A highly impactful organisation is seeking a junior Solicitor/Barrister for their office in Derry or Belfast to enable them to continue their important work providing support and legal assistance to children who have been the victim of serious crimes. The organisation really makes a difference in the lives of those affected by crime and a lawyer joining the organisation can benefit from both a fulfilling job and an opportunity to build expertise in areas such as human rights law, criminal law and childrens law. Your New Role In your role as a Legal Assistant for this organisation, you will work alongside a more experienced solicitor or barrister and will help children, young people and their families navigate and understand the criminal justice system by providing age-appropriate legal advice. The team work specifically with children who have been the victim of serious sexual offences. The role is currently for a fixed term of 2 years but there is a possibility of an extension for a third year. The intention is to develop the Legal Assistant so that they can carry out the more senior role. The current salary for the Legal Assistant role is £26,000- £28,000 depending on experience. Main Responsibilities of the New Role: As a Legal Assistant in this impactful organisation you would be required to: Prepare and provide relevant legal advice, information (including on the victims role in the Criminal Justice System and the CSOLAs role) and their entitlements contained in the Victim Charter to child complainants in serious sexual offence cases, pre-report or from the point of referral following the report of a relevant offence, in a way that is accessible and age appropriate to Children and Young People (CYP), their parents and guardians. Prepare and provide case-specific legal advice, as required, up to the point of PPS decision to prosecute and focussed on disclosure of evidence where personal information would engage a CYP complainants ECHR Article 8 rights and on the introduction of previous sexual history. Support the empowerment of CYP victims in a trauma-informed way, by delivering an adaptable and flexible service with a clear child-centred focus. Ensure that the CYP victims voice is heard and taken account of and that their views are represented to PPS or other parties, so they may be taken account of, as appropriate. Demonstrable awareness of the entitlements of CYP within the and ensuring the CYP victim is aware of and understand their entitlements. Where appropriate, liaise with PSNI, PPS and the Victim and Witness Care Unit (VWCU) regarding any on-going complaint, in order to track progress through the criminal justice system. Occasionally, and where appropriate, observe or attend pre-trial hearings. Provide advice to parents and designated appropriate adults, helping them to help their CYP understand the criminal justice process. Ensure that at all stages of the CYP complainants engagement, services are undertaken in a victim led, trauma informed manner with the needs of the CYP placed at the centre of all actions and decisions. Ensure that all engagements are conducted in an appropriate manner according to the age and needs of the CYP, including directly to the CYP and in premises approved and accredited as appropriate for CYP support. Ensure that all support is undertaken in conjunction with the provisions of the Statutory Services and avoid, as far is ever possible, duplication of services. Prioritise, manage and monitor own caseload effectively within safe capacity limits, ensuring that each CYP victim receives a service appropriate to their individual needs, as agreed in conjunction with the CYP and their parent / appropriate adult and refer/signpost to other relevant support services as required. Ensure safeguarding is prioritised and timely referrals are made in line with local Safeguarding policy and procedures, including keeping any on-going Joint Operating Protocols appraised of changes to safety, risk and service engagement. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the myths and facts of sexual violence, domestic violence, rape trauma and the long-term mental health implications particularly on CYP. Undertake any other duties that fall within the nature of the role and its responsibilities. Contribute to effective information gathering and monitoring performance to facilitate operational and strategic development and evaluation of the pilot; record statistics in line with service provider and funder requirements (anonymised where appropriate). Support the Principal CSOLA to engage with internal and external stakeholders, to promote the experience of victims and effect positive change. Maintain electronic case management records to a high standard ensuring they are accurate, completed in a timely fashion and follow confidentiality policies and procedures. Comply with GDPR, data protection legislation, confidentiality and information sharing policy and procedures and legislation connected to the legal advisor role. Remain up to date and compliant with organisational procedures, policies and professional codes of conduct and uphold standards of best practice. Support the promotion of the service with statutory and voluntary partners to help improve the multi-agency response to victims of serious sexual offences. Travel to other locations of the organisation and outreach locations, where it provides a support service will be expected. Full compliance with all financial, HR and other VSNI corporate responsibilities. Ensure that all the organisation's policies, particularly those relating to Confidentiality, Health & Safety and Equal Opportunities are applied consistently. Carry out legal research as required to assist with legal advice and information enquiries and ongoing casework. Assist the Principal CSOLA with the drafting and preparation of legal documents or submissions relating to casework as required Participate in the delivery of legal outreach services and awareness raising sessions to promote CSOLA legal services. Assist with preparation for and participate in seminars and conferences as appropriate. The above detail of main responsibilities is not intended to be an exhaustive listing and the post-holder may be expected to accept additional / amended responsibilities in line with the organisations needs. Such additions / amendments will be in line with the capabilities of the post-holder. What youll Need To Succeed Essential Criteria: Qualifications and Experience University level degree, or equivalent, in law or another relevant subject. And must; Be a qualified solicitor or barrister who holds a current NI practicing certificate OR be on the Roll of solicitors in NI and eligible to obtain a NI practicing certificate by the date of appointment. Knowledge and Skills: Be able to demonstrate knowledge(understanding) ofone or more of the following areas: Childrens rights Criminal Law Human rights Special educational needs Disability Youth justice Access to justice Knowledge and Skills: Have experience of providing advice in a legal setting with a range of ages, comprehension and vulnerability and a demonstrable commitment to anti-discriminatory practice Have proven experience of managing caseloads in respect of advice, review and advocacy, including challenging and sensitive cases Excellent verbal and listening skills and the ability to communicate well with a wide range of people from a wide range of diverse backgrounds, including children and young people. Demonstrable knowledge of the criminal justice system, court and police procedures and Demonstrable understanding of safeguarding protocols and familiarisation with the roles of agencies and services involved in cases where child protection issues are raised and the associated legal responsibilities. Demonstrable understanding of the enhanced protection children and adolescents have under the criminal law in NI, specifically in relation to the best interests of the child principle; Good crisis management skills and the ability to work effectively under pressure and to deadlines. Ability to manage own workload and prioritise tasks and Demonstrable experience of working within a team setting to achieve organisational objectives. In addition to the above essential criteria, the following additional desirable criteria may be used to shortlist applicants: Previous experience of providing legal advice in respect of serious sexual offence cases in Northern Ireland; Previous experience of providing legal advice in relation to Article 8 ECHR rights; and how these relate to sexual offences and in particular children and young people; Experience of supporting victims of crime in a legal setting and in particular children and young people Demonstrable understanding of the Youth Court processes and procedures. The organisation reserves the right to enhance the criteria as deemed appropriate in the event of a large volume of applications. Additional Requirements: The post holder will be required to demonstrate the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the post. The post holder will be required to undertake child Safeguarding training and regularly refresh on an ongoing basis, skills in communication with children and young people and being aware of their rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child etc. What You'll Receive In Return Hands on legal experience in Childrens Law, Criminal Law, Human Rights Law and other interesting areas of law. Direct Impact by supporting vulnerable children, young people and their families. Mentorship and guidance from experienced legal professionals. Unique insight into the workings of CSOLA and this fascinating team. A contract for 2 years with the possibility of an extension subject to funding. Equal Opportunities: Our client is an equal opportunities employer. They welcome applications from all suitably Qualified persons. However, as Black and Minority ethnic groups, disabled people and people from the LGBT community are currently under-represented within the organisation, they would particularly welcome applications from the above-mentioned communities and backgrounds. All appointments will be made on merit. Applying For Your New Role Does this position sound of interest? Pease get in touch and we can provide you with an application form for the role. Skills: Human Rights Law Criminal Law Children's Law