Author: Alice

Job Overview

Goodey Aziz is a practice specialising in all areas of mental health law. We are seeking a Mental Health Solicitor to join our team in our London office. We are a modern practice therefore we offer a hybrid work model and a rewarding bonus scheme.

We are interested to hear from candidates who have experience in mental health matters, representing patients detained in Hospital under civil and forensic sections. Experience in advocacy before the First-tier tribunal is essential. The successful candidate will also have an in-depth knowledge of public funding in mental health cases and experience in managing complex cases. 

Salary negotiable and in the range of £32 000 – £38 000, this will be based on experience and PQE.

The candidate must hold a current Practicing Certificate and be a member of the Law Society Mental Health Accreditation scheme. The candidate may be a Legal Aid Supervisor or willing to work towards obtaining supervisor status.

Working hours: 9:00am to 5.00pm – Monday – Friday. 25 days annual leave.

Job type: Permanent.

Closing date: 29 February 2024.

How to apply?

If you are interested in applying, please email jg@goodeyaziz.co.uk with CV and covering letter.

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Lawyer

Salary: £39,390 (National Framework) or £44,792 (London Framework – if you are London office-based or home-based and live within the boundary of the M25) – There is also an additional homeworking allowance of £553 per annum for those working from home.
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Home-based – Flexible in the United Kingdom
Closing date: Sunday 21st January 2024 11.59pm

About Us

We’re the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and we work to improve health and adult social care in England.

Through the dedication of our expert team, we monitor health and social care services to provide England with a safe and compassionate care system, recognising when services perform well as well as encouraging improvements and taking action over poorer care, where necessary.

One of our main commitments is to become a truly inclusive organisation and to role model a diverse and representative culture. To do so, we work with a variety of networks, including the Disability Equality Network, Race Equality Network and LGBT+ Equality Network.

We are now looking for a Lawyer to join us on a permanent, full-time basis.

The Benefits

• 27 days’ annual leave, rising with service to 32.5 days, plus 8 Bank Holidays
• NHS pension scheme, with around a 14% employer contribution
• Free employee assistance service 24 hours a day
• Discounts to supermarkets, high street stores, electronics and fleet cars
• Discounted gym vouchers
• Cycle to work scheme
• Internal reward scheme where you could win a voucher or two!
• Equipment for homeworking

Why this could be a great role for you

If you are a qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or senior Legal Executive, this is an incredible opportunity to grow your career and provide a rewarding public service.

You’ll be supporting care across the country, making sure care providers are compliant and supporting and protecting those using care services. This will be perfect for those looking to make a difference whilst developing their legal skillset in the health and social care arena.

What’s more, you’ll be supported with an exceptional package including some valuable public sector benefits including an NHS pension scheme.

What you will bring…

To be considered as a Lawyer, you will need to be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, entitled to practice in England and Wales with either:

• At least two years’ post-qualification experience

OR

• Proven substantial experience providing legal advice in a health and social care regulation setting

You will also need:

• An established history of managing caseloads, advising on legal matters and managing enforcement activity
• The ability to present complex information in an easily understood, accessible format
• Effective networking and relationship-building skills
• A good working knowledge of IT systems including Microsoft Office packages (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

What you’ll be doing

As a Lawyer, you will provide legal advice to our Operations and Regulatory Leadership Groups.

Specifically, working across a wide range of areas, you will advise on enforcement matters, urgent applications for cancellation or suspension, policies and regulations.

Developing strong relationships across our organisation, you will support the wider Legal Services Team whilst using your expertise to shape legal solutions.

Additionally, you will:

• Provide coaching, support and supervision to junior legal team members
• Undertake a range of casework and policy development activities
• Get involved with contentious work, including pre-action protocol matters
• Identify legal issues and risk

Next steps

If you require any support or assistance with the recruitment process, please get in touch with our team or include a note in your application.

We know diverse teams allow for a more creative and productive environment and therefore encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, gender/sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

So, if you’d like to join us as a Lawyer, please apply via this page on our website.

Other organisations may call this role Solicitor, Barrister, Attorney, Legal Advisor, Counsel, Legal Counsel, In-House Legal Counsel, Legal Executive, or Senior Paralegal.

Would you like to see your job advertisement on the MHLA website, for just £75? Send your text and optional logo to us at: admin@mhla.co.uk. We will supply an invoice. Adverts are published upon receipt of payment.

