Clinic Support & Development Officer

PLEASE NOTE: Although this role is homebased, candidates MUST be based in the north or south west of England.  The ability to undertake regular travel across Southwest or North England is essential.

About LawWorks

What we do 

LawWorks is the operating name of the Solicitors Pro Bono Group. We are a charity, and our aim is to enable access to justice through supporting and developing the contribution of legal pro bono.  

With support from the Law Society of England and Wales, we encourage, facilitate and celebrate pro bono across the solicitor profession and at law schools in England and Wales.  

Who we work with 

We work primarily with solicitors (firms and in-house teams), and also with law schools and law students, and other legal and non-legal volunteers and organisations.  

LawWorks has around 150 member organisations including some of the largest City firms and international firms with an office in London, national, regional and local firms, in-house teams, law schools and charities.  

Who we are 

LawWorks is a relatively small organisation with 18 members of staff (5 full-time) and a small team of volunteers and interns.  We operate a flexible working policy, with several members of staff working hybrid, or where appropriate, from home.  

We are a busy and (for our size) complex charity, with a friendly team, a positive ethos and a commitment to doing all we can to ensure LawWorks is a strong and efficient organisation and a great place to work. 

Our projects 

There are a number of key strands to our work to support and facilitate pro bono:   

• we support a growing network of around 300 local independent pro bono advice clinics across England and Wales. We work with lawyers, advice agencies, charities and others to establish or develop new clinics, and provide ongoing information and support, training and resources, for clinic volunteers and coordinators; 

• our Not-for-Profits Programme facilitates the provision of free legal advice for smaller charities and not-for-profit organisations, supported by volunteer lawyers from LawWorks’ members; 

• our Secondary Specialisation Programme supports the development of more ‘in-depth’ pro bono in areas of social welfare law.  This currently includes an unpaid wages project and ‘Voices for Families’, with the charity Together for Short Lives, supporting parents and carers of children with life-limiting conditions;   

• we support collaborative projects including: Pro Bono Connect: a project which facilitates barristers and solicitors working together on pro bono cases; the Domestic Abuse Response Alliance and IP Pro Bono. 

• we have launched new online tools and digital platforms including a website called ‘Free Legal Answers’ and the Pro Bono Portal UK (with Justice Connect, an Australian access to justice charity). 

In addition to encouraging and supporting pro bono delivery, we also work to address barriers to justice and to provide a ‘policy voice’ for pro bono - for example, working to address regulatory and other barriers to pro bono volunteering, and working with our members and others to influence policy on legal aid and other aspects of access to justice.    

The role 

Our experience in the different regions in England and Wales has shown the value  of having staff based locally to support pro bono initiatives, develop new pro bono opportunities and to increase engagement from the local legal profession. 

This role will include helping to develop and support your own set of clinics, building on existing relationships in the Southwest or North of England.  You will work with our members and the local advice sector to support the development of new pro bono clinics to meet unmet legal needs. We take an innovative, tailored approach to the support we provide, and you will provide one-to one support for individual clinics, allowing you to identify and address need, providing help with insurance, regulatory queries, finding volunteers and access to online tools.  

A small part of the role (1 day per week) will involve working closely with the part-time Engagement & Training Officer (Wales) focusing on expanding stakeholder engagement to increase the number of independent legal advice clinics in Wales and promote pro bono involvement by the legal profession. You will work to identify and engage new stakeholders, develop training sessions and support impact monitoring. This role will also work closely with the Clinic Support and Development Officer (Wales), who acts as the first point of contact for guidance and support for clinics in Wales. 

Key priorities for this role will be: 

• To provide guidance and support to independent pro bono clinics registered with the LawWorks Clinics Network in the Southwest or North of England; 

• To increase the number of individuals in Southwest or North England provided with free legal advice at clinics in the LawWorks Clinics Network by identifying opportunities for new pro bono advice clinics, supporting local stakeholders to develop new services to meet unmet legal needs in their area; 

• To support and grow pro bono volunteering and LawWorks’ membership (e.g., law firms and in-house legal teams); 

• To identify the training needs of LawWorks’ members, clinics and their volunteers in Southwest or North England, working with colleagues to arrange regional training and other events. 

• To support the Engagement & Training Officer (Wales) with the delivery of the training plan in Wales. 

• To lead on communications with LawWorks’ members, clinics and their volunteers in Southwest or North England. 

We are looking for a confident networker who is able to identify opportunities and  establish new partnerships. All of LawWorks’ work is delivered through partnerships so it is essential that the candidate is personable, collaborative and an effective communicator. 

A background in the legal or advice sector will be an advantage, but not essential - training and support will be provided for someone from another sector who is passionate about pro bono and access to justice and willing to learn. Experience of managing multiple projects and seeing them through to completion will also be an advantage. 

The role offers variety, autonomy, the opportunity to help develop new initiatives from idea to launch, and a chance to support local communities and volunteer lawyers. 

The position will be predominantly home based, with some travel throughout the Southwest or North of England, and occasional travel to LawWorks’ office in central London. 

Primary purpose of role  

To increase the amount and quality of pro bono legal advice being delivered in the Southwest or North of England and Wales through legal advice clinics, working with the local legal profession, law schools, advice agencies and other stakeholders, to identify new pro bono opportunities and ways in which LawWorks can better support the delivery of pro bono. 

Key task areas and duties  

• To develop relationships with law firms, legal teams, free legal advice clinics and other relevant stakeholders to identify their needs, plans and priorities in relation to pro bono. 

• To facilitate sharing between stakeholders in the region to identify best practice, local opportunities for collaborative working and local training and support needs, and to assist in taking these forward.  

• Support LawWorks’ clinic development work in the region, in line with annual support and development targets. 

• As the first point of contact for our stakeholders in the Southwest or North, support clinics and members with troubleshooting queries, accessing resources and ensuring that contact information and website content related to their services is kept up to date. 

• To work with the wider LawWorks team to support member recruitment and the delivery of local engagement events. 

• To work with clinics in the region to support data collection, evaluation and impact assessment for internal and donor purposes and to inform policy. 

• To contribute to the overall development and running of LawWorks, undertaking any other tasks which may from time to time be required. 

Person Specification 

Essential 

• Experience of working on (or demonstrable ability to deliver) comparable or similar projects (e.g., involving networking, support and project development) 
• Experience of excellent of stakeholder support, relationship building, and collaborative working 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including making presentations 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and confident in networking with people of varying seniority and backgrounds 
• Experience of devising and following project plans, and ensuring personal and organisational targets are met or exceeded 
• Experience of working effectively in a partnership or team to achieve shared objectives 
• Ability to undertake regular travel across Southwest or North England is essential. This may involve early starts, late finishes and occasional overnight stays 
• Ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team, and confidence in your ability to develop strategies to overcome the challenges of working remotely from the rest of your team 
• A genuine commitment to driving forward LawWorks’ aims and work to meet the needs of our beneficiaries 
• A demonstratable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion 

Desireable

• Good knowledge of legal advice clinics and the context in which they operate, including how law schools and the legal profession engage in volunteering 
• Previous experience working at a membership/network-based organisation, and/or working with volunteers 
• Experience of coordinating events or training (online and in-person) 
• A sound understanding of web-based communications and strong IT skills