Principal Legal Officer

Salary: £32.05 p/h

Location: Belfast

Hours: 9am – 5pm, Mon – Fri / 37 hours per week

Duration: Temporary ongoing

Job Summary:

The post holder will lead on all Taxing Master Appeals for the Legal Services Agency (LSA), representing the Agency in hearings and instructing counsel in complex cases that affect the legal aid fund. They will provide legal advice to teams, proof operational guidance, and manage Judicial Reviews. The role also covers governance, finance, resources, and stakeholder engagement. A key focus is ensuring fair, consistent decisions while safeguarding the legal aid fund. The post holder will influence policy and process improvements and play a central role in delivering the Agency’s strategic objectives.

Responsibilities:

• To oversee and maintain delivery of service to representatives throughout the year, monitoring performance against internal performance targets and take prompt remedial action as appropriate where targets become threatened
• To provide timely advice, direction and briefing for Senior Management, and LSA Board as required.
• To develop and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and to act as the key representative for the Legal Services Agency for all communications regarding TM Appeals, process and guidance changes relating to appeal outcomes and judicial reviews.
• To deliver strategic leadership for the delivery of Litigation and policy development in LSA, to include:
• Leading on all engagement with Key Stakeholders to represent the Agency in TM Appeals, and potential and actual judicial reviews.
• Development of guidance to take forward lessons learned from appeal and JR outcomes.
• Managing the development of stakeholder engagement exercises and quality assurance for all documentation and processes.
• Providing advice, guidance and timely briefings (written and face to face) to teams within the LSA on points of interpretation and legally proofing operational guidance to reduce the potential scope of challenges.
• Engaging with EAJD colleagues as necessary to provide briefings and seek views on development and progress against key objectives.
• Strategic management to progress any legislative or operational changes required.
• Development of business cases and appropriate governance as required in delivery of this role.
• Staff Management, leadership and development of staff in line with NICS and Departmental initiatives and procedures. At this time, there is no line management responsibilities, but this may change. Nevertheless, as a member of the Senior Management Team the post holder will be required to provide strategic leadership in all activities

Essential:

Be qualified as a barrister or solicitor entitled to practise in Northern Ireland.

AND

Have at least 3 years’ post qualification* experience of advising, orally and in writing, on significant legal issues, providing effective representation; and doing so in a complex environment**.

* Taken from date on which candidate qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister.

**complex environment is defined as one involving matters that: –

a) are novel and contentious; or b) involve significant matters of administrative law or judicial review;

AND

Demonstrate evidence of at least 3 years’ post qualification* experience of working as part of a team providing sound legal advice to, and representation of clients.

I f you are interested and available for this position, please upload your CV to the link provided or contact Ray McPhillips. or call on

To be shortlisted for this role all applicants MUST meet the essential criteria. Please note that these roles may be filled quickly but your CV will be kept on file for future similar roles. As there are so many applications, unsuccessful candidates may not be contacted.

Successful candidates may need to apply for an Access NI Certificate with Staffline regardless if you already have a valid certificate. It will be a cost of between £16 – £32 depending on clearance level.

Skills:
Principal Legal Officer Legal advice Public Sector