Mental Health Solicitor – Manchester

Job Overview

Reeds Solicitors would like to open a new Mental Health office in Manchester and therefore we are seeking a Mental Health Solicitor to join the team. 

This is an exciting opportunity to help build a new office and develop a team of your own, with the added benefit of the background support of a larger team who have experience in this kind of business development. 

With this in mind, we would like to hear from candidates who have prior management experience or a desire to develop those skills in due course and who will be excited to get involved in the marketing, promotion and development of our brand and services within this area. Applicants should have a good knowledge of mental health matters and have demonstrable experience in proceedings, good advocacy skills and experience with public funding. Salary is negotiable based on experience.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Meeting and interviewing clients to establish the firm’s suitability to provide the necessary advice and services, based on the firm’s specialism and funding options;
• Taking a client’s instructions; 
• Advising a client on the law and legal issues relating to their case; 
• Drafting applications, documents, letters and court orders tailored to the client’s individual needs; 
• Negotiating with clients and other professionals to secure agreed objectives; 
• Researching and analysing documents and case law to ensure the accuracy of advice and procedure; 
• Attending meetings and negotiations with opposing parties, keeping a detailed note of all discussions; 
• Acting on behalf of clients and representing them in court by way of in-house advocacy wherever possible; 
• Instructing barristers or specialist advocates to appear in court for the client in more complex cases; 
• Attending Court to cover hearings where Counsel is instructed and taking a detailed note of proceedings; 
• Preparing and updating Court bundles in line with evidence served; 
• Monitoring clients funding position to ensure works undertaken are either covered by a Legal Aid Certificate or private monies paid on account; 
• Working in a team, sometimes referring cases to the head of department; 
• Supervising and delegating work to trainee solicitors, paralegals and legal secretaries as appropriate; 
• Checking all documentation prior to signing and implementing; 
• Administrative duties, for example completing time sheets so that charges for work can be calculated, billing clients for work done on their behalf; 
• Taking referrals from other firms of solicitors when a conflict of interest arises, or if they have no specialist practitioner available; 
• Provide the highest level of client care and ensure file management in accordance with Lexcel standards
• Keeping up to date with changes and developments in the law by attending external training courses, reading journals and law reports; 
• Undertaking a range of continuing professional development (CPD) activities throughout their career;
• Any other duties as directed by the Team Leader or a member of the Management Team.

Person Specification

• Must hold a current Practicing Certificate.
• Must be a member of the Law Society Mental Health Accreditation scheme. 
• Must be a Legal Aid Supervisor under the Mental Health Contract.
• Must be able to multi-task, think on your feet and prioritise demanding workloads given the sensitive and emotive nature of the works undertaken. 
• Must be an excellent communicator in both written and spoken English, with strong advocacy skills. 
• Must have a good understanding of client care requirements and a commitment to legal aid.
• Be computer literate with experience of using Microsoft Office packages.
• Must have excellent time management and organisation skills.
• Must possess the ability to work within a high-pressure, high-workload environment, where a material change in circumstances may come about at the eleventh hour. 
• Be self-confident, proactive and able to develop good working relationship with third parties including Court and Hospital / Care Home staff, Counsel and Advocacy Agencies.

Salary: Negotiable based on experience.
Working hours: 9:00am to 5.00pm, with one hour for lunch Monday – Friday.
Job type: Permanent.
Closing date: We reserve the right to amend the closing date or withdraw the advert without notice prior to the closing date.

Why work for Reeds?

