Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Legal Support Officer |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Corporate Services |
Service |
Legal Services |
Business unit |
Legal Services (Children and Adults Team) |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Office Manager (Legal Services) |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Office Manager (Legal Services) |
Salary grade |
D |
JE ref |
LEG18 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To provide an efficient, effective, and flexible administrative / technical support service to the Legal Team - see specialism below.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- To fully perform the duties as per section 3 below in relation to the specialised area (and others as required).
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
- Providing a full range of administrative and technical support to the Legal Section (specialist area: Children and Adult Team).
- Generating all necessary material for the effective progression of matters relating to the specialist team, gathering, and managing that information accordingly to strict deadlines and team requirements.
- On a daily routine basis using specialist software to help produce court bundles and files, for court hearings, using the specialist case management system, in-house hearing data base and on-line court portal to progress matters in the court. This forms a core duty of the role.
- Undertaking typing and word processing of correspondence and legal and technical documentation.
- Maximising the use of IT, including Case Management System (Iken), Microsoft Word, Adobe, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook (email and Calendar), Teams and Internet Explorer.
- Co-ordinating hearing information and informing parties and professionals accordingly.
- Dealing with telephone enquiries, correspondence, personal callers, taking messages, answering queries where possible and re-directing appropriately, using the highest standards of customer care.
- Assisting the Office Manager in the processing of information and other administrative processes as necessary including financial information.
- Undertaking reasonably straightforward research of a legal, technical, or practical nature and summarising the results.
- Maintaining, improving, and updating filing systems, records, and databases (both electronic and manual) as required and contributing to the development of new systems and procedures to improve the efficiency of the service.
- Undertaking all other administrative processes, as necessary.
- Providing cover for other members of the team as required by the Office Manager.
- Undertaking para-legal type work for the specialist team. This may include some, or all of the following (after suitable training and, where appropriate, under supervision).
- Preparing reasonably straightforward legal or technical documentation, court forms and collating appendices etc and information associated with reports to third parties (such as insurers).
- Attending courts, tribunals, and hearings etc., to take notes and provide administrative assistance to the advocate.
- Undertaking other similar duties as directed, commensurate with the level of the post including redacting documents and co-ordinating external services (e.g Process Servers / Couriers etc.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- The post-holder operates in an environment governed by the need to meet deadlines, in a context of changing priorities.
- The post-holder is at risk of exposure to sensitive data/material which may cause distress.
7. Physical demands of the post
- The post-holder may be required to handle heavy documentation e.g. Court bundles, boxes of files etc, which can be large in number.
8. Specific resources used by the post
9. Key contacts and relationships
External
- Contact with external legal professionals (e.g. solicitors, barristers) and organisations, the Court Service (HMCTS), Devon & Cornwall Constabulary, partner local authorities.
Internal
- Specialist service Team members, other colleagues in Legal Services and officers in client directorates (especially Children’s Services).
10. Other duties
- To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
- The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Childrens Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
- The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
- You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
- If this post is a customer facing role and meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
- If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
- If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Legal Support Officer |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Corporate Services |
Service |
Legal Services |
Business unit |
Legal Services (Children and Adults Team) |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Ability to use computerised systems (e-mail, internet, Microsoft (365) Packages).
- Ability to collate and interpret information from a variety of sources and use the information appropriately.
- Ability to work on own initiative and as a strong team player.
- Ability to provide a quality service to both internal and external customers.
- Maintain a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
- Able to lead in the introduction and development of new office systems and procedures.
- Ability to develop and maintain working relationships with colleagues.
- Able to handle confidential and sensitive information discretely and tactfully.
- Thorough, organised, and methodical approach to work.
- Ability to take minutes and notes.
- Ability to organise meetings and/or events.
- General literacy, numeracy and communication skills.
- Possess the ability to maintain professionalism and produce work under pressure where required due to the nature of work and sometimes, urgency relating to applications.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
- Office Health and Safety understanding.
- Ability to challenge and assist with improvements to existing processes.
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Working in an office environment and knowledge of standard office administrative procedures.
- Collating information from a number of different sources.
- Maintaining accurate, methodical records.
- Dealing with a number of different people including members of the public.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office packages.
Desirable knowledge
- Experience of legal or paralegal type work.
- Working in local government.
- Undertaking research, with a minimum of supervision, to discover facts or information.
- Knowledge of the work of client area and outcomes.
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Experience of manage conflicting priorities and responding effectively.
- Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience dealing with sensitive and confidential information.
- Experience of working in an office environment using a range of administration procedures.
- Experience of dealing with a range of enquiries both on the telephone and face to face.
Desirable experience and achievements
- Working in a legal environment.
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Educated to GCSE/O Level standard or equivalent.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- Educated to A Level standard or equivalent such as NVQ 2/3 in Business and Administration.
- European Computer Driving Licence or equivalent qualification (Use of IT qualifications (Word Processing / Spreadsheets)).
- Customer Care qualification.
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent home-working.