About the job

Job summary

These positions are based nationally.

Job description

Law Commission Grade 7 Lawyer – Criminal Law Team 

The Law Commission is recruiting permanently for up to two Grade 7 lawyers for the criminal law team. This campaign is being run externally and so is open to all who consider themselves suitable for the roles and meet the eligibility criteria in the wider advert within Civil Service Jobs. 

About The Law Commission 

Our unique role – independent, but at the heart of Government, stimulating debate among leading practitioners and academics – offers stretching, high quality work, the chance to make a positive difference to our society, access to outstanding learning and development, and work-life balance.
The Law Commission is the statutory body set up under the Law Commissions Act 1965 to keep the law of England and Wales under review and to recommend reform where it is needed. It operates as an independent non-departmental body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.

The Commission’s aims are: 

•    To ensure that the law is as fair, modern, simple and as cost-effective as possible; 
•    To conduct research and consultations in order to make recommendations for reform; 
•    To codify the law, eliminate anomalies, repeal obsolete and unnecessary enactments and reduce the number of separate statutes.

The Law Commission is an independent non-departmental body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. We have a judicial Chair, four Commissioners, and around 60 members of staff. Our work is organised into four areas: Commercial and Common Law; Property, Family and Trusts Law; Public Law and Wales; and Criminal Law. Further information about the Law Commission and its work can found on our website at www.lawcom.gov.uk/.

Ways Of Working

At the Law Commission we believe in and promote alternative ways of working in order to recruit and retain the best talent, so these roles are available as full-time, part-time or with the option to job share. 

The posts are available to full-time workers, job-sharers or part-time workers. The way our projects are resourced means we plan in terms of full-time equivalents, but we welcome applications from established job shares, who may work more than 1 full time equivalent jointly, and from people who might be interested in forming a job share arrangement. We also welcome applications from part time workers, though if you would plan to work less than four days a week it would be helpful to know in advance so we can identify other suitable candidates to make multiple appointments. Contact details are set out below if you would like to discuss with us in advance of applying.

The Law Commission operates flexible working arrangements including a flexi time scheme and the opportunity to work compressed hours, subject to business needs.

Many of our in-person meetings take place in London, for example at Parliament, with officials and Ministers across Whitehall and with legal stakeholders in and around the City of London and the Royal Courts of Justice.
In order for the Law Commission to meet its evolving business needs, all full-time Law Commission staff are expected to attend their base location at least 2 days a week. This hybrid working arrangement is not contractual and as a result staff could be asked to attend their base location more frequently. Informal hybrid working arrangements may be available as agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role. Arrangements may be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and will be subject to regular review.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. 

We are committed to treating people openly and with respect. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: 
Our approach to diversity and inclusion - Law Commission

Work of the Criminal Law Team

The criminal law team undertakes projects ranging from large-scale codification projects to shorter reviews of more pressing legal problems. Recently we have made recommendations on intimate image abuse, hate crime, protection of official data, search warrants and misconduct in public office. Our current projects are: criminal appeals, contempt of court, evidence in sexual offences prosecutions, and defences for victims of domestic abuse who kill their abusers.

As well as working on existing projects, another important aspect of our work involves identifying and researching other areas of the law where reform may be needed. All lawyers in the team have the opportunity to contribute to our work on potential future projects.

The Role

The Law Commission offers an unrivalled opportunity to work on some of the most complex legal and policy questions facing our society. But our lawyers are not just lawyers. They engage in policy making, legislative procedure, project management and leadership. They examine legal and policy issues from every angle, engage closely with a huge range of stakeholders from all walks of life, draft clear and compelling consultation papers and reports, and work with Government officials to take our work forward in Parliament. 

For this criminal lawyer role, the main duties are managing one (or more) law reform projects against an agreed timetable with the Commissioner, the Team Head, and (where relevant) other team lawyers and research assistants. This may include:

•    Researching the law and how it works in practice (both in the UK and overseas).
•    Analysing problems with the law, identifying options for reform and testing potential solutions.
•    Engaging with stakeholders (both inside and outside Government).
•    Writing reports and other documents in conjunction with the Commissioner, the Team Head and other team members and preparing these for publication.
•    Analysing formal consultation responses.
•    Working with other professionals within the Law Commission including Head of Communications to organise publicity for our work; Economic Adviser to analyse the potential impact of reform options; and potentially Parliamentary Counsel to draft legislation.
•    Assisting with the promotion and implementation of recommendations from completed projects (including potentially working as part of a Bill Team to take legislation through parliament).
•    Contributing to the consideration of new project work.
•    Managing one or more Research Assistants.
•    Contributing to the corporate culture of the Law Commission, for example through supporting and leading specific activities on areas including learning and development, wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, and ways of working.

Specific experience of, or demonstrable interest in the law relating to one or more of areas relevant to ongoing and forthcoming projects is particularly desirable. These areas are: 

•    Evidence law (for example, our projects on Evidence in Sexual Offences Prosecutions and Defences in Domestic Homicide review rules of evidence in criminal trials)
•    Sexual Offences
•    Contempt of Court
•    Criminal Appeals
•    Homicide offences and defences
•    The use and role of AI in the criminal justice system (as we anticipate that it will be a relevant issue in current and future projects).

