Tribunal Caseworker/ Legal Officer First- Tier

**Tribunal Caseworker/ Legal Officer First
- tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber) - 68648**
**£31,265 - £34,446**
**Birmingham**:
The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

**Overview**

**Why we exist**

As part of His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) the Tribunals directorate is responsible for the effective administration of tribunals in England and Wales and non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We work with an independent judiciary across a wide range of jurisdictions to provide a fair, efficient and effective justice system.

HMCTS is undertaking an ambitious reform programme. The programme will enhance the provision of a world-class justice system, in a manner that provides an improved user experience at reduced cost to the taxpayer. This will contribute to consolidating the UK’s position at the forefront of an increasingly competitive international legal market as well as ensuring access to justice for all.

The programme includes creating high quality services, modernising the court estate, updating and replacing its technology, speeding up and streamlining working practices, refurbishing buildings to reduce maintenance costs and provide much improved services for service users, especially vulnerable witnesses and victims.

**Role**

Working within a Courts & Tribunals Service Centre or Regional Hearing Centre, the Legal Officer/Tribunal Caseworker will support the effective administration of Tribunals business by undertaking a range of complex case work and assessment activity in order to determine how best to advance caseloads and remove any barriers to effective and timely case progression. Working as part of a team as well as independently, under the supervision of a Senior Legal Officer/Tribunal Caseworker and leadership judiciary, the Legal Officer/Tribunal Caseworker will make decisions as part of their delegated judicial powers and determine cases/holding some hearings - dependant on jurisdiction. A Legal Officer/Tribunal Caseworker will liaise with key stakeholders and HMCTS colleagues to ensure the effective administration of justice.

**The key purpose of the role**

**Customer service and standards**
- Promotes user focussed activity and standards - has strong written and interpersonal skills utilising principles of Human Voice of Justice
- Contributes to the Service Assurance Framework (SAF) — Leads on maintaining standards of service and identifies areas for improvement and takes forward solutions using ‘continuous improvement’ techniques.
- Management of complaints and services failures and use of OPTIC. (The complaints recording system)

**The key objectives of the role include**:
**Initial Case **Assessment**

The Legal Officer/Tribunal Caseworker will be required to undertake initial assessment on incoming tribunals documentation and liaise with various stakeholders, including service users, to ensure effective case progression. This will include:

- Identify that claims / appeals have been lodged within the relevant timelines
- Ensure that claims / appeals are being addressed by the correct tribunal and at correct tribunal tier
- Ensuring any relevant fees have been paid by claimants / appellants
- Ensuring claims / appeals are made on the correct documentation and that all of the information necessary to progress the case is present
- Ensuring claims and appeals are allocated to the correct appeal type and where appropriate listing track
- Triage of referrals to appropriate authority
- Giving of instructions to administrative staff

**Case Management**

Operating under delegated judicial functions, manage the case by removing barriers to its progression and ensuring efficient allocation of tribunal resources. This will include:

- Drafting and issuing directions to parties to file evidence and other documents
- Giving of listing instructions to administrative staff
- Ensuring the panel composition is appropriate to the case
- Ensuring interpreter requirements are identified
- Undertaking case management appointments
- Checking cases for readiness ahead of hearings
- Undertake a range of high-quality casework, including complex casework.
- Provide flexible technical case support as required.

**Applications from parties to the claim/ appeal**
- Postponing hearings
- Transferring proceedings to another region or jurisdiction
- Requests to withdraw proceedings
- Extensions and variations of time to comply with an aspect of procedure rules
- Requests to vary directions

**Multi-Jurisdictional Expertise**

Operating within a regional cluster, the Legal Officer/Tribunal Caseworkers will be expected to develop expertise across a number of tribunal jurisdictions in order to provide flexible technical case support across tribunals business.

**Communicating with key stakeholders**
- Ensuring