28337 - Legal Advisor

£32,539 - £43,098
1
12 Months
Scotland
Glasgow
CICA Alexander Bain House, Glasgow, G2 8JQ
SEO
Ba
Permanent
Full Time, Part Time, Flexible Working
Legal Services

Full time or part time position

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. We receive over 30,000 applications a year for compensation from people who have lost loved ones or have been injured through violent crime. We know financial compensation can never fully redress what they have suffered. Nevertheless, what we do is an important part of providing justice for victims and we take pride that the compensation we pay helps people move forward with their lives.

We employ around 300 people and are based in Glasgow city centre with excellent transport links. We are a small, engaged, productive workforce with a real sense of corporate community. We want to keep improving our services and the way we work to best serve the public, meet new challenges, deliver value for money and ensure CICA is a great place to work.

As a Legal Advisor you will be part of the Legal, Policy and Decision Support Unit. Specifically, you will be part of a flexible and professional legal team, which provides all stakeholders with an excellent service and sound legal advice.

You will advise on a wide range of requests for legal advice and assistance from across the organisation, as allocated to you by the Head of Legal, including on the drafting and establishment of trusts, statutory interpretation, First-tier Tribunal appeals (drafting submissions where appropriate), data protection issues, and judicial reviews to the Upper Tribunal and Court of Session.

You will be expected to demonstrate a good understanding of public law, and a competent understanding of criminal law, trust law and data protection legislation. You will also need to demonstrate an understanding of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

Key responsibilities:

  • Give prompt, accurate and well written legal advice to staff from all areas of the business
  • Draft trust deeds and advise on issues connected to trusts
  • Draft submissions in cases involving CICA before the Upper Tribunal and, as appropriate, the First-tier Tribunal
  • Support the legal team in the management of applications for judicial review, ensuring that the Authority’s best interests are protected
  • Provide input to appeals before the First-tier Tribunal as required

Essential criteria:

  • Solicitor qualified to practice under Scots law and holder of a valid practicing certificate
  • A firm understanding of public law
  • A competent understanding of criminal law, trust law and data protection legislation
  • Experience of working as part of a team, displaying collegiality, and working together to improve processes and procedures
  • Excellent oral, written and listening communication skills, including the ability to write clearly and concisely
  • Ability to analyse and assess complex legal information and convey the key points to non-legally qualified colleagues and stakeholders
  • Positive, self-starting and enthusiastic attitude, and ability to work well both independently and as part of a team
  • Flexible and adaptable attitude
  • Ability to manage a high-volume caseload and work effectively at pace

Desirable criteria

  • Dual-qualification as a solicitor in England & Wales
  • STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates qualification

Other duties

The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

 

Behaviours

We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Changing and Improving
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Delivering at Pace

Selection process details:

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Your personal statement should briefly outline your personal skills, qualities, experience and suitability for the role (Max 500 words)  

If selected for interview, you may be asked to deliver a short presentation. The interview will include a blend of behaviour and strength based questions.

If a large volume of applications are received, an initial sift will take place on the personal statement you have provided. If you meet the standard, a further sift will take place on your evidence from all of the behaviours.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Qualifications
Qualified to practice under Scots law and holder of a valid practicing certificate or entitled to hold one. Must hold a practicing certificate from Law Society Scotland and have membership of Law Society of Scotland

Licences
Qualified to practice under Scots law and holder of valid practicing certificate or entitled to hold one
Must hold a practicing certificate from Law Society of Scotland

Professional memberships
Must have membership of Law Society of Scotland

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.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.

Benefits

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.

Training

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 voluntary benefits,retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
  • 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.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.

There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Expected to take place early September 2019

30/08/2019, 23:55 hours.

If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk Please quote the job reference - 28337.

To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why. 

For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:

  • You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
  • You were studying abroad
  • You were living overseas with parents

In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.

if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance

We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.


Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
Changing and Improving - word limit
Making Effective Decisions - word limit
Communicating and Influencing - word limit
Delivering at Pace - word limit
Experience
Statement of Suitability - 500 word limit
Technical Skills
Qualified to practice under Scots law and holder of a valid practicing certificate or entitled to hold one. Must hold a practicing certificate from Law Society of Scotland and have membership of Law Society of Scotland - word limit

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.
Behaviours
Changing and Improving
Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Strengths may also be assessed at interview but these are not shared in advance.
Additional Assessment(s)
Presentation

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

· UK nationals

· nationals of the Republic of Ireland

· nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

· individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020

· Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

This Vacancy is closed to applications.