• At Reeds we do things The Reeds Way – a set of foundational principles that not only tell us how we run our business, but why.
• Externally, it governs how we look after our clients. For example, we have developed our Service Pledge, and our whole firm works as a team to make sure we deliver on this every time.  
• The Reeds Way also governs and guides how we try to add value to the communities in which we operate. 
• Internally, the Reeds Way governs our culture, the Reeds working environment, and the working life and career that we offer to all Reeds people. 
• So, what does all this look like when put into practice? Here is what you can expect from us if you join our team:  
• We safeguard a non-negotiable culture of respect for and between colleagues; 
• We offer a transparent and fair career development structure with opportunities for all lawyers and fee-earners to progress through the stages and become an Associate, Senior Associate and hopefully Partner; 
• All our people – and that means all our people – constantly undergo training and development via The ‘Reeds Academy’ which helps everyone achieve their career goals and get to where they want to be professionally, and to enhance their skills and knowledge; 
• We encourage all our staff to think about business development and look for growth opportunities.  We are always willing to listen to, and potentially invest in, new ideas; 
• We offer competitive salary and benefit packages and have a transparent annual review process which considers your whole contribution to your team and the Firm, not just billing figures; 
• We offer to all staff a discretionary bonus scheme for exceptional performance; 
• We offer flexible working schemes which include compressed 4 day weeks, 9 day fortnights and TOIL (time off in lieu), as well as other hybrid working schemes; 
• You will enjoy the ability to earn up to 30 days of holiday with years of service (standard holiday packages start at 21 days plus all bank holidays); 
• There is an additional paid celebration day for you to use as you would like (such as a birthday, anniversary or other key event); 
• You will have the ability to buy a further 5 days of holiday, and sell surplus holiday, each year; 
• Discretionary additional holiday days are given at Christmas (up to a maximum of 2 days); 
• We give you private medical health care with the option to upgrade and add optical and dental care; 
• Discounted gym membership is available, through private medical insurance; 
• We offer an employee assistance programme with access to physical, mental and emotional health advice & webinars, wellbeing videos and programmes, online counselling & mini health checks; 
• The Cycle To Work scheme is available, including e-bikes;
• Fresh fruit baskets are placed in each office on a weekly basis.

How to apply?

If you are interested in this position, or would like further information, please email recruitment@reeds.co.uk with the job title clearly stated in the subject line.

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London, N4

Category 1 mental health firm looking for MH panel member/supervisor (and good all-round lawyer) for a mix of tribunal and mental capacity work.  Might suit someone who wants to move towards doing more MCA work.

Good support and training provided. Full or part-time possible. Relaxed ambience and hybrid working options. FT salary to 55K, dependent on experience.

To apply or for further information (including a job description), please email Rod at campbelltaylorrecruitment@gmail.com or telephone 020 7923 9583 for a confidential initial chat.

Closing date: 24 December 2023, but please apply ASAP.

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Reporting to: Head of Department and Partners
Job Title: Court of Protection Solicitor
Job Purpose: Conduct of Mental Capacity Matters
Location: London (hybrid working available)

Job Description

Court of Protection Solicitor

We are looking for a Court of Protection Solicitor to join our Mental Health and Capacity team. This is a great opportunity for the right candidate to join a large highly regarded team of accredited specialists with many years’ experience working in this specialised area of law, and as such are highly recognised in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. 

Applicants should send a C.V. and covering letter to katy.jennings@milesandpartners.com.

The ideal candidate will:

• Be an experienced Mental Health and Capacity Solicitor with at least 6 years PQE.
• Have experience in Welfare cases in the Court of Protection.
• Have good working knowledge of Mental Health law and the Care Act.
• Have good working knowledge of the Mental Capacity Law and Practice appropriate to PQE.
• Be a member of the Law Society Mental Health (Welfare) Accreditation Scheme.
• Be committed to delivering a high level of client service.
• Have excellent client care and communication skills.
• Have knowledge and experience of the Legal Aid system.
• Have a proven track record in this field.

Terms to be agreed with salary commensurate with experience. This is an excellent opportunity for career progression for the right candidate, to build their own and the firm’s profile whilst advancing to team leadership with responsibility for developing an interesting niche caseload and supervising and assisting in the development of junior members of the team.

For a full job description, please see below.

Duties and Responsibilities 

1. Primarily to deal with Mental Capacity welfare matters in the Court of Protection and related matters as agreed with and directed by the partners to include conduct of Community Care matters and related Judicial Review matters insofar as they relate to Mental Capacity issues.

2. To contribute to the overall provision of legal services on behalf of the firm, by conducting all matters so assigned, at all times ensuring that the professional standards of the firm and the profession are adhered to.

3. To provide assistance in the supervision and guidance on technical matters to colleagues.

4. Maintain professional standards of work and comply with The SRA Handbook, practice management standards and agreed codes of relevant specialist groupings and court practice directions.

5. Maintain professional standards of work and comply with external and internal regulatory requirements where relevant, comply with internal policy and provide a service in accordance with the policy set out in the office manual.

6. Provide a legal service to the Lexcel standard as laid down in the office manual.  

7. Receive instructions from clients and identify tasks to be done and plan work, researching where necessary and delegating if appropriate.  

8. Ensure the client is kept informed of progress and discuss details of the case with client giving advice as appropriate. 

9. Ensure that the client files and records are maintained in accordance with Lexcel specification and file management procedures.

10. To assist with and comply with Practice Manager and supervisors in the event it is necessary to respond to complaints concerning conduct of work.

