Vacancies

Advocate is a national charity which matches volunteer barristers eager to undertake pro bono work with those who need legal assistance but cannot obtain public funding (legal aid) and cannot afford to pay for it.

Two opportunities exist for determined, organised and enthusiastic individuals to join the casework team. Previous experience assisting vulnerable people and scrupulous attention to detail are a must as you will liaise with a panel of over 4,000 volunteer barristers, clerks and other stakeholders on a daily basis. You will report to a Senior Caseworker and work closely with the dedicated and friendly Advocate team.

You will be responsible for either a caseload in Social Welfare Law (Family, Immigration, Employment & Housing) or in General Common Law (Chancery, Commercial, Real Property etc).

This role is a full-time, permanent position. You are expected to work 35 hours per week (excluding lunch break) Monday – Friday. As a result of COVID-19 you will be required to work both from home and from the office (Holborn).

To apply, please see the application pack and complete the equal opportunities form.

Closing date:    Thursday 17 June 2021

Interviews:       w/c 21 & 28 June 2021

Start Date:        ASAP  

Salary:              £24,808 per annum 

Advocate is an equal opportunities employer.

Advocate is seeking to recruit a Summer Intern to work four days a week over a period of ten weeks from w/c 26^th July to w/c 27^th September as part of a paid, remote summer internship programme. 

The role

In this role, the intern will gain exposure to the practical working of the Courts and the needs of litigants in person. The Intern will learn a great deal about the real workings of the Bar as a profession and will come into contact with a wide range of areas of law.

The intern will predominantly assist and support the Casework Team, helping the team from the initial request for assistance, to the point of allocating cases to a barrister.

Some tasks will include:

• Drafting case summaries using the case papers provided by individuals who need legal assistance; these case summaries are then used by experienced barristers when reviewing the file
• Corresponding with our applicants via email to request further Court documents and signpost, where appropriate
• Preparing court standard bundles
• Other ad hoc tasks

The Intern will also have the opportunity to engage with all aspects of Advocate’s operations to inform their understanding of the functioning of a charity, including working with our communications and fundraising teams. 

Recruitment

• Applications to the Internship Programme will be limited to individuals who could not otherwise financially afford to work with Advocate. More information regarding eligibility can be found in our Information Sheet. 
• The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 27th June. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.
• Application is by way of an Application Form; CVs and covering letters will not be accepted.
• Applicants should also complete our online Equal Opportunities Form.
• Both forms should be emailed to volunteercoordinator@weareadvocate.org.uk by midnight on Sunday 27^th June.
• Interviews for successful applicants will take place online in the week commencing  Monday 12^th July. 
• If successful, you will be required to attend a remote training session on Friday 23^rd. We would expect applicants to keep this date free.
• As a small charity with limited staff and resources, we are not able to provide feedback on applications.

Advocate is seeking a team of dedicated and enthusiastic Casework Volunteer Alumni to volunteer as Advocate Student Ambassadors for their respective universities. The Advocate Student Ambassador position is from September 2021 to April 2022, with a break for the month of January to accommodate examinations.

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 interpersonal skills and demonstrate initiative. You must have completed our Casework Volunteer Programme to be eligible to apply.

The role

You will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Representing Advocate at your university’s Careers and Volunteering Fair
• Assisting with Casework Volunteer recruitment, including being a point of contact for students at your university interested in volunteering
• Taking part in Advocate fundraising activities at your university, including ensuring a team is signed up to the Law School Challenge
• Supporting at some Advocate virtual and/or in-person events (where possible)

As a Student Ambassador you will also be invited to attend seminars and panel discussions with practitioners during the academic year. You will also be invited to wider Advocate events and at the end of your volunteering term, subject to Government COVID-19 restrictions, you will be invited to a celebration at our offices in London, where you will be provided with a certificate and professional reference, upon request.

The student Ambassadors programme is designed to be flexible to facilitate full time learning, with months off for examinations and a required commitment of eight to twelve hours per month. The Ambassador is encouraged to manage the role around their studies in a way that is convenient for them.

Requirements

• You must have already completed our Casework Volunteer Programme and be enrolled at university.
• You must be available to complete the aforementioned tasks from September 2021 to April 2022. You will be expected to commit approximately eight to twelve hours per month.
• The deadline for applications is midnight on Wednesday 23^rd June. 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
• Interviews for successful applicants will take place online in the week commencing 5^th July.
• If you are successful, you will be required to attend a compulsory training session in person, subject to Government COVID restrictions, on Thursday 2^nd September (reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed). We would expect applicants to keep this date free.
• As a small charity with limited staff and resources, we are not able to provide feedback on applications.

Advocate is creating a new Marketing Advisory Group to:

• Lend marketing and communications expertise, engaging in conversations to help improve our work
• Identify possible marketing and communication opportunities
• At as a sounding board for marketing and communications strategies and tools, including communication plans, materials, and social media
• Develop and hone ideas
• Provide advice and expertise on the development of specific communications and marketing issues as and when they arise

Members will attend meetings every two months via Zoom, with emails and occasional calls between meetings. The estimated time commitment is two hours per month.

We would love to hear from anyone who would be interested in joining us. For further information about the role and the application process, please see the application pack. If you would like to find out more about the role please contact Rebecca Wilkie, Chief Executive, rwilkie@weareadvocate.org.uk, who would be happy to discuss the role further.

Closing date: Wednesday 7^th July 2021, 5pm

Advocate is looking for four people to join us with experience in finance. The Sub Committee will be chaired by our Treasurer Sharif Shivji QC and attended by our Chief Executive.

The Committee’s role is to oversee all finance issues that may have an impact on Advocate’s ability to meet its aims and provide an additional layer of oversight.

The Committee will ensure that:

• Management accounts are reviewed against the annual budget
• Longer term plans are created to assess the reserves, cash flow, and investment performance
• Financial management processes are operating effectively to produce appropriate management information

Members will attend meetings every quarter via Zoom, with emails and occasional calls between meetings. The estimated time commitment is two hours per month.

We would love to hear from anyone who would be interested in joining us. For further information about the role and the application process, please see the application pack. If you would like to find out more about the role please contact Rebecca Wilkie, Chief Executive, rwilkie@weareadvocate.org.uk, who would be happy to discuss the role further.

Closing date: Wednesday 7^th July 2021, 5pm