Legal and Policy Adviser to The Head of Criminal

**Legal and Policy Adviser to the Head of Criminal Justice, Judicial Office - 72032**
**£55,720 - £64,135**
**London**:
**Legal and Policy Adviser to the Head of Criminal Justice**

**Judicial Office**

**Band**: Grade 7

**Post type**:permanent

**Working pattern**: full time, part time, job-share

**Level of security clearance required**:CTC

This is an exciting high-profile role for a proactive lawyer to advise the senior judiciary with responsibilities in crime, including the Lord Chief Justice, President of the King’s Bench Division, Vice President Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) and the Senior Presiding Judge.

Working directly with the senior Judiciary the postholder is expected to gain the confidence of, and build relationships with, senior Judicial Office Holders and senior officials, and understanding the wider policy and constitutional context in which they are working. is crucial.

The post-holder be part of the Judicial Office legal team, who advise the Senior Judiciary on their constitutional responsibilities and are embedded within Judicial Private Offices. The Judicial Office lawyers come from a variety of backgrounds, and the legal team promotes an ethos of collaborative and supportive working to draw on each other’s experience. The successful applicant will be line-managed by the Judicial Office Head of Legal, but will work with a significant degree of autonomy and without direct supervision of their legal advice.

Every effort is made to support flexible working.

**The role**:
The post-holder will be required to provide high quality legal, strategic and policy advice directly to the senior judiciary regarding their administrative responsibilities in criminal justice, working with colleagues across the Judicial Office to ensure that all the relevant issues are addressed. This will involve working with senior stakeholders in the Ministry of Justice, CPS, Police and other criminal justice agencies to ensure that the judiciary are appropriately advised on legal and policy developments in criminal justice.

**Key activities**:

- To be proactive in identifying and advising upon emerging issues and proposals for the development of the criminal law and procedure; media and the criminal law; the judiciary’s relationship with Ministers and other government departments; and novel or complex points of law and policy.
- To represent the views of the LCJ and other members of the senior judiciary with the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and other external stakeholders in relation to the development of criminal justice policy, recognising and defending constitutional boundaries, as appropriate.
- To develop and maintain strong relationships across the criminal justice system to ensure that the judiciary are appraised of developments and operational issues affecting the criminal courts.
- To provide advice and support to other members of the senior judiciary, both on specific projects (for example drafting judicial responses to consultations or reviews) and in response to ad hoc requests (in particular those emerging from trials).
- To provide legal and policy advice by drafting clear and concise papers on criminal justice issues and presenting solutions to the judicial-led Criminal Justice Team
- To provide advice to the press office on high-profile, contentious issues, identifying cross-cutting issues and preparing lines to take.
- In particular, the post-holder will represent the LCJ at the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee (CrimPRC), acting as the main point of contact with the Secretariat, and will draft Criminal Practice Directions and accompanying papers, having identified new issues on which guidance is required.
- The post-holder will also represent the LCJ at the Sentencing Council and ensure that he is aware of important issues and has an opportunity to contribute, maintaining strategic links across the system to ensure the work of the Sentencing Council is aligned with the development of Criminal Procedure Rules and other relevant bodies

**Essential criteria**:
The successful applicant must:

- be qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister in England or Wales and hold a valid practising certificate or be able to obtain one
- Be able to provide high quality legal advice (both written and oral) which fits into the wider policy and operational context
- An ability to gain the confidence of, and build relationships with, senior members of the judiciary and senior officials across government

**Desirable criteria**:

- Knowledge of criminal law and the criminal justice system
- Knowledge of constitutional and administrative law

**Qualifications**

be qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister in England or Wales and hold a valid practising certificate or be able to obtain one.

**Technical - Legal professional skills: (500 word limit)**
- Reliable legal judgement and an appreciation of legal risk
- Sound analysis, using secure legal research to produce timely and fit for purpose advice
- An