We are looking for an experienced Court of Protection Solicitor or Chartered Legal Executive to join our busy and highly regarded department. We are looking for someone based within the Oxfordshire, Berkshire or London area who wants to develop and grow with the success of the business.
This is an exciting opportunity to join our fast-growing and supportive team across England and Wales, with good development opportunities in the future. We envisage that this role could develop into an Area Management role with the opportunity to work at a strategic level, and lead and develop an area of your own.
With this in mind, we would like to hear from candidates who have a strong knowledge of the Court of Protection, ideally in the Health and Welfare sphere, and have demonstrable experience. We would also welcome candidates to apply who have a duel practice in Mental Health and COP. Previous management experience would be desirable but not essential.
We are willing to provide training in this specialist area and would welcome applications from those with experience of Property and Financial Court of Protection work and wider public law work, with an interest in expanding your skills and knowledge in CoP Health and Welfare.
Roles and Responsibilities
Our work is both challenging and varied and we will be looking for someone to join our busy department, who can assist with leading and developing the work within the South and London area. The successful candidate would be working closely with the National Head of Department. The right candidate should:
- Be able to run a caseload of Court of Protection files, including health and welfare disputes and appeals against the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards;
- Be confident to undertake advocacy, where appropriate, and have strong links with counsel for more complex cases;
- Have experience of both legal aid and privately funded matters and be comfortable monitoring and billing the same;
- Provide the highest level of client care and foster excellent working relationships with your clients;
- Ensure file management in accordance with Lexcel standards.
The Reeds Court of Protection department is extremely collaborative and you would have the benefit of working with Court of Protection colleagues across our offices, as well as the wider Mental Health team when the need arises.
Person Specification
Must hold a current Practicing Certificate or equivalent CILEX qualification;
- Legal Aid Supervisor Status under either the Mental Health or Community Care civil contracts
- It would be desirable, but is not essential, for candidates to have the Law Society Accredited Legal Representative status
- It would be desirable if candidates have previously worked at a strategic level or had management experience.
- Must be an excellent communicator and have a good understanding of the needs of our clients to achieve the best possible outcomes;
- Must have a genuine passion for this area of practice and emotional intelligence given the nature of our work;
- Must have a good understanding of client care requirements and a commitment to legal aid;
- Must be enthusiastic about expanding your skills and knowledge and keen to keep abreast of developments in case law and practice and procedure;
- Must have excellent time management and organisational skills and confidence working in a fast paced environment.
Salary – Negotiable based on experience
Working hours – 9:00am to 5.00pm, with one hour for lunch Monday – Friday. Flexible and hybrid working is available.
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 – About Us – Reeds Solicitors
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 business 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 as well as performance related bonuses;
- We offer flexible working schemes which include compressed 4 day weeks, 9 day fortnights and TOIL (time off in lieu), as well as a true commitment to hybrid working;
- 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
Read more about Reeds Solicitors here.
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.