Litigation Caseworker

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) determine who can visit, study, work and stay in the UK, protecting national security and supporting lawful migration. We support the economy and society by licencing organisations and deciding visa applications. We operate the United Kingdom's asylum system, providing protection to vulnerable people while working with partners to help refugees access essential services.

Job description

The Asylum Group is driving the government’s commitment to operate a fair, efficient and transparent asylum system. The key priorities include, operational excellence, ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers and reducing the number of people supported by the asylum system.

The Litigation and Strategic Challenge command (LSC) sits within Asylum Group and is an interesting, challenging and rewarding place to work. LSC Litigation Operations teams are responsible for managing pre-action protocol correspondence and judicial review challenges, often to tight legal deadlines. Some of the legal challenges we manage are complex, novel and politically sensitive and our handling is often in the public eye.

These posts offer a great opportunity to join the Home Office and develop a career within the Civil Service.

As a litigation caseworker you will predominantly work on pre-action protocol work and managing judicial review challenges. In England and Wales judicial reviews are lodged in the Upper Tribunal and High Court and caseworkers work closely with the Government Legal Department (GLD). You may also be involved in cases progressing to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court or take on litigation cost negotiation or private law claim work. Our team based in Glasgow, predominantly manages litigation across the Scottish and Northern Irish jurisdictions, working with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Crown Solicitors Office (CSO) accordingly.

Initially, you will develop expertise in a particular area of immigration – perhaps around entry clearance or asylum and, as you gain experience, there will be opportunities for you to take on a wider range of areas. With the support of colleagues, you will become skilled at identifying which decisions should be defended and which may need to be reconsidered. You will need to prioritise and organise your work appropriately to ensure legal deadlines are met and quality is maintained.

You will respond to pre-action protocol correspondence as it arrives and be responsible for drafting clear responses setting out the Home Office position to the challenges, seeking input from operational decision makers as needed. If challenges proceed to judicial review, you will continue to work alongside operational decision makers, policy colleagues and other professional stakeholders to provide clear and timely instruction to the GLD, OAG or CSO.

Ultimately, you will be responsible for the management of the judicial review from the start to the end, so will gain experience in litigation handling, preparing cases for court and managing conclusions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assessing the challenges set out in pre-action protocol correspondence or judicial review claims against UK immigration legislation, guidance and policy to inform decision making.
• Responding to pre-action protocol correspondence and referring to operational areas for action to remedy any original errors in the decision being challenged.
• Escalating policy or procedural issues arising from pre-action protocol correspondence, judicial review claims and private law damages claims.
• Liaising with and instructing, government lawyers to achieve an agreed course of action in managing litigation, including approving grounds of defence on behalf of Secretary of State for the Home Department.
• Supporting government lawyers and counsel on defending cases at the oral or substantive hearing stages, including securing witness statements when needed.
• Making decisions to settle litigation and working with stakeholders to secure financial authority where it is appropriate to do so, to ensure the best cost outcomes.
• Maintaining accurate records of activities/work completed across a range of IT systems.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 4 days / 28 hours per week due to business requirements.

Training

Please note that you may need to have increased availability/flexibility during the training period.

Successful candidates may be expected to attend the office for the full duration of the training programme.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• A minimum of a 2:2 degree in law or direct experience in managing a caseload of litigation, including experience of drafting legal documents.
• Ability to analyse complex information with a focus on identifying errors and irregularities.
• Good communication and customer service skills with a particular emphasis on excellent written/drafting skills.
• Ability to comply with set standards following guidance and procedures to develop a strong working knowledge of immigration law.
• Experience or ability to make high quality decisions in a changing and time pressured environment.

Qualifications

A minimum of a 2:2 degree in law or direct experience in managing a caseload of litigation, including experience of drafting legal documents.

It is essential that you hold the required qualification(s) for this role at the time of application. Evidence of your qualification(s) will be checked during the selection process. Candidates who do not hold the required qualification(s) or are unable to provide evidence, will be deemed ineligible and withdrawn from the recruitment process.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,415, Home Office contributes £9,970 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.