Public Law Solicitor x3

Duncan Lewis; London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in the legal field is seeking dedicated professionals for its Public Law Department. This role involves managing a dynamic team, providing technical expertise, and handling a variety of Public Law tasks, including unlawful detention and asylum support. The firm is recognized for its commitment to diversity and inclusion, offering a supportive environment for its employees. With a strong focus on client care and business development, this position presents a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in the legal sector while working alongside award-winning professionals.

Benefits

Investors in People Gold Standard

Training and Development Opportunities

Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

Qualifications

• Must hold a valid Practising Certificate at the time of application.
• Extensive experience in Public Law work is essential.

Responsibilities

• Manage and supervise Solicitors and Caseworkers on Public Law tasks.
• Prepare and manage funding applications to the Legal Aid Agency.
• Attend conferences and court hearings.

Skills

Public Law Expertise

Client Care Skills

Management Skills

Networking Skills

IT Proficiency

Education

Valid Practising Certificate

Tools

Microsoft Office

Document Management Systems

Job description

Regulated by the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority, Duncan Lewis Solicitors was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in the City of London (Fenchurch Street EC3M), with offices nationwide. We are recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners UK independent legal directories as a top-tier law firm in all of our key practice areas – “a diligent and professional team that is prepared to go the extra mile for its clients”. A paperless law firm with over 500 personnel that embraces hybrid-working, we service both corporate entities and private individuals in over 25 areas of law across 60 languages. We give people a voice - that is our ethos.

Choosing a career with Duncan Lewis is choosing a law firm that is the largest provider of publicly funded (legal aid) legal services in the country and has a growing private client practice. We have been Investors in People Gold Standard accredited for over 15 years and are continuously applauded nationally for the work that we do.

Having demonstrated unparalleled legal expertise and a commitment to justice, we were awarded Law Firm of the Year at both the 2024 Lexis Nexis Awards and 2023 Modern Law Awards. We are named as one of the Times 200 Best Law Firms. In 2021 we were celebrated by the Chambers Europe Award as an ‘outstanding firm’ for diversity and inclusion. In previous years we have been awarded a number of awards, including the Law Society Excellence Award for Large Law Firm of the Year in 2020, Access to Justice at the UK Legal Diversity Awards in 2019 and the Family Law Firm of the Year at the 2015 Family Law Awards, to name just a few. Duncan Lewis is Law Society Lexcel, Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001 Information Management accredited.

We are committed to recruiting dedicated and talented professionals and welcome applications from exceptional candidates. At Duncan Lewis, we value training and diversity, and we take pride in our inclusive workforce.

Public Law Department Background:

Our Public Law team is applauded by the Legal 500 UK directory as a “dynamic team”, who are “exceptional in ability and reach”. Ranked and recommended for its excellence in Public Law UK-wide, the department undertakes both publicly (legal aid) and privately funded work and has experience in all aspects of civil liberties and judicial review claimant matters against the Home Office, HMRC, local authority, NHS including obtaining emergency orders and other interim relief to prevent human rights violations. The department regularly follows up judicial reviews with actions for damages in both the County and High Courts and successfully pursues matters to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. The firm’s flagship judicial review claimant practice represents clients including the vulnerable and marginalized, and its immigration offering is strengthened by collaboration with its expanding international presence challenging UK government practices abroad.

As a large and well-established firm, we are well known to the Legal Aid Agency (LAA), the Courts, and the Government Legal Department (GLD). The quality of our work is demonstrated by our high success rates. Our lawyers are award-winning, and many of our cases, recorded in reported case journals, raise new and important issues, creating legal precedents. We collaborate with other firms on funding and case management issues and have close relationships with barristers’ chambers with relevant expertise in public law.

Main Responsibilities of the Role:

1. Report directly to the Department Director.
2. Provide technical expertise and guidance to team members on all aspects of Public Law work.
3. Manage and supervise Solicitors, Trainee Solicitors, and Caseworkers, overseeing caseload types and complexities.
4. Assist with training and development within the department.
5. Handle a variety of Public Law tasks, including: Unlawful detention, False imprisonment, Abuse by detention staff and removal escorts, Conditions in detention, Age assessments, Asylum support, Challenging non-appealable decisions, Challenging removal notices, NHS & Local Authority challenges, Policies, practices, and decisions made by the Immigration and Asylum Tribunals (First-tier Tribunal / Upper Tribunal), Bail decisions.
6. Prepare and manage funding applications to the Legal Aid Agency.
7. Draft documents such as witness statements and process evidence.
8. Prepare applications, including drafting forms, indexing documents, and writing letters of representations.
9. Attend conferences and court hearings.
10. Maintain a professional, proactive approach, with strong client care skills and an interest in business development and marketing to support the firm’s work volumes.

Key Skills Required:

• Must hold a valid Practising Certificate at the time of application.
• Highly motivated and committed to delivering excellent client service.
• Strong management skills and supervisory experience.
• Team player with the ability to foster positive change and encourage cross-referrals.
• Experience working with key performance indicators.
• Professional, proactive, with excellent client care skills, especially when dealing with vulnerable clients.
• Excellent networking, communication, and marketing skills to generate new business.
• Knowledge of Legal Aid Guidelines for Public Law and ability to handle privately funded cases.
• Extensive experience in Public Law work.
• Advantageous: experience in advocacy.
• Proficient IT skills, including Microsoft Office and document management.

The recruitment process complies with GDPR and other applicable laws. Background checks, including CRB / DBS, will verify your eligibility to work in the UK and suitability for the role. For information on employee benefits, please visit our careers page on our website.

Equal Opportunities:

Duncan Lewis is committed to Equal Opportunities and diversity. We aim for our staff to reflect the communities we serve at all levels. We guarantee an interview for candidates disclosing a disability who meet the essential criteria. Please mention this in your cover letter if applicable. To apply, visit our website and submit your application online.

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY AGENCIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR THIS VACANCY.