Chancery Lawyer (Ref: 91431)
Ministry of Justice
Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 28th October 2024
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About the job
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Job description
His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service
Royal Courts of Justice Group, Legal Operations
Job Title: Lawyer, Chancery Division (High Court)
Pay Span or equivalent: Grade 7
Contract type: Permanent
Number of hours per week: 37
Number of vacancies: 1
Reserve List: Yes
Background
His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of the criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales and non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It provides a fair, efficient and effective justice system delivered by an independent judiciary. HMCTS aims to ensure that all citizens receive timely access to justice according to their different needs, whether as victims or witnesses of crime, defendants accused of crime, consumers in debt, children at risk of harm, businesses involved in commercial disputes or as individuals asserting their employment rights or challenging the decisions of government bodies.
Consequently, there are high expectations of all staff regardless of the job they do, and high performance is expected from everybody. The organisation is continuously adopting new or better ways of working to ensure that it focuses on just that which is essential. HMCTS senior management expects all leaders to operate in a culture of openness and honesty, demonstrating a commitment to change through involvement and empowerment, and by delivering results.
Introduction
The RCJ legal operations group includes all the lawyers working in the offices which support the Court of Appeal (criminal and civil divisions) and the High Court. It also includes lawyers working in the Upper Tribunal (including EAT).
The Chancery Division of the High Court, together with the Commercial Court, the Admiralty Court and the Technology and Construction Court, comes under the umbrella of the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales (the ‘B&PC’). The Chancery Division is based in the Rolls Building in London and there are B&PC District Registries outside of London. The Chancery Division undertakes a broad range of civil work, much of which is business and property litigation. There is a strong international element to much of the work and many claims are high value and complex.
Job Description
The Chancery Lawyer is responsible for the pro-active case management of appellate proceedings in all the departments of the Chancery Division. The Chancery Lawyer provides expert advice and assistance to the parties, Judiciary and staff by overseeing the management of permission to appeal applications, advising on how and when they should be dealt with and by undertaking analysis and legal research. The Chancery Lawyer is also responsible for ensuring that the Chancery Guide remains pertinent and up to date.
Key responsibilities and duties:
- Case management
- Assess applications for permission to appeal lodged by litigants in person in the Chancery Division to determine whether the court has jurisdiction to deal with an appeal.
- Ensure that the Appellant has complied with applicable rules and legislation.
- Assess any timeliness issues.
- Identify legal issues and to assess what documentation the court will require.
- Prepare accurate and concise legal notes for the Appeal Judge in applications for permission to appeal brought by litigants in person and represented parties where appropriate.
- Draft orders when requested to do so.
- Prioritise case load effectively in accordance changing business demands, adapting focus as necessary to ensure that urgent and/or high-profile matters are progressed appropriately.
- Provide advice on practice and procedure in the Chancery Division to the Judiciary, the administrative support staff, professional court users and members of the public, in particular litigants in person.
- Work with the Chief Master or Chief ICC Judge on projects with internal and external stakeholders that concern the Chancery Division.
- Ensure that the online version of the Chancery Guide and the Chancery Guide as contained in the Civil Procedure White Book are kept up to date with the support of the Chancery Masters/Judicial Editors.
- Attend Chancery Committee meetings to provide assistance & advice where appropriate
- Develop and apply legal skills
- Maintain and develop specialist skills by keeping up to date with developments in chancery law generally, relevant procedural rules and case law with a strong focus on continuous learning.
- Maintain an accurate overview of all legal issues relevant to the jurisdiction.
- Attend in-house and external training courses to complete relevant continuous professional development requirements
- Keep stakeholders informed
- Respond to questions and queries from solicitors, counsel and litigants in person accurately and promptly
- Maintain an effective working relationship with, and respond to queries from, the judiciary
- Maintain a dialogue and exchange of information with other stakeholders, for example other agencies and legal representatives
Other duties
Additionally, the role holder will take responsibility for ad hoc duties including training court staff on new legislation or new procedures, organising or chairing meetings and contributing to specific projects to improve processes/implement new procedures. The role does not have formal line management responsibility but as a leadership role the role holder is expected to lead by example, to guide and advise.
Accountability
The post holder will report to the Head of Legal Operations (Royal Courts of Justice Group).
The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and to undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post
Required Skills, Qualifications & Experience
- Solicitor or barrister qualified to practise in England and Wales (i.e. having completed training contract or pupillage), or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (eligible where (i) a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) is held; or (ii) the GDL/CPE has been completed; or (iii) where exams have been passed (i.e. a score of 50% or above achieved), at CILEx Level 6*, in all of the seven foundation subjects in law).
- Post qualification experience with good working knowledge of the Chancery appellate procedure.
- Knowledge of civil law and procedure.
- Knowledge of the relevant procedural rules and Practice Directions, or the ability to learn this quickly.
- Ability to articulate issues effectively and get to the heart of complex issues, suggesting viable solutions and, where appropriate, identifying advantages and disadvantages of different courses of action.
- Ability to carry out efficient research, produce sound analysis and apply sound legal judgement and be able to advise clearly, persuasively and constructively, both orally and in writing.
- Ability to work under pressure, in the face of competing demands and short deadlines.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, and must be able to tailor communications appropriately, from advising the Judiciary to a litigant in person who may have very little understanding of the law or procedures.
- You will be asked to provide a CV during the application process in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.
Location of Post
Located within the Royal Courts of Justice.
Recruitment Process
You will be assessed against the Civil Service Success Profiles framework.
You will be required to provide evidence of the following behaviours:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
Should we receive a large number of applications, we will sift primarily on experience and on the lead behaviour of Making Effective Decisions. Successful applicants will then be invited to an interview, where they will be assessed against both behaviours and strengths.
Candidates invited to Interview
Please note that interviews will be carried out in person in London.
Candidates invited to interview will be required to undertake a situational legal skills judgement test. The following legal professional skills will be assessed:
The interview will assess both technical legal skills (situational legal skill questions) and Behaviours and Strengths from the Success Profiles framework.
You can refer to the Civil Service Strengths dictionary for more details: Success Profiles - Civil Service Strengths Dictionary (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Interviews dates will be confirmed.
Salary, Working Arrangements & Further Information
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Starting Salary
The starting salary for this post is £55,720.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.
Eligibility
Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.
The MoJ offers a range of Benefits:
Annual Leave
Generous allowances for paid holiday starting at 25 days per year and rising as your service increases. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Learning and development
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Support
A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as salary sacrifice arrangements for childcare vouchers, and voluntary benefits such as retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Civil Service Code
The Civil Service Code, first published in 1996, sets out the core Civil Service values and the standards of behaviour expected of all civil servants in upholding these values.
- Integrity – putting the obligations of public service above personal interests.
- Honesty – being truthful and open.
- Objectivity – basing advice and decisions on rigorous analysis of the evidence.
- Impartiality – acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving governments of different political parties equally well.
To review the Civil Service Code visit: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/values.
Person specification
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Qualifications
- Situational
Benefits
- Access to learning and development
- A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- Annual Leave
- Public Holidays
- Season Ticket Advance
For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.
Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
- Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
- Telephone : 0845 241 5359
Recruitment team
- Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
Further information
