Housing and Civil Liberties Practice Manager

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS WILL BE AT 16:00 ON MONDAY 20TH JUNE 2022

We now have a vacancy within the Civil Law Practice Team for a Housing and Civil Liberties Practice Manager.

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Garden Court Chambers is a large and dynamic Barristers' Chambers with a team of staff who provide the clerking, financial, marketing and administrative support for over 200 barristers. We are a diverse set, specialising in all aspects of human rights and social welfare law, including crime, family law, housing, immigration, and civil law. We are based in a Grade 1 listed building in Lincoln's Inn Fields, close to Holborn tube station and a range of shops, bars and restaurants.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and conscientious person to assist and support our Civil Law Practice Team. The ideal candidate will have experience in Private Actions against Public Bodies, Inquest and/or Inquiries in either a solicitor's firm or within a Barristers' Chambers. This role will suit a confident and proactive individual with a good understanding of the relevant areas of law.

The post requires good organisational and administrative skills, and excellent interpersonal skills and telephone manner.

SALARY, BENEFITS AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS

  • This position attracts a salary of circa £40,000 pa pro rata, plus a range of staff benefits
  • Hours: 9.00 to 17:30 or 9.30 to 18.00 Monday to Friday, with one hour for lunch
  • Hybrid working
  • Holidays: 25 days per annum (plus bank holidays) pro rata
  • Interest-free season ticket loan
  • The successful applicant will be required to sign an undertaking of confidentiality

JOB DESCRIPTION

Reporting to: Senior Housing and Civil Liberties Practice Manager

1. General Duties

  • Upkeep of diary, ensuring barristers are aware of commitments and undertaking future booking troubleshooting.
  • Promoting the team and individual team members with professional clients and other organisations.
  • Understanding and recognising the capabilities of the team and its individual members in depth.
  • Case administration including arranging and booking in cases, conferences and meetings. Liaising and communicating with professional clients and courts, maintaining the highest standards of client care.
  • Maintaining effective and efficient procedures and ensuring and taking responsibility for compliance with these.
  • Negotiating fees and finalising funding for cases including those cases funded privately, by legal aid, CFAs and costs budgeting.
  • Working collaboratively across teams helping to shape and achieve the objectives of the team business plan.
  • Arranging and attending team meetings and meetings with individual barristers.
  • Deputising for Senior Housing and Civil Liberties Practice Manager in his/her absence only. 
  • Maintaining and developing skills and abilities at a level commensurate with the seniority and responsibilities of the post through a mix of formal and informal learning and training.

2. Business Development

Business development duties will include:

  • Handling existing client portfolio and maintaining excellent communication and loyalty.
  • Assisting the Cross Practice Business Development Manager to source and act on leads in developing new relationships.
  • Working in collaboration on campaigns and events with marketing staff and clerking team.
  • Attending events to network with contacts and develop business.

Person Specification

  • Five years of clerking or equivalent administrative experience gained in civil law, including diary management, liaising with solicitors and court staff.
  • Experience in negotiating case fees.
  • Calm, patient and flexible approach to work in a very busy environment.
  • Excellent inter-personal skills.
  • Pro-active and solution oriented approach to working and problem solving.
  • Accuracy, neatness and a methodical approach to work.
  • Ability to work unsupervised, prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
  • Interest in developing further knowledge of civil law and increasing current awareness within the legal system.
  • Experience of standard Windows computer software and preferably diary and case management software.
  • Experience of building and developing professional relationships with solicitors is desirable. 

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please complete and return the job application form and equality and diversity monitoring form to saleha@gclaw.co.uk

Please note: any applications submitted without a completed application form and equality and diversity monitoring form, will not be considered.

CLOSING AND INTERVIEW DATES

The closing date for applications will be 16:00 on Monday 20th June 2022. The interviews are expected to take place in the week beginning Monday 27th June 2022.

Garden Court is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination and to encouraging diversity. Applications from ethnic minority and women candidates are welcome. We seek to operate a fair recruitment process.

We are top ranked by independent legal directories and consistently win awards.

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