Diocesan Registry Clerk

Birketts is a full service, top 100 UK law firm, operating in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, Norwich and the surrounding areas.

With a rich heritage spanning over 150 years we’ve built an enviable track record advising businesses, institutions and individuals in the UK and internationally.
Throughout our history our ethos has remained simple: we provide clear legal advice and value and insight to our clients.

We set out to truly understand our clients’ needs and help realise their ambitions.

We believe that through this approach and a combination of technical excellence and high quality service we can develop long-lasting partnerships and become our clients' solicitor of choice.

Our Ecclesiastical Team offers advice on all aspects of the law as it relates to the Church of England.

Currently Birketts hosts two Diocesan Registries; Stuart Jones is the Diocesan Registrar for Norwich and James Hall for St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. Birketts is committed to developing this area of work within its wider practice as a full service law firm, and the team is growing accordingly. 

We act for parishes and their clergy as well as Diocesan Bishops, Diocesan Secretaries, Bishops' Staff and Diocesan Boards of Finance and Education. Our ecclesiastical lawyers understand many of the strategic considerations affecting the Church at a diocesan level as well as the challenges faced by parishes, and address the relevant legal issues with that context in mind. In particular they are committed to the Church’s mission and ministry, and to supporting these priorities.

We understand the complexities of Church of England, its history, structure and role as the Established Church. The team works closely with our Charities Team as well as other lawyers in the firm in our Property and Employment teams to provide a full service to our clients

The Diocesan Registrar’s Clerk deals with the production of documents, record keeping and giving advice in relation to the following.

1. Faculty Applications
2. Marriage Licensing
3. Appointments of Clergy
4. Parish Re-organisation Schemes
5. Patronage & Presentation

Faculties are permissions for work to be carried out to church buildings, graveyards etc. The Church administers this system itself, and avoids the general requirement for listed building consents. The faculty system is run through a Diocesan Advisory Committee, which considers applications, but the Registrar acts as a clearing house for applications, and also keeps a register of faculties granted.

Marriage Licensing includes issuing licences, seeing people intending to get married and who apply for a ‘common licence’, keeping a register of licences issued.

Clergy Appointments includes preparation of documentation relating to candidates for ordination as curates and priests, dealing with resignations, new appointments to vacant parishes and benefices (groups of parishes).

Parish Re-organisation schemes allow a number of parishes to be combined into a single unit for purposes of ministry, and these schemes need to be properly prepared, documented and recorded.

Patronage & Presentation includes keeping a register to show who is entitled to present new vicars etc to individual parishes or benefices.

You will work closely with staff at the Bishop of Norwich’s office and at the Diocesan office. You will get to know the clergy, churchwardens and other officers of the Church of England and with the registrar you will be the first point of call for those wanting general advice.

The ideal candidate will be an administrator or secretary with experience of working within a busy professional services or office environment.   You will have the ability to hit the ground running with a busy caseload, and to work independently.

Working as part of a busy team the ability to work under pressure to deadlines is essential requiring first class time management, organisational, communication and IT skills.

We are committed to recruiting individuals on merits of suitability for each role, on the basis of qualifications and experience. All applications are treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation, race, disability, religious beliefs and any other protected characteristic, ensuring that there are equal opportunities at all stages of the recruitment process.