We are keen to hear from lawyers or academics with an interest in law reform who demonstrate a capacity to acquire knowledge of complex areas of law quickly. 

Skills and Experience

Essential:

•    Academic: You should usually hold a minimum of a 2.1 undergraduate degree in any subject (or an overseas degree qualification equivalent to a 2.1 degree) but we will take into account subsequent experience if your degree class is different from this; and
•    Professional: You must be either a solicitor or barrister qualified to practise in England and Wales, or the holder of a degree who can demonstrate a comparable level of legal ability (for example, as an overseas professionally qualified lawyer, a legal academic or a legal policy expert)

Desirable:

•    Experience of law reform. This may include experience of: analysing the current law to identify the need for reform, researching and comparing alternative law and legal frameworks to identify alternatives to the current law, developing and communicating proposals for law reform.
•    Experience of drafting documents. This may include experience of: drafting documents explaining complex areas of law, experience of drafting documents for publication.
•    Experience of line management.

Location

Successful candidates will be based nationally and will be expected to attend their nearest base location. 

Membership of the Government Legal Profession

The GLP networks together Government lawyers and trainees, who between them provide legal services across the whole spectrum of government activities. Some are members of the Government Legal Department (GLD): others (like Law Commission lawyers) are not part of the GLD but are part of the wider GLP network. The GLP also maintains close links with lawyers in other parts of the Government, such as the Crown Prosecution Service.
A solicitor or barrister qualified to practise in England and Wales will, on joining the Law Commission, have access to the networking benefits and opportunities of the wider Government Legal Profession. This will also apply to overseas qualified lawyers who fulfil the nationality requirements and are eligible to practise in England and Wales under the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme. Information about the QLTS can be obtained from the SRA (www.sra.org.uk).

Salary

This role is graded at Grade 7. New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join on the minimum of the pay range.  

If you are already a civil servant and are successful in an external recruitment competition for a role with us, your starting pay will be the better of:
•    promotion terms or transfer terms, as appropriate; or
•    pay on appointment arrangements (minimum of pay range)

Application process

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework on Behaviours and Experience. Please also refer to the Civil Service Behaviours framework for more details at this grade (Level 4 – Grade 7):
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf 

At the sift stage you will be assessed on your Experience and Behaviours. Should we receive a large number of applications, we will sift primarily on the lead behaviour of Making Effective Decisions (more details below). Candidates who are successful at the initial sifting stage will undertake an interview and other assessments to gauge their suitability for the role. 

Experience

You will be asked to provide a CV and Statement of Suitability during the application process in order to assess any demonstrable experience in criminal law, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.

Behaviours

During the application process you will be asked to provide an example of how you have met the following behaviour (see Annex A for more information):

•    Making effective decisions – you must be able to use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice, carefully considering alternative options, and the implications and risks of decisions.
•    Delivering at pace – you must be able to take responsibility for delivering timely and quality results with focus and drive.
•    Communicating and influencing – you must be able to communicate with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm.

Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

Candidates Invited to Interview 

Please note that interviews will be carried out in person. We will consider requests for an online interview if your circumstances require. 

In advance of, you will be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation on a legal issue. You will be sent material to help you prepare. After the presentation you will be asked additional questions to test your ability to analysis and explain complex areas of law (technical skills).

During the panel interview, you will also be asked behaviour-based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of and your motivations relevant to the job role. The behaviours tested at interview are: 

•    Making Effective Decisions 
•    Communicating & Influencing
•    Working Together

Interviews are expected to take place in early July 2024.

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

Further information can be found at Current vacancies - Law Commission

Contact Information   

If you have any questions about the role or have any reasonable adjustments please email recruitment@lawcommission.gov.uk

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email: Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com

Annex A - The STAR method

Using the STAR method can help you give examples of relevant experience that you have. It allows you to set the scene, show what you did, and how you did it, and explain the overall outcome.

Situation - Describe the situation you found yourself in. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the job holder to understand.
•    Where are you?
•    Who was there with you?
•    What had happened?

Task - The job holder will want to understand what you tried to achieve from the situation you found yourself in.
•    What was the task that you had to complete and why?
•    What did you have to achieve?

Actions - What did you do? The job holder will be looking for information on what you did, how you did it and why. Keep the focus on you. What specific steps did you take and what was your contribution? Remember to include how you did it, and the behaviours you used. Try to use “I” rather than “we” to explain your actions that lead to the result. Be careful not to take credit for something that you did not do.

Results - Don’t be shy about taking credit for your behaviour. Quote specific facts and figures. Explain how the outcome benefitted the organisation or your area. Make the outcomes easily understandable.
•    What results did the actions produce?
•    What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your goals?
•    Was it a successful outcome? If not, what did you learn from the experience?

Keep the situation and task parts brief. Concentrate on the action and the result. If the result was not entirely successful describe what you learned from this and what you would do differently next time. Make sure you focus on your strengths.

Person specification

Please refer to job description.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £54,358, Ministry of Justice contributes £15,165 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.