8737 - High Cost Family Case Manager - Legal Aid Agency

www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk - Jobboard; Jarrow; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A national legal support organization is seeking a High-Cost Family Case Manager to manage complex case plans and make strategic decisions on funding. The role involves establishing stakeholder relationships, managing escalated client issues, and ensuring compliance with legal guidelines. This position offers a salary range of £28,312 to £30,011, depending on location, and supports flexible working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Experience managing case plans and making evidence-based decisions.
• Ability to handle complex issues and escalate when necessary.
• Proficient in data processing and adherence to guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Manage case plans and correspondence for high cost family cases.
• Evaluate amendments and make decisions on funding cases.
• Address escalated issues and client complaints with discretion.

Job description

Job Title & Grade: High Cost Family Case Manager - EO

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary range (depending on location): National - £28,312 to £30,011

Please note that unless you are currently employed by the Civil Service and are earning more than the minimum above, if successful you will be offered the minimum for the grade depending on your location.

Location: South Tyneside

Directorate: Case Management

Team: High Cost Family (HCF)

Working Pattern: The post is supported by the MOJ flexible working policy and includes colleagues who work flexibly, remotely (as part of hybrid working), part time or as part of a job share etc.

If you are applying for a part time role, please note that in order to meet business demands we need cover for a minimum of 21 hours and to cover 3 days of the week.

To meet legal requirements, if you are between the ages 16-18 and you are a successful candidate, you will be required to complete an apprenticeship after your initial on the job training.

Reporting to: Team Manager

Closing date for applications: 22nd August 2025

The Legal Aid Agency

We are an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). We are responsible for operationally administering the legal aid fund to provide criminal and civil legal aid advice to people in England and Wales.

Our people are at the heart of achieving excellence. Employing around 1,200 colleagues across England and Wales, we feel proud to have some of the best People Survey results in the Civil Service.

Our LAA commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain, and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. Under the Equality Act 2010 a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.

If you are responding to a role within the Legal Aid Agency and would like to be considered under the guaranteed interview, please indicate this in your application and let us know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the sift or later selection processes.

The LAA’s goal is to build an organisation that is open and inclusive and truly values and celebrates the diversity of its workforce. One that reflects and understands the needs of the diverse society we serve. This is regardless of social background, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, beliefs, disabilities or long-term illness or caring responsibilities.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long-term condition (for example dyslexia, anxiety, autism, a mobility condition or hearing loss) and need us to make any reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process, please let us know by adding the information to the applications system or emailing [e-mail] after you have applied so that we can discuss options with you.

Case Management

The Case Management Directorate is the operational delivery function of the LAA, and our staff ensure that each year in excess of 500,000 new clients are able to access the justice they require, and that their providers are fairly remunerated for the delivery of the legal aid. With staff based across multiple sites we deliver services for those facing both criminal and civil legal problems including family, immigration, mental health, housing and exceptional funding cases.

High Cost Family

The High Cost Cases team manage all family cases (complex care cases, private law family, child abduction, inherent jurisdiction and warship) over £25,000 through case planning and ongoing negotiations. This includes cases with single and two counsel and accounts for £120m of the fund. The team deals with some of the most complex and costly cases the LAA receives. Due to the higher value of each certificate, the team are also involved in provider, counsel and cost lawyer engagement and improvement. Once costs are agreed on a case plan, providers can bill up to this amount, based on the decisions made by a case manager.

Job Summary

As a High-Cost Family Senior Case Manager, you will be expected to effectively and pro-actively manage case plans, including amendments and correspondence. This will require making evidence-based decisions using relevant guidance. Where limited guidance is available, you will be required to make clearly justified decisions on costs using discretion.

You will be responsible for establishing and maintaining professional links between the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) and key stakeholders to promote a closer working relationship whilst also being confident enough to challenge current protocols to achieve greater levels of efficiency and customer service.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Acquiring a comprehensive and up to date understanding of current guidance and regulations and using this to make decisions on new and ongoing high cost case plans.
2. Make decisions to approve, refuse or reject amendments. This includes complex cases where expert judgement is required.
3. Deal with complex issues that have been escalated including complaints from clients, Head Office MP’s and external bodies. Taking effective action by using discretion and expert judgement and identifying learning points and corrective action.
4. Apply discretion and reasoned judgement in instances of ambiguity, or where limited guidance is available
5. Ensure all data is processed accurately, securely and in accordance with LAA data security guidelines