Newly Qualified / Junior Inquest Lawyer

Legal & Risk Services is a division of the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership which provides a comprehensive legal advisory service to the NHS.

Our Core Values, which are important in how we work with our clients and how we support our colleagues, are:

1. Listening and Learning
2. Working together
3. Taking responsibility
4. Innovating

We have an exciting opportunity for a junior lawyer to join our Inquest Team. We advise and represent the whole of the NHS in Wales.

The types of cases we typically advise on include:

1. Mental Health related
2. Prison deaths
3. Falls
4. Sepsis
5. Maternal and neonatal deaths
6. Drug/alcohol related
7. Peri or post-surgical deaths

The Team are experts in their field who are regularly instructed in novel and high-profile cases. We work closely with our clients' clinical and patient safety teams.

The work of Legal & Risk has been recognised in the awards we have won. We aim to push boundaries and continue to develop ways to support the important work of the NHS.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for reviewing medical records/reports, drafting correspondence to obtain evidence, and assisting in the preparation of client advice, witness statements, court bundles, and instructions to counsel. We are committed to the development and well-being of our staff. You will have the support of a Team Manager and a number of other senior lawyers.

The ideal candidate for this position must have good communication skills, a confident approach to work, and can demonstrate our core values. There will be a need for empathy and sensitivity due to the very personal nature of the cases we deal with.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

About us

At NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership, we expect everyone to embrace our values of Listening and Learning, Working Together, Taking Responsibility, and Innovating.

Our organisation encourages an agile working approach and we pride ourselves on being a learning organisation motivated by continuous improvement.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values equality, diversity, and inclusion, focusing on the well-being and belonging of our people. Excellent customer service is something we strive for, for both our internal and external customers.

Offering a comprehensive benefits package, there is something for everyone. To find out more about working for us, the benefits we offer, and guidance on the application process please visit our website .

NWSSP work in an agile way where possible; all posts will have a contractual base but as part of agile ways of working that may mean working from home and other locations. We also look at how we balance flexibility with community, and how to manage opportunities to learn from each other.

Job responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.

Person Specification Qualifications/Knowledge

• Law Degree & Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (or equivalent)
• Qualified with litigation and advocacy rights:
  • Qualified solicitor admitted to the roll of solicitors of England and Wales
  • CILEx Litigator and Advocate (Civil)
  • Qualified barrister admitted to the bar in England and Wales
• Professional Skills Course or equivalent
• Academic modules in Medical Law (Mental Capacity and Mental Health)

Experience

• Experience gained through training within the relevant field
• Experience of the relevant field/fields of Law i.e. clinical negligence/personal injury and Inquests
• Advocacy in Coroner's Court
• Experience of making presentations to non-legal staff

Aptitude and Abilities

• IT Skills/Computer literate to include the ability to learn new technologies and IT introduced.
• Ability to communicate in all formats in plain English
• Ability to negotiate in often difficult or emotional circumstances
• Conscientious, confident, flexible, and professional approach to work
• Ability to prioritise and organise own work
• Ability to recognise own capabilities
• Evidence of excellent client care skills.
• Welsh Language Skills are desirable levels 1 to 5 in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in Welsh.

Other

• Demonstrate how your personal qualities match against our NWSSP core values: Listening and learning, Working together, Taking responsibility, Innovating
• Willing to undertake further professional development
• Able to travel to undertake the duties of the post at various locations
• Deliver excellent customer service to our internal and external customers, helping us to maintain the customer service excellence standard.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working