Criminal (Duty) Solicitor

The Group Head for Community is Malcolm Underhill. We are one of the leading teams of criminal specialists in the South East.

We are franchised by the Legal Services Commissionand are members of the Serious Fraud Panel. Our team are members of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association, the London Criminal Courts Associationand the Solicitors Association of Higher Court Advocates.

Expertise in advising upon:

• Computer and internet crime
• Large scale conspiracies – those with more than one defendant
• Conspiracies to supply and import drugs
• Offences such as burglary, robbery, serious assault and murder
• Environmental and health & safety issues
• High-value and serious fraud, money laundering

We regularly provide advice at the police station, representation (including appeals against convictions) at the Magistrates’ or Crown Courts and assistance in defending Customs investigations relating to drugs and VAT offences.
 

Principal Responsibilities

To provide a high quality legal service to clients on all aspects of general crime in line with the firm’s standard of performance within a high volume, leveraged legal aid practice.

We are looking for a talented, ambitious solicitor with proven experience or a general interest in crime to be part of our dynamic and professional team.

We have excellent systems in place to enable our solicitors to deliver an efficient, gold standard service to our clients.

1.         To provide a high quality legal service to clients on all aspects of general crime including:

a.   Advice and advocacy in the Magistrates Courts and at the Police station

2.         To utilise technical knowledge and skills to:

a.   analyse information and reach sound decisions on client instructions
b.   communicate succinctly both orally and in writing
c.   research appropriate case law and technical and legal precedents to progress matters

  3.       Meet IBB quality/professional standards including:

a.   ensuring personal targets are achieved
b.   ensuring that all team chargeable work is properly recorded on client matters
c.   adhering to the Code of Conduct on client care and to the IBB file management policies as set out in the Office Manual
d.   understanding the obligations relating to the Solicitors Accounts Rules and ensuring the preparation of files fully compliant with the LAA regulations in accordance with the Legal Aid Agency contracting rules.

4.         Developing innovative ways to achieve competitive advantage and profitability by working with all the CLS partners where appropriate to explore opportunities to improve process, communication and speed of service delivery.

5.         Ensuring work is prioritised and progressed efficiently; new business is effectively introduced and managed into the firm; the partners in the Group are sufficiently aware of your workload and specific issues which arise on your matters so that these can be appropriately managed.

6.         Ensuring that the professional service provided by you t are  of the highest quality; that client care standards are effectively maintained and that work completed meets the appropriate standards. This includes ensuring that the files allocated to you are maintained properly and that matters are progressed in line with the firm’s standards up to and including billing and file closing.

Ensuring efficient file management including compliance with timescales and structure, and financial aspects such as time recording.

Education

Educated to degree level
Strong LPC pass or equivalent; and
Hold a current clean practising certificate from the SRA.
Duty Solicitor qualified and compliant.

Experience

A minimum of 18 months PQE (indicative) in this area of legal work and the ability to advise on all aspects of general crime, relevant legal issues and strategy

Knowledge and experience of conducting criminal litigation in the Magistrates Court.

A track record of managing relevant cases and an ability to run matters

Experience of managing Legal Aid Agency work to include file management and billing

Client following (desirable)

Skills

Strong advocacy and communications skills with the ability to adapt communication style

when working with clients from diverse backgrounds.

The ability to successful manage an individual billing target.

Ability to work to your own initiative and to work independently or part of a team.

A practically minded approach and ability to manage clients in an organised and cost effective/pragmatic way.

An eye for detail and ability to be flexible and work to tight deadlines IT literate and self-sufficient in using document management systems, MS Office, email (MS Outlook) and the internet as business tools.

A Driving licence (preferable)