Immigration Solicitor or Barrister

Citizens Advice Ltd; England; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid options

35‑hour week

30 days annual leave

Professional fees paid

CPD support

Inclusive workplace

Job summary

Citizens Advice Ltd. in Kent seeks an experienced Immigration Solicitor or Barrister to strengthen our immigration and asylum legal aid services as part of Kent Law Centre.

You will handle high-quality immigration advice, casework and representation, including Legal Aid work, advocacy, and supervision of junior colleagues. A commitment to access to justice and inclusive practice is essential.

Qualifications

• At least two years’ PQE as a qualified Solicitor or Barrister.
• IAAS Senior Caseworker and Supervisor accreditation.
• Recent experience of Legal Aid Agency immigration advice, representation and billing.
• Experience managing complex immigration caseloads.
• Knowledge of appeals before the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal.
• A strong commitment to access to justice, client-centred practice and equality, diversity and inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality immigration legal advice, casework and representation to clients across Kent.
• Undertake Legal Aid casework including cases at the First-tier and Upper Tribunal and judicial review where appropriate.
• Deliver advocacy where appropriate and support junior colleagues.
• Contribute to ongoing development of a service rooted in access to justice, dignity and social change.

Skills

PQE 2+ years

IAAS accreditation

Legal Aid immigration experience

Caseload management

Job description

Are you an experienced Immigration Solicitor or Barrister who wants to use your legal expertise to make a real difference for vulnerable migrants and marginalised communities?

We are looking for a highly motivated and compassionate legal professional to join our specialist immigration team at North & West Kent Citizens Advice and Kent Law Centre.

This is an exciting opportunity to help grow and strengthen our immigration and asylum legal aid provision as part of Kent Law Centre — the newest Law Centre in the country.

You will provide high-quality immigration legal advice, casework and representation to clients across Kent, including people facing complex and urgent issues. The role will involve Legal Aid casework including cases at the first and upper tier tribunal and judicial review where appropriate, advocacy where appropriate, support for junior colleagues, and contributing to the ongoing development of a service that is rooted in access to justice, dignity and social change.

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates who have:

• At least two years’ PQE as a qualified Solicitor or Barrister.
• IAAS Senior Caseworker and Supervisor accreditation.
• Recent experience of Legal Aid Agency immigration advice, representation and billing.
• Experience managing complex immigration caseloads.
• Knowledge of appeals before the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal.
• A strong commitment to access to justice, client-centred practice and equality, diversity and inclusion.

Experience of judicial review, public law matters, supervising colleagues, and of working in the voluntary and community sector would be an advantage, but we are also keen to hear from people who want to develop their practice in these areas within a supportive team.

• Work with a respected advice charity and growing Law Centre with deep roots in Kent
• Help shape specialist legal provision in an area of acute need
• Flexible working, including remote and hybrid options
• 35-hour working week
• 30 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays), plus four additional days between Christmas and New Year
• Payment of professional fees and memberships
• Support for continued professional development
• A friendly, values-led and inclusive working environment

We particularly welcome applications from people who are underrepresented in the legal advice sector, including people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and people with lived experience of migration. We are a Disability Confident Employer.

We’re Disability Confident

Disability Confident is a government scheme that supports employers to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people.