Vacancy: Solicitor – fixed term contract until 31 March 2015
Young Persons’ Project, Women and Young Persons’ Department
Legal Services Agency
Contents of Application Pack
1. Further Particulars
Page 1
2. Job Description
Page 4
3. Person Specification
Page 7
4. Instructions on How to Apply for the Post
Page 8
FURTHER PARTICULARS
Post:
Solicitor, Young Persons’ Project, Women and Young Persons’ Department,
Legal Services Agency
LEGAL SERVICES AGENCY
Legal Services Agency (LSA) is Scotland’s largest Law Centre. LSA aims to tackle the unmet legal
needs of those in any form of disadvantage throughout Scotland so that everyone may enjoy full
citizenship. LSA attains the above through the provision of legal advice, representation in courts and
tribunals, research, publications, seminars and education.
LSA currently undertakes work for: those suffering from mental health problems, dementia or their carers;
 those threatened with homelessness or eviction for any reason;
 those victimised by crimes of violence (particularly children and those suffering from mental
health problems or dementia); and
 women, children and young people in the field of asylum and immigration law.
LSA’s objectives are:
To relieve poverty by increasing the availability of, and facilitating access to, legal advice,
assistance and representation, geared to the special needs of persons who are in a state of poverty
where such advice, assistance and representation could not readily be obtained by such persons
elsewhere.
To advance education and, in particular, to increase knowledge and awareness of the law in the
fields of housing, social security, personal debt, consumer matters, equal opportunity, human rights,
asylum, rights of victims of crimes or accidents, employment, children and social work and all other
fields in relation to which there appears, in the opinion of the directors, to be insufficient general
knowledge and awareness of the law.
LSA is an equal opportunities employer.
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WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS’ DEPARTMENT
Post:
Solicitor, Young Persons’ Project, Women and Young Persons’ Department,
Legal Services Agency
Women and Young Persons’ Department
The Women and Young Persons` Department receives funding from the Scottish Government
Violence Against Women Fund, Comic Relief and Paul Hamlyn Foundation to provide legal advice
and representation to:
Refugee and migrant women and children (who have experienced gender-based violence) in
Scotland through its Women`s Project and
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Refugee and migrant children and young people (up to age 25) in Scotland through
its Young Persons` Project
It is recognised that there can be an unmet legal need in this area and that these individuals can be
vulnerable in their engagement with mainstream legal processes. This is particularly the case where
violence, abuse and exploitation have occurred within the UK.
As a result, the department’s legal services are based on the following principles:
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Early and effective legal advice
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Solicitors employ a human rights-based approach
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A holistic service is provided to clients
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Assistance is tailored towards the needs of each particular client and provided within a safe
environment
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Solicitors work closely, and in partnership with, statutory and third sector organisations
The Department also has a remit to contribute to training, research and policy in issues that directly
affect its client group at a local and national level. In this regard, solicitors from both projects sit on
key Advisory Boards and Operational Steering Groups in order to raise awareness and provide a
practitioner and legal insight into policy and practice on such issues.
The Department also identifies strategic litigation in order to improve practice for its client group.
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Young Persons’ Project
The Young Persons’ Project comprises two solicitors who provide legal advice, assistance and
representation to refugee and migrant children and young people in the following areas:
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Asylum and immigration law
Rights and entitlements of children and young people in Scotland
Access to rights and support under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995
Support such as somewhere to stay and living costs
Education
Social work
Children’s Hearing System
National Referral Mechanism
Homelessness and housing
Rights to work
Compensation
The Department is recruiting a solicitor for the Young Persons’ Project who will be jointly supervised
by the Lead Solicitor of the Project and the Head of Department.
The Department is looking for a solicitor who can practise in Scotland and who has experience of
working with children’s rights in Scotland and/or experience of working with children and young
people within the asylum and immigration system. Experience of both sectors would be desirable.
This is a fixed term contract until 31 March 2015. A permanent post may become available
but is dependent on funding.
This is an exciting and unique opportunity for motivated individuals who are committed to the
realisation of children and young persons’ rights within Scotland.