11. Market the department and firm as necessary especially with regard to those cases referred by the Official Solicitor and other referral sources.

12. Be an accredited member of the Law Society Mental Capacity (Welfare) Accreditation Scheme. 

Person Specification Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Skills

• Written and oral communication skills
• Working with vulnerable clients, including those with learning disabilities and/or mental disorders
• IT skills
• Ability to work under pressure and meet competing court deadlines
• Ability to build good working relationships with members of the team and clients
• Ability to build relationships with other professionals and third parties

Knowledge

• Good working knowledge of Mental Capacity Law and Practice appropriate to PQE
• Good working knowledge of Mental Health Law and the Care Act.
• Awareness of the needs of vulnerable clients who have a learning disability and/or mental disorder

Experience

• Welfare cases in the Court of Protection.
• Member of the Law Society Mental Health (Welfare) Accreditation Scheme 
• At least 6 years PQE

Qualifications

Solicitor or FILEX 

Attributes 

People and Leadership

• A team player
• Responsible for producing good quality work and facilitating productive working relationships with colleagues
• Can provide supervision and guidance on technical issues and on handling clients
• Is considered as a ‘safe pair of hands’
• Able to supervise work and provide feedback on the performance of Paralegals, Trainee Solicitors and Assistants 
• Expected to behave in a manner which is consistent with the firm’s values and behaviours 
• Able to assist in on-going training within the department.

Finance

• Achieves the financial objectives and targets set for them with minimal supervision
• Is aware of the importance of properly scoping work, clearly explaining to the client what a matter will cost, issuing regular bills and assisting cashiers with payment
• Uses, understands and interprets the firm’s financial reporting systems 

Business Development, client relationships and marketing

• Provides an excellent service to clients that meets their expectations
• Receives good feedback from clients 
• Knows how to progress matters in line with client expectations
• Is interested in and understands what we offer to clients
• Is able to establish common ground when communicating with clients
• Demonstrates a natural ease when dealing with people
• Takes advantage of opportunities to start to develop internal and external networks and understands the value of these networks for the future
• Participates in marketing and business development events
• Is starting to identify marketing and BD opportunities

Benefits

We are well known for being a friendly, inclusive and collegiate firm. We value our staff and acknowledge daily that personal development enriches the working environment for all. Our teams are rightly proud of the achievements they make every day on behalf of their clients.

All Miles and Partners team members benefit from:

• The opportunity to be part of a team of passionate lawyers at the top of their game
• A supportive team who love what they do and like to have fun together doing it, whether it’s over lunch or in team events
• Hybrid working for all – combining remote and in-office work creating the opportunity for work-life balance
• The chance to get involved in our legal community and improve access to justice for all – we support the Great Legal Bake and the London Legal Walk
• Recognition for a job well done or moments that matter in your life – we celebrate Eid, Christmas, Pride and Black History Month together, and many more
• Flexible use of the Easter Bank holidays to celebrate other religious festivals
• Additional benefits to enhance your health and wellness including an employee assistance programme delivered by Health Assured – the UK and Ireland’s leading wellbeing provider, as well as monthly wellbeing events
• A cycle-to-work scheme – purchase a bike and accessories and safety equipment through your gross salary, saving 25-39%
• Consideration for the annual discretionary bonus scheme.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community – we recruit on merit, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Would you like to see your job advertisement on the MHLA website, for just £75? Send your text and optional logo to us at: admin@mhla.co.uk. We will supply an invoice. Adverts are published upon receipt of payment.

Mental Health Accredited Panel Member
6 positions available at offices in St Albans, Aldershot, Bristol, Manchester.

Join Bison, the leading provider of quality legal services dedicated to mental health, Court of Protection personal welfare work, and Administrative Law. Our mission is clear: to empower individuals by enforcing their rights and enhancing their lives through expert legal advice.

Due to the ever-increasing client base and demand for growth, we’re looking to increase our Law Society Accredited Mental Health Panel Members from 18 to 25 by Summer 2024. Currently, we’re hiring 6 Law Society Accredited Mental Health Panel Members for our offices in St Albans, Bristol, Hampshire, and Manchester. We’re not recruiting to fulfil our LAA tender obligations, but rather a genuine drive to accomplish our business objectives.

These positions are ideal for ambitious panel members looking to advance from fee-earning to supervisory, team-leading, and managerial roles.

