Job Description
Role: LEGAL ASSISTANT
DEPARTMENT: CORPORATE AND CUSTOMER SERVICES
Connect2Luton are excited to recruit a Legal Assistant on behalf of Luton Borough Council within their Corporate and Customer Services department.
Main purpose of position:
To assist the Social Services lawyers in the provision of their services to the Departments of the Council exercising social services responsibilities, with an emphasis on childcare litigation.
As a Legal Assistant,you will be responsible to:
Manage, with supervision, tasks in relation to simple cases such as discharge of care, forced marriage and cases coming in from other local authorities in respect of designation
Correspond with court, parties, experts, clients and counsel as required. With supervision, to support the team with case management for care cases and any other duties as may be required by the Principal Solicitor (Social Services)
Receive requests from the courts for special guardianship orders, section 7 reports and section 37 investigations and ensure that such requests are complied with. Read such reports and ensure they are compliant with law and guidance and factually correct
Liaise with Police and other Local Authorities in relation to requests for disclosure within the 2013 Protocol. Liaise between requester and client department to complete disclosure requests. Redact third party information from documents to ensure there are no data protection breaches, as relevant
Prepare social work chronologies and briefs to counsel, take statements from witnesses, sit behind counsel and take a note of proceedings where required
Field telephone calls and general enquiries from clients, courts and other parties
Manage, with supervision, the cases proceeding to adoption by liaising with client department and the court to ensure timescales are met
Manage, with supervision, the Duty Scheme for the handling of queries from the client department and the keeping of records in respect of queries received, manage allocation of legal planning meetings (LPMs) and LPM agendas on a weekly basis and public law outline (PLO) meetings
Draft letters and other necessary documents, file and serve documents, deliver documents and arrange meetings where required by a social services lawyer
Skills and Experience
- Demonstrable experience of working in a childcare and/or another legal environment
- Local Government experience
- Able to undertake routine legal and administrative tasks in a busy office with a minimum of supervision and also with some supervision where required
- Able to plan and prioritise own caseload to meet targets and deadlines
- Communicate effectively (orally and in writing) with client departments, external legal advisers, court staff and other professionals
- Able to work as part of a team in a busy office environment
- Demonstrable knowledge of key social services legislation, in particular the Children Act 1989 and data protection legislation
- Demonstrable knowledge of key processes in litigation - issuing of proceedings, service of documents, filing and serving of evidence, complying with court directions etc
- Parts 1 or 2 Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) (formally ILEX) ; Legal Practice Course (LPC)
- Other legal education or qualification
- Post 16 qualifications in English
- A high level of integrity - able to deal with matters confidentially and with sensitivity
- An understanding of, and commitment to client care
About Us
Luton Borough Council have partnered with Kent County Council to create Connect2Luton, a recruitment managed service for all contingent temporary agency, contract, and interim roles at the Council.
Our heritage and being local government owned which means we have a wealth of knowledge and expertise within the public sector, with many of our employees having previously worked for the Council or have supplied previously into the Council, for several years.
We are an equal opportunities employment agency and business that positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates
Connect2Luton, part of Luton Borough Council & Kent Commercial Services LLP, is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business and positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.