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JOB DESCRIPTION
Solicitor, Young Persons’ Project, Women and Young Persons’ Department,
Legal Services Agency
Post:
TASKS
A
To assist in the conduct of the legal work of the project which is to provide a holistic
legal service to migrant children and young people including but not restricted to:
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B
Taking instructions, drafting statements and providing legal advice to vulnerable
clients,
Drafting applications for submission to the UK Visas and Immigration requesting
asylum and human rights protection,
Drafting further submissions and fresh claims for asylum for submission to the UK
Visas and Immigration,
Drafting Applications for Bail for clients under immigration detention,
Liaising with local authorities regarding the (1) appropriate provision of
accommodation and support; and (2) ensuring the lawful determination of age under
the Children (Scotland) Act 1995,
Providing advice in respect of the Children’s Hearing System in Scotland,
Providing advice and assistance in respect of the identification of children and young
people as victims of human trafficking under the National Referral Mechanism,
Drafting Applications for Criminal Injuries Compensation/undertaking other actions for
damages where appropriate,
Providing general advice in order to realise migrant children and young persons’
rights within Scotland in line with national and international standards,
Preparation and representation in both procedural and substantive hearings in the
First-tier Tribunal, the Upper Tribunal, Children’s Hearings and Sheriff Court,
Liaising with Counsel and Edinburgh based agents regarding actions being
undertaken in the Court of Session including Petitions for Judicial Review,
Identifying and pursuing strategic litigation in areas affecting migrant children and
young people, and
Sourcing and instructing medical and country experts and undertaking legal and
objective evidence research in support of the above noted legal casework.
To ensure that sufficient funding is in place in order to carry out the legal work on a
case including:
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Making applications for legal aid advice and assistance and full civil legal aid, and
On-going monitoring of files to ensure sufficient funding is in place at all stages of a
file and the timely feeing of files.
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C
Client Care including:
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D
Contribution to policy issues and consultations affecting the project’s client group
including:
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E
Assessing client needs (most clients will have already suffered serious violations of
human rights not only in their country of origin but also within the UK), and
Signposting and referring clients to service providers within the health and support
sector where appropriate.
Contribution to research/consultations and representing the project in public forums
(including relevant working and practitioner forums) on issues affecting migrant
children and young people.
This contribution will be dependant on experience on the post holder and under the
supervision of the Lead Solicitor of the Project.
Contribution to the organisation’s commitment to legal education, including:
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Researching areas affecting the project’s client group,
Organising seminars on areas affecting the project’s client group, and
Presenting at external seminars and training sessions.
The post holder’s contribution in this area will be dependant on experience on the
post holder and under the supervision of the Lead Solicitor of the Project.
TRAINING
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In-house training offered on a variety of practical and legal topics, and
Project training budget available for further training.
SALARY
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Dependent on experience.
DURATION AND HOURS
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Fixed term contract until 31 March 2015, for 35 hours per week.
LOCATION
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The post-holder will be based at our main office at Fleming House, 134 Renfrew Street,
Glasgow.
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The post-holder may, however, be required to work at any other office of the LSA and at
any outreach surgeries operated by the Department (within reason and all necessary
and reasonable travel costs will be reimbursed).
RESPONSIBILITY
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Directly responsible to the Lead Solicitor of the Project and ultimately responsible to the
Head of the Women and Young Persons’ Department,
Responsible for own case load (as appropriate and dependent upon experience), and
Working as part of a small team with administrative support.
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PERSON SPECIFICATION
Post:
Solicitor, Young Persons’ Project, Women and Young Persons’ Department,
Legal Services Agency
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Must:
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Be qualified to practice as a solicitor in Scotland.
Have experience of:
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litigation and advocacy in the area of children’s rights in Scotland and/or working in
asylum and immigration law with refugee and migrant children and young people,
the legal aid system in Scotland, and
working with vulnerable children and young people.
Have computing skills - proficiency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel.
Preferable:
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Experience of representing migrant children and young people in the children’s rights sector
in Scotland as well as the asylum and immigration sector.
Postgraduate degree in a relevant subject area.
Research experience.
Experience of partnership working.
Experience of organising and delivering training/seminars.
Experience of working on and contributing to issues of policy.
QUALITIES
Must:
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Have a commitment to the promotion and protection of children and young persons’ human
rights.
Have a committed attitude to a holistic approach to client care.
Be a strong team player with excellent interpersonal skills.
Be able to work under pressure in order to meet tight deadlines.
Be self-motivated, dynamic and be able to work pro-actively.
Be efficient in respect of case management.
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INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY FOR POST
Post:
Solicitor, Young Persons’ Project, Women and Young Persons’ Department,
Legal Services Agency
Please send the following documentation to Elizabeth Stewart at Legal Services Agency, 3rd Floor,
Fleming House, 134 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G3 6ST or [email protected] by 5pm on
Friday 8 August 2014:
Application Form
Please complete the enclosed application form.
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Analysis
The Women and Young Persons’ Department acts for children who may be victims of human
trafficking. In no more than 750 words, please prepare a statement outlining the following:1. What legal processes are in place to identify child victims of human trafficking in
Scotland?
2. What are the particular practical and legal barriers that children may face in being
positively identified as a victim of human trafficking?
3. What is the best approach, in your opinion, to overcoming these barriers?
Applications omitting any of these components will not be accepted.
Applications will not be accepted after the deadline has passed.
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