Casework Volunteers

5th February 2021 to 28th May  

Advocate is seeking dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to be casework volunteers. This is a remote volunteering programme and the position is for one day a week from 5th February 2021 to 28th May 2021.      

This casework volunteer position is 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 

 You will assist caseworkers one day a week with the following tasks: 

• Writing case summaries ready for barristers 
• Preparing court-standard bundles using our online system. 
• Completing case reports on our case management system. 
• Allocating cases to volunteer barristers across England and Wales
• 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 day per week from 5th February 2021 to 28th May 2021.  You will volunteer on the same day each week. The position is remote so open to applicants from all over England & Wales.    
•  The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 6th December. 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 should also complete our online Equal Opportunities form
• If successful, interviews will take place on online in the week commencing 11th January 2021.   
• If successful, you are required to attend a compulsory training session on Zoom on Wednesday 3rd February.  We would expect prospective volunteers to keep this date free.  
  
  

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 March.