Assistant Advocate – Barristers team – Exeter Full Time NEW

At Browne Jacobson, we’ve always worked across business and society, and this expertise sets us apart. Social and environmental impact are at the top of our business agenda. We champion fairness, make the complex simple and forge connections between clients to find creative solutions. This is how we improve outcomes for every person, community and business we serve.

With offices currently in Birmingham, Dublin, Exeter, London, Manchester and Nottingham, we’re a UK & I based law firm with an international reach. Our sectors include: health; real estate and construction; education; energy and infrastructure; financial services; government; insurance; manufacturing and industrials; and retail, consumer and logistics.

We nurture talent at all levels and from every background and celebrate what makes people individuals. Law needs all voices to reflect the society it serves and we’re working towards social mobility, diversity and inclusion in our firm – and our profession. We strive to create meaningful personal and professional development opportunities and offer flexible working in support of a good work-life balance. We focus on wellbeing and individuality, so that all our people can thrive.

What is the working practice for this role?

The firm operates a set of core principles that guides our working practice. It’s called ‘One Firm, Wherever You Are’.

You might have enjoyed working from home and would like to split your time between there and the office/ other work locations. Others may be eager to return to the office on a more regular basis. We believe that a regular level of in-person contact is an important way to build connections with your colleagues, enhancing knowledge and idea sharing and enabling all of us to benefit from the vibrant office culture Browne Jacobson has to offer.

Our expectation is that, on average, you’ll work from home for no more than three days per week, with the remainder of your time either spent with your colleagues in the office or working from other locations as work demands dictate, e.g. courts, client offices, conferences etc. This is an average expectation over time and we know that there will be variations from week to week. Equally, there will be individual circumstances in which a different pattern of work is needed, for example as an agreed reasonable adjustment for colleagues with a disability or long-term medical condition.

We believe this approach:

• fits with our values and personality;
• will enhance our performance through greater flexibility;
• advances our ambitions as an inclusive employer – helping you better balance work and family/life commitments;
• offers opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint (travel, office services etc.), a key ambition underpinning our corporate sustainability plan.

Why is this role important and how does it fit into the team, department and wider firm?

Browne Jacobson’s barrister team comprises of 14 barristers, and 3 advocates. It is approved by the BSB to offer pupillages and currently has 3 pupils completing pupillage within the team. This role is for a exceptional advocate o provide an advocacy service through the barristers team to each of the firm’s sectors across all our offices, to ensure that clients receive expert advocacy and representation.

What does the role actually involve?

Advocacy, before Courts, Tribunals and Regulators

• In front of Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) professional conduct panels relating to the prohibition of teachers for professional misconduct.
• In the County Court, before District Judges in private, for example in small claims hearings, interim applications and (costs and) case management conferences.
• In the First Tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber) in respect of appeals against Education Health Care Plans and in claims of disability discrimination against schools and other educational institutions.

Case Preparation, from start to finish

• Investigating and preparing cases for presentation before a TRA professional conduct panel, including reviewing evidence, developing a case theory and taking witness statements.
• Reviewing detailed documentary evidence to prepare case management plans and initial reports to clients, in particular on inquest files where required.
• Reviewing evidence and advising on evidence to progress a case in professional misconduct, inquest and civil litigation files.
• Reviewing and summarising detailed documentary evidence, producing chronologies and indexing documents.
• Carry out basic administration procedures including redaction of sensitive information, pagination, general filing and housekeeping in accordance with the firm’s file management policies.
• Undertaking legal research as necessary.

Being a team player

• Assisting members of the team at inquests and in trials, as well as in preparation for those hearings.
• Assisting in development of junior and temporary fee earners as required.
• Developing relationships with key clients (both internal and external).
• Ensuring KPI requirements are met, and KPI/MI data is accurately reported for clients.
• Seminar support and delivery of advocacy training to clients
• Always acting in a commercial and efficient manner