Director of Law Clinic

Birmingham City University; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 71,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Birmingham City University invites applications for a Director of Law Clinic to provide strategic, academic, professional and operational leadership for this flagship civic-engagement activity. You will grow the Law Clinic, ensure high-quality legal services and clinical education, oversee governance, risk and compliance, and build partnerships with law firms, courts and public bodies to enhance impact.

The role requires a qualified solicitor or barrister, strong leadership experience in higher

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or barrister with current practising status or equivalent qualification.
• Proven leadership and management experience in legal or related environment.
• Leadership within Higher Education setting and capability to fundraise.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the Law Clinic and growth as a centre of excellence.
• Develop and deliver clinical legal education, teaching and supervision.
• Oversee legal advice, casework, governance and regulatory compliance.
• Develop external partnerships and represent the University at multiple levels.
• Lead Clinic staff, manage budgets, resources and operational performance.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement for student outcomes.

Skills

Higher education leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Multidisciplinary teams

Governance & risk management

Funding & income generation

Regulatory compliance

External partnerships

Education

Doctorate or equivalent higher degree

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister or equivalent professional qualification

Job description

Department School of Law and Social Sciences Location Curzon Building Salary £70,564 to £79,840per annum Permanent Post Type Full Time Release Date 01 September 2026 Closing Date 23.59 hours BST on Monday 21 September 2026 Reference LSOS26012

About Birmingham City University

At Birmingham City University, we are a diverse and inclusive learning community of over 31,400 students from more than 120 countries. We aim to become an exemplar anchor institution, creating and sharing knowledge for a better and more inclusive society. We are committed to providing a transformational educational experience, supporting world-class research, and fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment for our staff.

Recognised as one of the UK’s Top 250 employers (Financial Times & Statista), we pride ourselves on being a place where colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to grow their careers while contributing to the success of our students and communities.

Our student demographic reflects the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Birmingham itself, with a significant proportion of students from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and the majority of our home students coming from the West Midlands. This diversity is a strength, and it calls for a workforce that is equipped to challenge deficit narratives and thinking — those assumptions that position students from underrepresented groups as lacking rather than recognising their assets, strengths and potential.

By embracing this perspective, we aim to create an environment where all students and colleagues can thrive, and where our work contributes positively to the social, cultural and economic life of Birmingham and beyond.

Role Summary

We are seeking a Director of Law Clinic to join the BCU Law Clinic, providing strategic, academic, professional and operational leadership for this flagship civic-engagement activity.

In this role, you will lead the continued growth, development and innovation of the Law Clinic, ensuring the delivery of high-quality legal services alongside outstanding clinical legal education and student employability opportunities. You will oversee legal practice, governance, risk management and regulatory compliance, while developing strong partnerships with law firms, chambers, courts, tribunals, charities, local authorities and other key stakeholders to enhance the Clinic’s impact and reputation.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the Law Clinic, driving its development as a recognised centre of excellence and supporting School priorities and community engagement.
• Lead the development and delivery of clinical legal education, contributing to curriculum design, teaching, assessment, supervision and scholarship.
• Oversee legal advice and casework, ensuring effective governance, case management, safeguarding, complaints procedures, regulatory compliance and risk management.
• Develop external partnerships and represent the University, promoting the Law Clinic’s profile and impact at local, regional and national level.
• Lead and develop Clinic staff, managing budgets, resources and operational performance to ensure sustainable and effective service delivery.
• Promote innovation and continuous improvement, monitoring performance and ensuring positive outcomes for students, clients, partners and the wider community.
• Qualified Solicitor or Barrister, or hold an equivalent professional legal qualification.
• Significant leadership and management experience within legal practice or a related environment.
• Demonstrable experience of managing legal services, legal risk and regulatory compliance.
• Evidence of successful strategic planning, service development and delivery.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience of building effective external partnerships.
• Experience of leading, developing and managing multidisciplinary teams and resources.
• A doctorate or equivalent higher degree.
• Experience of leadership within a Higher Education environment.
• An established national professional profile within the legal sector.
• Experience of securing external funding and/or income generation.

Further Information

If you are excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of the BCU Law Clinic, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Liz Smart at [e-mail].

Interviews for this role are scheduled to take place on 6 October 2026.

• Work–life balance – Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent).
• Career development – Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career.
• Reward and wellbeing – Competitive pay, pension, wellbeing support and staff benefits.
• Inclusive culture – A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route, subject to meeting the relevant criteria. For further information, visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

At BCU, we welcome applications that clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role. AI tools may be used to support you in preparing your application, but the information you provide must be accurate, authentic and based on your own experience. Applications that rely too heavily on AI, appear generic or do not provide specific evidence against the role criteria are less likely to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process. For more information, please refer to our candidate guidance;

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to an environment that supports lawful free speech and academic freedom. We will continuously review and improve our policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that we are promoting these in all aspects of our operations. We believe that by working together, combining our many different backgrounds and life experiences, we will empower each other to reach our full potential.

Disability Confident Employer

Birmingham City University is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview.

The appointed candidate will normally be employed through our subsidiary company, BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University. Appointees with prior LGPS membership who wish to re-enter the scheme may do so and will be employed directly by the University.