About the job

Job summary

This position is based nationally.

Job description

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: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Grade 7 – Lawyer.

OSPT -  Healthcare and Welfare Team

The Offices of the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee (OSPT)

The office is an Arms’ Length Body of the Ministry of Justice and combines the duties and responsibilities of two separate independent statutory office holders - the Official Solicitor to the Senior Courts and the Public Trustee. There are around 135 staff who support the work of the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee, including lawyers, lay case managers and administrators; the office is based in Central London. We promote access to justice for the most vulnerable members of our society who might otherwise be unable to use the services offered by the justice system due to their lack of mental capacity or because of their young age. We are committed to providing the best level of service we can for our clients.

We have Grade 7 Lawyer vacancy on our Healthcare and Welfare lawyer team.

THE POST: 

The Official Solicitor’s Healthcare and Welfare team manages healthcare and welfare cases in the Court of Protection in which the Official Solicitor acts as litigation friend. In a limited number of cases, she is also called upon to act as Advocate to the court. In welfare cases the Official Solicitor retains external solicitors to act for the vulnerable client and the lawyer will be required to provide instructions as to the client’s best interests and the relevant law, practice, and procedure. In serious medical treatment cases, the work is conducted in house and the cases are  fast moving and time critical  and the lawyer will be expected to instruct specialist counsel as well as independent experts. He or she will also liaise with the client and family and friends to ascertain wishes and feelings and to report back to the court. The lawyer will also be required to provide guidance and supervision to non-legally trained case managers and advise the Official Solicitor herself when called upon to do so. The work of the team is specialised, and the cases are fast paced and can be high profile. Many are before High Court Judges and reported. The post holder will manage a personal caseload of both welfare and serious medical treatment cases.

Essential Criteria

We are looking for highly motivated qualified lawyers eligible to practice within England and Wales, who are able to work efficiently in a dynamic work environment. You will need strong communication skills, good self-awareness and a commitment to role model positive behaviours and use feedback to learn and develop as a professional. You will be expected to make confident and informed decisions within your own casework, while also escalating risks and seeking guidance from senior colleagues where appropriate. You must be able to demonstrate specific professional skills, knowledge, or qualifications. You must also be qualified at the point of making the application for this post.

SKILLS & QUALITIES:  

The vacancy will give a lawyer the opportunity of involvement in a challenging and rewarding caseload of healthcare and welfare matters. The post holder must be a qualified lawyer and will be expected to demonstrate Civil Service success profile behaviours and specialist legal knowledge and in particular will need to be able to deliver high quality legal work in the best interest of the vulnerable party, maintaining effective relationships with the judiciary, legal profession, and other external bodies.

The post holder will be expected to have litigation experience and experience of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and practice and procedure in Court of Protection welfare work including the relevant court rules. Knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983 would also be of assistance but is not essential.

Knowledge of civil litigation practice and procedure would be helpful but is not essential.

If you would like to discuss the role, or work of the office in more detail you can do so by contacting the Senior Healthcare and Welfare Lawyer, Janet Ilett by email  Janet.Ilett@ospt.gov.uk or by phone 07966 367022

It is essential that you have experience of using Microsoft computer packages.

You will be required to provide evidence of the following behaviours under the success profile. (There will be a technical exercise administered at interview by way of case study)

BEHAVIOURS

Making Effective Decisions (Lead)

Delivering and Pace

Communicating and Influencing

Working Together

Seeing the Big Picture

Interviews will be held virtually, using the Teams platform.

We can offer;

• a central London location, when working from the office
• flexible and smarter working options
• apprenticeships and development opportunities for both legal and administrative staff.

The OSPT is based at 102 Petty France, London, but the successful candidate does not have to be London-based. We currently operate a hybrid working arrangement. This means that at least 40% of the working week is office based (subject to change). The successful candidate will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. 

This is an exciting and interesting area of work which offers unique challenges and provides great openings for continuous learning. 

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: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

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, Experience and Technical skills.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. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.