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HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Job Title: Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Location: Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL

Duration: Fixed term contract 2 October 2023 to 31 July 2024

Pay Span or equivalent: HEO

Salary: London (within M25): £35,405 - £39,000

These positions are available for external applicants as well as existing civil servants on level transfer or promotion.
New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum. Secondments and loans will be considered on an individual basis.

Background:

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of the criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales and non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It provides a fair, efficient and effective justice system delivered by an independent judiciary. HMCTS aims to ensure that all citizens receive timely access to justice according to their different needs, whether as victims or witnesses of crime, defendants accused of crime, consumers in debt, children at risk of harm, businesses involved in commercial disputes or as individuals asserting their employment rights or challenging the decisions of government bodies.

The Court of Appeal Civil Division hears appeals across all civil jurisdictions. In the majority of cases it is the final court of appeal.

The post of judicial assistant is intended to provide entrants to the legal profession with a unique opportunity to work at close quarters with judicial members of the court, to view the appeals process and to appreciate appellate advocacy at close quarters. Candidates should note that a judicial assistant works full time. It is not possible to conduct professional practice or to devote significant time to external study while working as a judicial assistant.

Role Purpose:

Judicial assistants in the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal are assigned to one or two justices of appeal. They assist in the preparation of cases for hearing before a constitution of the full court by analysis of the appeal papers, legal research and the drafting of summaries for the assistance of each member of the constitution of the court. They also prepare case papers and summaries for submission to a single justice for consideration of applications for permission to appeal. From time to time they are requested to assist with research into specific subjects of interest in the law or the administration of justice.

It is not essential that candidates should have a specific area of expertise but the team will be selected so as to provide cover for the range of work handled by the civil division of the Court of Appeal including general common law, public law and human rights, commercial law, chancery and tax law, employment law, family law and some criminal law. Candidates must be willing to undertake work in areas of law in which they have no previous experience.

Main Activities / Responsibilities:

The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

• To prepare case summaries for permission to appeal applications and bench memoranda for full appeals as requested by their supervising Lord or Lady Justice.
• To complete case summaries and bench memoranda for other members of the court who do not have an assigned judicial assistant.
• To complete legal research into specific subjects of interest in the law or administration of justice as requested by the supervising Lord or Lady Justice or any other justice of appeal.
• Occasionally to assist in the preparation of a speech to be given by their assigned judge or any other justice of appeal.

Other Duties:

The post holder will be required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by their assigned judge or line manager which are commensurate with the level or responsibility of this post.

Experience:

Experience of practical legal research

Technical skills / qualifications:

6

Application Process:

To apply for this position please complete the online application form, ensuring you provide the following:

• A copy of your anonymised CV
• A 250 statement of suitability against the required experience and technical skills/qualifications detailed above
• A 250-word suitability statement against each of the following Success Profile Behaviours (Level 3):
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

In the event we receive a large volume of applications, we will sift using the lead Success Profile Behaviour: Working Together.

If selected for interview, the Success Profile Behaviours listed above will also be tested / assessed (Level 3).

Interviews will include one Strength and will also involve a test of legal technical skills, including a written test.

Please note, face to face interviews will be required for candidates progressed from sift stage and will take place between 6 June and 16 June 2023.

Further information on Success Profile Behaviours and Strengths, as well as the required standards for this post (Level 3), can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles
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.

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

The MoJ is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident. Disability Confident is the approach through which we offer guaranteed interviews for all people with disabilities meeting the minimum criteria for the advertised role as set out in the job description.

Location:

This post is based in the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL. Travel to other court sites across the region will be required.

Security checks required:

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter Terrorist Check (CTC).

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Interview will include a test of legal technical skills, including a written test

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Job contact :

Name :
SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
Email :
[email protected]
Telephone :
0845 241 5359

Recruitment team :

Email :
[email protected]