If you’re craving career progression, this is the perfect opportunity for you. We want someone who exudes confidence in their abilities, possesses strong leadership skills, and is highly motivated to generate fresh ideas. Exceptional people skills, organization, and the ability to juggle multiple projects are also key. You’ll need to inspire and lead your team, while also shouldering training and supervision responsibilities.

If you’re a self-motivated go-getter with a strong work ethic and an appetite for challenges, we want to hear from you.

With a salary range of £35,000 – £50,000 per year (depending on experience, role, and responsibilities), as well as fantastic employee benefits like generous annual leave, Comprehensive Health Insurance, 5 days of carer leave, birthday leave, fully paid 5-day sick leave, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, and opportunities for training and development. Bison is committed to creating a fair and inclusive workplace that welcomes individuals from all backgrounds.

Take the next step in your legal career and join our dedicated team at Bison.

Please send CV and covering letter to HR@bisonsolicitors.co.uk  or call 07772326052 for an informal chat.

Would you like to see your job advertisement on the MHLA website, for just £75? Send your text and optional logo to us at: admin@mhla.co.uk. We will supply an invoice. Adverts are published upon receipt of payment.

We have an exciting opportunity to join our highly regarded, well-established niche firm based in Hoylake within our Mental Health Tribunal Team.

We are looking for a full-time Mental Health Accredited Panel Member to work as a part of the team covering a large area of the North West/North Wales.

The successful candidate will be experienced in managing their own caseload representing clients detained under the MHA. 

Mental Health supervisor status would be advantageous.

The right candidate will be someone who can work well as part of a team, has good communication and good organisational skills.  They must have a full driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Salary will be dependant on experience together with an attractive package of:

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the opportunity to increase annual leave days for time served
• Healthcare cash plan
• Pension
• Free car parking
• Hybrid working
• Focused training and personal development plan  

How to Apply

Interested candidates who have the skills and experience required for this role can apply with a CV and Cover Letter detailing their interest to: lisabolton@peteredwardslaw.com.

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Role: Caseworker/Solicitor
Mental Health

Start date: January 2024
Salary: Dependent on PQE

We are an award-winning multidisciplinary law firm with an exceptional track record offering a wide range of specialist legal services to our clients, from medium-sized businesses and NGOs to public figures and private individuals. Ranked as a top-tier firm by the legal directories, some of the most brilliant lawyers in the country work at Bindmans. 

We are looking for a mental health caseworker or solicitor to join our Mental Health Tribunal team. Ideally, you will be located at our office in London, but there is flexibility in terms of hybrid working. 

We are looking for an experienced and dynamic caseworker or solicitor with experience of representing clients at Mental Health Tribunal and Hospital Managers hearings. 

The applicant should have Mental Health supervisor status for the purpose of the firm’s funding contract with the Legal Aid Agency for Controlled Legal Representation, as well as accreditation under the Law Society’s mental health panel scheme.  

The successful applicant should have a flair for litigation, an ability to lead, manage, and support junior solicitors and trainees, and an interest in working with individuals as well as organisations. 

Equal Opportunities and Diversity

Bindmans LLP is an equal opportunities employer, committed to increasing diversity in our firm and our wider profession. Applications from candidates who are BME, have a disability, or who are from a less privileged background are particularly encouraged. 

How to apply

Please visit this page of our website to apply: https://www.bindmans.com/jobs/mental-health-caseworker-solicitor-public-law-and-human-rights/

Please note that CVs will not be accepted for this role.

Closing Date for applications: Midday on Friday 1 December 2023

STRICTLY NO AGENCY APPLICATIONS

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Court of Protection Solicitor

We are looking for a solicitor to join our Court of Protection team.

We primarily represent P in welfare cases, most frequently instructed on P’s behalf by the Official Solicitor, and we also represent family members. 

We are looking for someone who is conscientious, driven, organised, and works well in a team. Experience of mental capacity matters, best interests and welfare issues in the Court of Protection is essential.

The ideal candidate will be ambitious and dedicated to working within this field of work. We are looking for someone with the potential to progress within the firm.

Salary

£35,000-£45,000 depending on experience.

Benefits

• Bonus scheme;
• 25 days annual leave;
• Career progression;
• Hybrid working.

To Apply

Please send a covering letter, equal opportunities form and curriculum vitae to hr@gnlaw.co.uk by 30 November 2023.

Would you like to see your job advertisement on the MHLA website, for just £75? Send your text and optional logo to us at: admin@mhla.co.uk. We will supply an invoice. Adverts are published upon receipt of payment.