15041 - Law Commission: Head of Public Law Team

Overview

The Law Commission is the statutory body set up under the Law Commissions Act 1965 to keep the law of England and Wales under review and to recommend reform where it is needed.

Its aims are:

- To ensure that the law is fair, modern, simple and as cost-effective as possible

- To conduct research and consultations in order to make recommendations for reform for consideration by Parliament

- To codify the law, eliminate anomalies, repeal obsolete and unnecessary enactments and reduce the number of separate statutes

The Law Commission is an independent non-departmental body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. Further information about the Law Commission and its work can be obtained from its website at http://lawcommission.justice.gov.uk/index.htm 

We are looking for an experienced public law lawyer to lead the Public Law Team. Current projects include: Welsh Planning Law; Immigration Rules; Elections. Details are on our website. The Law Commission’s 13th Programme setting out the organisation’s future work has just been published, and includes Public Law Team projects on Automated Vehicles, Employment Tribunals and Administrative Review.  

This post is offered as a permanent position. The successful candidate will start as soon as their current terms of employment and Government security checks allow.

This role is an excellent opportunity to gain significant leadership, management and stakeholder engagement experience. It will involve project and programme management and strategic thinking, both in terms of policy and in the organisational context. The role includes membership of the Law Commission’s Senior Management Team and attendance at Board Meetings. It is an excellent development opportunity for those seeking to join the Senior Civil Service.

Job Description

The main duties will be:

Actively supporting the Chief Executive in his role in the strategic leadership of the Law Commission.

Leading and developing the Public Law team in the delivery of the law reform projects within their remit to a high standard and to an agreed timetable.

This involves:

• Line management and leadership of a team of lawyers and ensuring research assistants in the team are managed and developed well

• working closely with the Commissioner for Public Law to support him in his role;

• providing leadership to the team to find creative solutions to legal policy issues as they arise in relation to past, current and future project work;

• analysing problems with the law, identifying options for reform and testing potential solutions;

• writing and editing consultation papers, reports and other documents in conjunction with the Commissioner and preparing these for publication;

• working with the Commissioner, team lawyers and research assistants in analysing formal consultation responses;

• proactively engaging with stakeholders (both inside and outside Government) in the development of our reforms and their implementation·      

• where appropriate, overseeing the instructing by lawyers in the team of Parliamentary Counsel to draft legislation;

• leading the team’s work with the Communications Manager to organise publicity for our work;

• leading the team’s work with the Law Commission’s Economic Adviser to analyse the potential impact of reform options and compiling economic impact assessment;

• providing support to the Government and other relevant persons in relation to Bills implementing the team’s projects and, where appropriate, leading the team’s provision of assistance with answers to parliamentary questions and replies to ministerial correspondence;

• developing new law reform projects and working with Government on plans to implement past projects.

• representing the Commission externally with relevant stakeholders in government, the legal profession, academics and the wider community

• planning the team’s work and contributing to the Commission’s overall programme planning.

• Coordinating the wider work of the team, for example, general enquiries from the public and within Government, Freedom of Information Requests.

• Leading the team’s annual recruitment of new research assistants and any necessary recruitment of team lawyers.

• Involvement in the leadership of the organisation, through active participation in the Senior Management Team, as well as regular attendance at Board meetings.

Skills & Qualifications

Essential qualifications:

·         Academic: You must hold a minimum of a 2.1 undergraduate degree in any subject (or an overseas degree qualification equivalent to a 2.1 degree); and

·         Professional: You must be either a solicitor or barrister qualified to practise in England and Wales, or the holder of a law degree who can demonstrate a comparable level of legal ability (for example, as an overseas professionally qualified lawyer, a legal academic or a legal policy expert).

Email:           phillip.golding@lawcommission.gov.uk

Telephone:   0203 334 3452

Email:           matthew.jolley@lawcommission.gov.uk

Telephone:   0203 334 3371

Required competencies

You must also demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Intellectual ability

You must be able to demonstrate excellent intellectual ability as evidenced by a strong academic record and recognised expertise in dealing with complex issues in a professional legal environment (whether as a practitioner or as an academic).

2. Legal professional skills

You must be able to demonstrate high-level experience in public law.

3. Making effective decisions

You must be objective, using sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice.

4. Delivering results

You must be able to focus on delivering timely performance (particularly in relation to complex longer-term tasks or projects) with energy, taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes.

5. Collaborating and Partnering:

You must create positive, professional and trusting working relationships to help get business done, both with colleagues and external clients/stakeholders.

6. Oral and Written Communication

You must communicate orally and in writing in a clear, effective and influential manner. You must be capable of producing lengthy pieces of written work dealing with complex legal and theoretical issues in a way accessible to non-specialists.

7. Motivational Fit

Your values and aspirations should match those of the Law Commission.

8. Leading and communicating

You must be able to create a positive and supportive environment for the team, providing direction, guidance and learning and development opportunities so as to help them to deliver against the Commission’s objectives. You will also need to participate actively in the strategic direction of the organisation, making a positive contribution to the collective decision-making of the Senior Management Team.

You will be asked to provide evidence of these competencies when making your application.

Salary, Working Arrangements & Further Information

This is a permanent post.

The post is available to full-time workers, job-sharers or substantial part-time workers (minimum 4 days a week). If you are looking for shorter part-time working and are not in a job share, please contact us before applying (details below). The Law Commission operates flexible working arrangements including a flexi time scheme and the opportunity to work compressed hours, subject to business needs.

If your application is successful, you will receive a formal letter offering you an appointment that will explain your terms and conditions of service in detail. Your appointment will include a period of probation.

Salary

You will be appointed at Band Ab (a specialist grade for senior lawyers within the Ministry of Justice’s Band A). Band A encompasses what was formerly known as ‘Grade 6’ and ‘Grade 7’. The salary range is £56,704 to £76,524.

Salary will be calculated pro rata for part time working. New staff will normally be appointed at the starting point of the scale; higher starting salaries will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Membership of the Government Legal Service

The GLS networks together Government lawyers and trainees, who between them provide legal services across the whole spectrum of government activities. Some are members of the Government Legal Department (GLD): others (like Law Commission lawyers) are not part of the GLD but are part of the wider GLS network. The GLS also maintains close links with lawyers in other parts of the Government, such as the Crown Prosecution Service.

A candidate who is a solicitor or barrister, qualified to practise in England and Wales will become a member of the GLS on joining the Law Commission and have access to the networking benefits the GLS provides. This will also apply to overseas qualified lawyers who fulfil the nationality requirements and are eligible to practise in England and Wales under the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme. Information about the QLTS can be obtained from the SRA (www.sra.org.uk).

Applicants who are not professionally legally qualified will not be recognised as members of the GLS. If successful, they will work at the Law Commission as non-GLS lawyers.

Selection Process

Please complete the online application answering all the questions. Please note that selection will be made on the basis of how far candidates have demonstrated all the required competencies.

When completing the online application please therefore focus on providing clear evidence responding directly to each competency. Please give specific examples explaining the situation, what you did and how it was successful rather than making general assertions of your ability or expecting your track record or reputation to speak for itself.

Further information

If you would like to discuss this post further, please contact Phil Golding, Chief Executive or Matthew Jolley, Manager of the Property, Family and Trust Law Team and Head of Legal Services:

Email:            phillip.golding@lawcommission.gov.uk

Telephone:   0203 334 3452

Email:            matthew.jolley@lawcommission.gov.uk

Telephone:   0203 334 3371

Closing Date: 12th January 2018 at 23:55 hours

If you require any assistance please call 0845 010 3512 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk Please quote the job reference 15041