Legal Adviser to the LCJ and Head of the Legal Team (Ref: 79878)

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

G6 Legal Adviser to the Chief Justice of England & Wales and Head of Judicial Office’s Legal Team 

Organisation

•    The Judicial Office is a unique branch of the civil service, independent from the machinery which supports the Government, and dedicated to supporting the judiciary as the third arm of the state. We promote and safeguard judicial independence to maintain confidence in the rule of law. We are answerable not to Ministers but instead, through our Chief Executive, to the Chief Justice of England and Wales (LCJ) and the Senior President of Tribunals as we help them to fulfil their responsibilities to the judiciary.

•    We support c.22,000 judicial office holders, providing policy, legal and handling advice and operational support. This includes advice on judicial leadership, support with relationships with Government and Parliament, assistance with justice sector reform, judicial education and training, comms and HR.

Role 

•    The postholder will work directly with the LCJ and other members of the senior judiciary, building relationships and gaining their confidence, and proactively identifying areas of legal risk.  An up-to-date understanding of the wider constitutional position of the judiciary will be crucial.
•    Based in the LCJ’s Private Office, the postholder will provide high-quality legal advice to the LCJ in relation to her statutory duties under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 including representing the views of the judiciary to Parliament, the Lord Chancellor and Ministers generally; maintaining arrangements for the welfare, training and guidance of the judiciary; maintaining arrangements for the deployment of judges and the allocation of work within the courts; and judicial discipline.  
•    The legal adviser to the LCJ is the most senior lawyer in the Judicial Office, and the postholder will therefore work with a significant degree of autonomy and without direct supervision of their work.  An important element of the role is the provision of leadership and management for the team of legal advisers to other senior members of the judiciary.
•    Specific activities include:
o    Develop and maintain strong relationships with others in Judicial Office, government lawyers and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) officials to ensure that any litigation that does or might affect the judiciary or the courts properly protects judicial independence.
o    Represent the views of the LCJ and other members of the senior judiciary to the MoJ, the Welsh Government, other UK courts and other government departments.
o    Liaison with officials in the MoJ in relation to government policy and legislative proposals which impact on the judiciary and the administrative of justice, to ensure the views of the LCJ and senior judiciary are appropriately communicated and understood.
o    Provide advice and support to the LCJ and the senior judiciary on specific Judicial Office projects (for example supporting judicial working groups) and in response to ad hoc requests (such as drafting a consultation response on behalf of the judiciary).
o    Working closely with other Judicial Office staff in supporting the senior judiciary, and contribute legal advice on behalf of the LCJ to Judicial Office initiatives.
o    Supporting the LCJ and senior judiciary in their relationship with the legal professions and legal services regulators.
o    Keeping abreast of legal and policy developments, both within the UK and overseas, which may be of relevance to the LCJ and senior judiciary.

Essential qualifications

•    Be qualified as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, and hold a current practising certificate, or be able to obtain one immediately.

Technical legal skills to be tested

•    Have expertise in or an understanding of public law, constitutional law and civil litigation.
•    Have reliable legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk, using sound legal analysis: identify and explain legal options, giving a steer as appropriate, and extract key legal issues.
•    Be able to provide high quality legal advice (both written and oral) against the backdrop of the wider policy and operational context, with no formal legal supervision.

Behaviours to be tested

•    Making Effective Decisions
•    Leadership
•    Communicating and Influencing
•    Delivering at Pace

Desirable Experience

•    Advising judges, Ministers or senior civil servants.

Strengths may also be assessed at interview but these are not shared in advance.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Have expertise in or an understanding of public law, constitutional law and civil litigation.
• Have reliable legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk, using sound legal analysis. Identify and explain legal options, giving a steer as appropriate, and extract key legal issues.
• Be able to provide high quality legal advice (both written and oral) against the backdrop of the wider policy and operational context, with no formal legal supervision.

• 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

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