JOB DESCRIPTION
Title of Post:Co Director –Head of Legal Practice
Hours:35 per week
Salary:£48,234 - £52,071depending on experience + 1% Pension
Reports to: Chair of the Board and Trustees
Functional links:The Board of Directors & Trustees, TheCo-Director – Funding & Business Development, Funders, Policy and Decision Makers, Staff of Islington Law Centre, Partner Organisations, The Law Centres Network and other Law Centres, Islington Council, and the wider Not for Profit Legal Advice Sector.
Context of the jobIslington Law Centre is a large Law Centre based in the London Borough of Islington. This post is primarily an inward facing role with responsibility for Quality, Compliance, Staff Direction and Management, Operational Management, Systems & Performance.
Objectives of the post
- To work closely with the other Law Centre Co-Director to provide strong leadership and management for the Law Centre. To develop an efficient, sustainable, high profile Law Centre and to both improve and build on what is currently being provided.
- To liaise with key organisations in the legal, and advice and voluntary sector at a Borough/Regional/Nationallevel. Exchanging information and best practice, and developing joint initiatives.
- To participate in Business Planning including costing and financial planning, liaising with the Co-Director and other staff at the Law Centre.
- To gain an understanding of the client base of Islington Law Centre in terms of research and client need
Main Responsibilities
1.Leadership and Management
1.1To hold joint responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Law Centre, participating in Senior Management Team Meetings, reporting upwards to the Boardof Director’s & Trustees and downwards to the SMT and staff meetings.
1.2To hold primary responsibility for the following areas:
Quality
Compliance
Staff Direction & Management
Operational Management including Legal Aid
Systems & Performance
Data Protection
1.3To report to the Board of Directors and Trustees participating in meetings, distribution of paperwork and leading on liaison with staff groups and feedback both downward and upward.
1.4To participate in the annual review and Business Planning process. Feeding in to the Annual Strategic Plan.
1.5Toensure the proper adherence to Financial Policy and Procedures.
1.6To ensure timely reports are available for Board meetings with explanations/notes on Income, Expenditure & Cashflow as appropriate to the legal work of the Law Centre.
1.7To liaise with Auditors for all Law Centre audits including the Legal Aid Agency, Lexcel, financial auditors, Islington Council and any other that may from time to time occur.
1.8To maintain and monitor the Law Centres Risk Strategy.
2.Quality
2.1To ensure compliance with the Lexcel Quality Standard, organising the Lexcel Audit and maintaining the Law Centres Quality Manual, related systems and procedures.
2.2To organise training to keep staff abreast of the requirements of Lexcel and support best practice.
2.3To monitor Complaints and report to the Board.
2.4To create a culture of client care in terms of service delivery in line with a quality service.
3.Compliance & Regulation
3.1To ensure the Law Centre has suitable up to date insurance policies in place (e.g.Professional Indemnity Insurance, other Company Insurances such as Employers Liability and Office Contents.
3.2To ensure that all Practicing Certificates are renewed in a timely way and that records are kept.
3.3To maintain a Practicing Certificate in their own name and any other accreditation relevant to the role.
3.4To ensure compliance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority requirements.
3.5To ensure that Accreditation of solicitors and caseworkers is in place to enable them to carry out the functions of their role, for example The Law Society Immigration & Asylum Accreditation Scheme, Office of the Immigration Commissioners registration, Disclosure and Baring Service checks,and that the Law Centre’s Supervisors maintain their status as set out by the Legal Aid Agency as appropriate.
4.Staff Direction & Management
4.1To provide leadership to the staff team.
4.2To create a consultative, open culture, fostering cooperation between teams and motivating staff to maximise the impact of the Law Centre’s work and to ensure that the Law Centre output meets external requirements such as funding outcomes and commitments.
4.3To ensure all caseworkers have timely File Reviews, Performance Targets, Appraisal and feedback.
4.4To maintain all casework staff records.
4.5To act as Line Manager overseeing Grievance and Disciplinary Policy & Procedures.
4.6To oversee casework staff Recruitment in line with Equality & Diversity Policy and Procedure.
4.7To ensure access to training and development of staff appropriate to their role is implemented.
5.Operational Management & Performance
5.1To ensure Legal Aid income is maximised.
5.2To organise and ensure cases are progressed in a timely way, reported and closed to ensure regular cash flow.
5.3To ensure all activity is entered onto the Law Centre case management system to enable accurate reporting and to maximise income.
5.4To ensure accurate feedback is provided to solicitors and caseworkers in terms of their own performance, following up if necessary.
6.Data Protection
6.1To ensure Data Protection procedures are in place and adequate.
7.Other
7.1To attend and participate in Board and Sub Committee meetings.
7.2To attend other ad hoc meetings when necessary
7.3To assist with the organisation of and participation in the Law Centres seminars and training events. To participate in other committees as required.
7.4To attend out of hours meetings when necessary
7.5To undertake other tasks as directed relevant to the post
7.6To carry out the functions of the post with proper regard to ILC’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
7.7To always act in an ethical manner that upholds the good reputation of Islington Law Centre.
7.8To collaborate with the Co-Director of Funding and Business Development to foster a culture of openness and cooperation with staff, developing regular fora for communication, exchange of information and ideas relating to the development and operation of the Law Centre.
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