Casework Supervisor

We are looking for an experienced Immigration and Public Law Solicitor to join our team in London. RLS has experienced tremendous growth in the past 3 years, including the award of an Immigration and a Public Law Legal Aid Contracts. As we go from strength to strength, we strive to become further embedded in the communities we work with and to keep fighting individual and collective injustices. 

The successful candidate will provide supervision and assist with the management of our developing and expanding UK casework teams, whilst working on a small targeted caseload of their own, and overseeing regulatory compliance. This includes acting as the LAA supervisor role for our legal aid contracts; both Immigration and Asylum, and Public Law. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to work in a collaborative environment with colleagues who share the same commitment to advancing migrant justice.

The Casework Supervisor role is for an experienced solicitor who wants to work in a dynamic and innovative legal organisation which prioritises staff wellbeing and high quality client care. People with lived experience of migration are strongly encouraged to apply.

Job purpose and responsibilities

The central objectives of this post are:

1. Supervision of Immigration and Public Law Casework: Working with the Legal Director to supervise the Immigration and Public Law casework provided by RLS in the UK through legal aid and other funding arrangements; and ensuring full compliance with relevant regulatory frameworks.

2. Team Management and Supervision: Working closely with the Legal Director to help lead  and manage RLS casework teams in the UK and internationally, to help ensure the delivery of high-quality casework that meets project goals and objectives; and the development of high-quality legal information materials and other legal resources.

3. Contract and Regulatory Compliance Management: This includes responsibility for the management and delivery of: 

(i) RLS's Legal Aid Agency (LAA) contracts, including maintaining Specialist Quality Mark (SQM) standards, financial compliance and ensuring Peer Review standards are met:

(ii)  LAA billing processes for both controlled and licensed work

(iii) OISC and SRA compliance

1. Personal Casework: Have personal conduct of a limited but strategic caseload, contributing to the overall objectives of RLS.

2. Strategic Litigation Development: Collaborate with the RLS Legal Director to identify emerging trends and issues in immigration and asylum law, and develop strategic litigation aligned with RLS’s mission.

3. Sector Support and Development: Provide second-tier support to other immigration advice organisations, leveraging RLS's expertise to enhance sector capacity.

4. Legal Aid and Pro Bono: To contribute to development and improvement of procedures and protocols for our innovative legal services which aim to combine multiple funding sources to sustainably contribute to addressing the increasing shortfall in the legal representation available for the people RLS works with. 

General duties:

• Supervision of RLS legal casework in the Immigration & Asylum and Public Law category to the highest standards

• Maintain such financial records and financial information as may be required by inter alia the LAA

• Conduct file reviews as per RLS’s Independent File Review procedure, OISC and SQM requirements

• Together with the RLS Legal Director, identify developing immigration and asylum law issues / themes and develop strategic litigation in line with RLS’s mission

• Ensure LAA contract quality and financial compliance, including responsibility for oversight of LAA billing (both controlled and licenced work)

• To act as RLS’s Quality Representative; and as result: 

• Be responsible for ensuring caseworkers and casework procedures are up to date and compliant with the SQM requirements

• Act as point of contact with the LAA; and 

• Overseeing any actions arising out of LAA audits, reviews or visits.

• To fully comply with and ensure that all casework teams and processes are also fully compliant with OISC (and SRA) standards of regulation, professional conduct and ethics at all times.

• Work collaboratively and supervise pro bono volunteer lawyers.

Team work

• Work effectively with other RLS legal and non-legal staff and contribute to broader organisational initiatives and those involving legal information and community legal support in particular

• Attend and contribute to regular and incidental team meetings and discussions

• Maintain and develop excellent relationships with frontline agencies and grassroots groups to enable effective joint working

• Attend training internally and externally as agreed with the Legal Director and maintain and make available to RLS, a record of all training undertaken and CPD points obtained

• Deliver training for colleagues or externally as and when required

• Undertake other duties which may be regarded within the nature of the post, in discussion with the Legal Director.
   

Who we are looking for 

RLS relies on the energy, skills and enthusiasm of people who share our vision and are drawn to striving together for change. If you share our values, ethos and objectives, and feel like you can contribute to RLS strategically and practically, we would love to hear from you. 

Person specification - essential requirements

• Be a solicitor qualified in England & Wales with around 3-5 years of experience (or more) as an immigration caseworker, paralegal or solicitor within a legal aid environment

• Be IAAS accredited and hold an up to date accreditation (senior caseworker and supervising senior caseworker  level)

• Have immigration casework and supervision experience sufficient to meet  the relevant Legal Aid Supervisor standards as specified in the 2024 standard civil contract here and eligible immediately to satisfy the LAA Supervisor Standard for both Immigration and Asylum, and Public Law

• A comprehensive understanding of all relevant regulatory and quality standards, including SRA, SQM, LAA Immigration Specification, OISC Code of Standards, and Peer Review Process Document Criteria

• A dynamic and innovative self-starter

• A highly organised individual

• Fluent in English

• A strong commitment to upholding the human rights of people who migrate and people at risk; and access to justice and empowerment through the delivery of high-quality, client-focused legal services

• The successful candidate will be required to obtain an enhanced DBS certificate (we cover the cost). However, a criminal record is not necessarily a barrier to recruitment but should be disclosed on application

• Have the right to work in the UK

• Experience and understanding of pro bono legal projects.

Person specification - desirable requirements

• Lived experience of migration systems

• Experience of management and development of casework teams with diverse experience levels, ensuring the delivery of compliant, high-quality casework

• Skilled in delivering training both internally and externally, with a focus on fostering development-oriented and ambitious casework teams

• Knowledge of languages other than English

• Experience in community legal advice and information projects

• Experience working in OISC regulated environments with a legal aid contract

• Experience of working with volunteers

• Experience in implementing corrective actions from regulatory or quality audits, reviews, or visits.