24788 - Criminal Appeals Office - Senior Legal Manager

£57,271 - £77,289
1
6 Months
London
London
RCJ LONDON, WC2A 2LL
Grade 7, Grade 6
Ab
Permanent
Full Time
Legal Services

Senior Legal Manager of the Criminal Appeal Office (“CAO”)

Job Description (Band Ab)

Reporting to the Head of Legal Operations; working to the Registrar of Criminal Appeals and working collaboratively with the Senior Operations Manager and the other Senior Legal Managers:

Supporting the Registrar of Criminal Appeals in the efficient management and disposal of cases in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division (“CACD”) by providing strategic legal leadership to HMCTS staff

  • Setting direction and ensuring best practice and standards in compliance with relevant legislation, the Criminal Procedure Rules and the Practice Direction.
  • Identifying new legislation and policy and assessing impact on CAO and consequent resource implications, including:
  • Advising on policy issues which impact on the CACD and the CAO.
  • Analysing new statutes, statutory instruments and procedure rules to provide advice and guidance as necessary.
  • Ensuring procedures are in place for the efficient processing, allocation and disposal of applications under new jurisdictions.
  • Directing and assisting with the implementation and monitoring of new practice, procedure and legislation.
  • Attending regular meetings with the Registrar, the Head of Legal Operations and the Senior Operations Manager, to report on progress and to identify and resolve any issues arising in respect of work related or staffing matters. Attending CAO Management Board meetings and being an effective member of the RCJ senior legal management team.

Overall responsibility for the effective and efficient management of cases under the direction of the Registrar of Criminal Appeals and providing legal direction on the allocation of work and monitoring of quality, output, priorities & performance against targets:

  • Providing effective legal leadership to the conviction and sentence casework groups to ensure that the work of the groups meets the required CAO standards and the expectations of the Court
  • Ensuring efficient use of legal resources across the casework groups to achieve effective proactive case management and to provide timely legal advice relating to sentence applications.
  • Monitoring CAO performance statistics and addressing concerns.
  • Consulting and meeting with the other SLMs, Registrar, the Head of Legal Operations, the Senior Operations Manager and others as necessary to address resourcing and operational issues.
  • Holding regular meetings with the complex casework lawyers to disseminate and exchange information.
  • Agreeing standards for output and quality of work; monitoring the work of complex case lawyers, caseworkers and summary writers and providing feedback as necessary.
  • Working to identify current trends and issues, in consultation with the Registrar and the Senior Judiciary, to ensure that appropriate cases are listed to enable CACD to give guidance.
  • Providing practical training and relevant guidance to CAO staff on issues of practice, policy or procedure.

Exercising judgement in the use of powers delegated to the Senior Legal Managers by the Registrar, for example to

  • Grant representation orders
  • Refer applications to the full Court
  • Expedite cases
  • Determine issues of jurisdiction
  • To cover the duties of the Registrar where required in accordance with s.91 Supreme Court Act 1981 (a minimum of 7 years’ post qualification experience is required: Senior Courts Act 1981 as amended by the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007).

Recruitment, management, training and development of the legal staff

  • Responsible for running lawyer recruitment campaigns, including designing any legal exercises for potential candidates.
  • Responsible for identifying, co-ordinating and fulfilling the training requirements of new and existing lawyers.
  • Preparing and delivering one-to-one training and/or group training for the lawyers and other staff as appropriate where a need has been identified.
  • Individual line management responsibility for a team of CAO Complex Casework Lawyers, including:
  • Monitoring performance and addressing any training issues
  • Application and enforcement of all relevant HMCTS and Ministry of Justice policies
  • Conducting regular PID chats, delivering feedback and application of relevant reward schemes
  • Identifying and facilitating appropriate development opportunities for CAO lawyers.
  • Ensuring compliance with any professional CPD requirements.

Responsibility for managing a small personal caseload of complex cases

  • Giving case management directions
  • Preparing cases for a single Judge and/or the Court
  • Preparing a CAO Summary and/or Note for the Court as required

Providing advice to members of the legal profession, the judiciary, users and all CAO staff in relation to the practice, procedures and powers of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division.

  • Responsibility for dealing with a wide range of enquiries, (predominantly legal and procedural from senior judiciary, Crown Court judges, counsel, solicitors, litigants in person, the press and public and other government departments), often requiring a response at short notice.
  • Advising members of staff on legal and practical issues and resolving inconsistencies in internal practice and procedure.
  • Resolving and advising on questions of jurisdiction and whether an application is effective.
  • Resolving and advising on requests for information and/or documents made under the Criminal Procedure Rules.

Meeting and representing the CAO in discussions with external stakeholders

  • Meeting as required with external stakeholders including the CPS Appeals Unit, Attorney General’s Office and the CCRC.
  • Negotiating new collaborative working practices with external stateholders, in consultation with the Registrar and the Management Board, including the Head of Legal Operations.
The job holder must be able to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

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 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.

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.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

To be confirmed

21/03/2019, 23:55 hours.

Closing Date: 21st March 2019 at 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.

Counter-Terrorism Check (CTC)

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.

Candidate Information

You may be required to provide statements describing your skills and experience relevant to each of the selection criteria. We recommend that you structure any examples as Situation, Task, Action and Result. For more information about the recruitment process 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

In the event of a large number of applications, we reserve the right to undertake the following processes:


  • An automated online test where a benchmark must be passed to progress;
  • A sift on the lead selection criteria. If this happens, the lead criteria will be the first one listed in the advert.

During the selection process, you may be asked to undertake an additional assessment (such as written test). If this is applicable you will be notified of this when you are invited to interview.



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
Making Effective Decisions
Leading and Communicating
Collaborating and Partnering
Minimum level 6 qualification / degree in law

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

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.

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.