We are looking for an experienced Mental Health Solicitor/Supervisor 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 Mental Health Act, and have demonstrable experience. We would also welcome candidates to apply who have a duel practice in Mental Health and COP (ideally in the Health and Welfare sphere). Previous management experience would be desirable but not essential.
Role 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:
- 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, and letters 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 before the Tribunal by way of in-house advocacy wherever possible;
- 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;
The Reeds Mental Health department is extremely collaborative and you would have the benefit of working with Mental Health colleagues across our offices, as well as the wider Court of Protection team when the need arises.
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.
- It would be desirable if candidates have previously worked at a strategic level or had management experience.
- 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 environments, 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.
Read more about Reeds Solicitors here.
If you are interested in this position, or would like further information, please email [email protected] with the job title clearly stated in the subject line.