Summer Casework Volunteers

June to September 2021 

Advocate is seeking dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to volunteer as Summer Casework Volunteers. This is a remote volunteering programme and the position is for four days a week over one month between June and September.

This casework volunteer position presents a fantastic opportunity to obtain unique exposure to a wide range of areas of law. You will also learn a great deal about the needs of litigants in person. 

You will have an interest in law and be motivated to help those who cannot afford legal assistance. As a key part of our team you will possess strong inter-personal skills and be ready to adapt to the changing needs of the casework team. You must have completed at least one year of law-related study/work and ideally have some experience in the voluntary sector. Office experience is preferred but not essential. Click here for the person specification. 

The role 

This summer our casework volunteering programme will be split into two streams: the Gateway Stream and the Allocation Stream. Applicants should apply to only one stream.

Gateway Stream:

You will assist caseworkers with the following tasks:

• Writing case summaries ready for experienced reviewing barristers
• Preparing court standard bundles using our online system
• Completing case reports on our case management system
• Other administrative support

Allocation Stream:

You will assist the casework team with the following tasks:

• Advertising cases to volunteer barristers across England and Wales
• Sending out court papers to barristers
• Creating case reports
• Other administrative support
  
  

Requirements 

•  You must have completed at least one year of law-related study or have one-year of experience in law-related work. Voluntary sector and office experience is preferred but not essential.    
• You must be available for one month between June and September 2021. The available slots are: 
  1. June 1^st –  July 2^nd 2021
  2. July 5^th –  July 30^th 2021
  3. August 2^nd – September 3^rd 2021
  4. September 6^th – October 1^st 2021

• You may state a preference for when you would like to volunteer on the online application form and we will do our best to accommodate it. We can discuss your availability further at your interview if you are shortlisted.
•  The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 2nd May 2021. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered. 
• Application is by way of an online application form; CVs and covering letters will not be accepted. Applicants may only apply for one volunteering stream, either the Gateway Stream or the Allocation Stream.
• Applicants should also complete our online Equal Opportunities form.
• If successful, interviews will take place on online in the week commencing 10th and 17th May 2021.   
• Successful candidates will be required to attend a compulsory online training session in the week before their start date. This will be on Wednesday 26th or Thursday 27th May for Gateway and Allocation streams starting in June, respectively.  We would expect prospective volunteers to keep this date free.  
  
• As a small charity with limited staff and resources we are not able to provide feedback or discuss the volunteer applications process with applicants.

Previous volunteer feedback

“Volunteering with Advocate allowed me to be part of ensuring that some of the most marginalised members of our society have legal recourse. The casework team at Advocate made my whole experience enjoyable by remaining welcoming and accessible despite the remote working environment.” 

"Volunteering with Advocate was fulfilling on multiple levels. Firstly, having the opportunity to help vulnerable people navigate the complex justice system is incredibly satisfying on its own. As a volunteer, I got the chance to follow a case from its earliest stages at application level to the final stage of finding it a barrister. The team made such an effort to update us on cases that were meaningful to us, which helped us see our contribution in practice. I recommend this experience to all future lawyers." 

Recruitment  

We run three casework volunteer programmes a year: 

• Academic Year 1: one day a week from October to February. Recruitment opens in August. 
• Academic Year 2: one day a week from February to May. Recruitment opens in November. 
• Summer volunteering: four days a week for one month in either June, July, August or September. Recruitment opens in April.