- Excellent communication skills, demonstrated by an ability to communicate accurately, clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing
- Ability to assist the firm in maximising income and profitability by effective time recording, billing and staff planning
- Proven experience of dealing with the steps required at the conclusion of a matter including dealing with:
- preparation of files for billing;
- all issues to do with legal aid, inter partes costs, CFA funding or other forms of funding that may apply;
- procedure for payment of damages to clients;
- liaison with Accounts team to clear ledgers and close files; and
- finalising matters for archiving of files
- Proven ability to delegate appropriately and to supervise and motivate reporting staff.
- Solid experience in using a variety of IT packages (MS Word, Excel, Case Management Systems and Outlook)
Desirable
- An existing case load that could be brought to the firm
- Existing proven links with referral organisations and sources
- Interest in and ability to develop links with potential referral organisation
- Experience in victims’ rights, discrimination, inquest cases public law and prison law
- An interest in immigration detention issues
- An interest in developing the practice areas by writing, lecturing and networking through a variety of forums is necessary