Children and Young People’s Lawyers

Job Description

Position Title: Children and Young People’s Lawyers

Reports To: Head of Legal Services

Location: Edinburgh or Glasgow

We operate hybrid working with the option to work from home for part of the working week. Regular attendance in offices to work collaboratively with colleagues is required. TOIL and flexibility around your working day is offered to allow travel to client visits, court and children’s hearings in different areas of Scotland as necessary.

Role Summary

You will be responsible for maintaining a varied caseload, reporting and consulting as appropriate. You will have the experience to give you confidence providing legal advice and representation to children and young people in at least one of our key areas of children’s hearings, child law and public family law or youth homelessness. Comprehensive training will be provided to support you in developing your knowledge and practice in our key areas, and you will be expected to obtain certification as a lawyer for children. You will be responsible for delivery of highquality child-centred legal services (see below for details), including child centred legal outreach services, provision of high-quality information, second-tier advice and training on children and young people’s rights in Scotland. You will be highly effective in managing your time and workload, working independently with minimal supervision and managing competing priorities at a fast-pace. You will play an active role as a member of the legal team to ensure that our child centred legal services are delivered efficiently and effectively.

Lead solicitors work closely with the Director of Legal and Policy, Head of Legal Services, and Head of Legal Policy to ensure high-quality legal content and contribution from practice in all our services and projects, comply with relevant external quality standards and regulatory frameworks and achieve Clan’s policy aims.

Key Responsibilities:

Legal Advice and Representation

Independently manage a complex and varied client caseload with the minimum of supervision

Provide a high standard of child centred legal advice and representation to children and young people, including representation at Children’s Hearings, Sheriff Court and the Court of Session.

Deliver Clan Childlaw’s child centred legal outreach services: travelling to meet the client where they are, building rapport and a trusted relationship of trust, taking a trauma informed and child led approach to advising and taking instructions, communicating complex legal issues in a straightforward, clear way.

Manage your own files and consult and collaborate with colleagues, instruct counsel, and other experts as required to ensure the most effective advice and representation and manage risk in casework.

Draft and lodge, or instruct and arrange lodging and service of legal documents as required.

• Perform all administrative tasks and functions in relation to your own client casework, including all administration, legal aid and feeing, file closing, monthly file reviews, and estimating value of Work In Progress.

• Use the online case management system with a high degree of accuracy, timeliness and quality control of content

• Ensure clients are given the opportunity to feedback on their experience of working with a lawyer and Clan Childlaw.

• Maintain awareness of developments in all relevant areas of law and undertake appropriate Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

• Conduct legal research to a high standard

• Maintain high level of professionalism and discretion with the ability to handle

sensitive and confidential information with integrity.

Legal Services

• Provide high-quality legal information and guidance on the law affecting children and young people and on children’s rights and communicating complex legal issues in a straightforward, clear way through our Scottish Children’s Rights Helpline.

• Maintain strong working relationships with partner agencies, and external stakeholders.

• Develop and deliver training and information on children’s rights

• Make specific practice-based contributions on agreed aspects of policy development.

• Assist with developing, implementing, and maintaining Clan Childlaw’s accessible information on the law for children and young people (e.g., website, printed information, and social media).

Teamwork

• Work positively and effectively as part of a team and with colleagues in all roles at every level.

Participate in rotas, child centred outreach, duty solicitor schemes and helpline cover, as required.

• Be mindful of the time and workload of others in the team.

• Work collaboratively, flexibly and pragmatically to provide support and cover to others as required and ensure performance, efficiency and development within the team of Solicitors

Take care of your own health and safety and welfare, and that of others who may be affected by you.

• Assist with facilitating and maintaining Clan Childlaw’s consultation with young people on development and delivery of legal services.

• Maintain a flexible approach to work and adapt to changing circumstances and expectations.

• Advance all the aims and objectives of Clan Childlaw.

Represent Clan at public forums and assist with the publicity and promotion of the organisation.

Essential Criteria and Qualifications

• An enrolled solicitor with a full, post-qualified and unrestricted practising certificate from the Law Society of Scotland.

• Knowledge of civil justice systems including the Children’s Hearing System

• Experience in at least one of the following: housing and homelessness, the law on care and social work duties to children, Children’s Hearings, judicial review, public family law, child law, and a motivation to develop your knowledge to advance children’s rights and child-centred working.

COMPETENCY MANAGEMENTFRAMEWORK & SKILL LEVEL		(ALL ESSENTIAL ASSESSED AT INTERVIEW)Indicators of Developed-Level Practice
DATA DRIVENDevelopedDECISION MAKING	DRIVENDeveloped	Uses legal, operational, and case information tomake informed decisions, manage risk, andsupport effective outcomes for children andyoung people. Maintains accurate casemanagement, reporting, and administrativeprocesses to ensure high-quality andaccountable legal service delivery.
STRATEGICTHINKING	Developed	Understands how individual casework, outreach,and legal services contribute to advancingchildren's rights and Clan Childlaw's widerstrategic aims. Identifies opportunities withincasework to improve practice, influencesystems, and strengthen outcomes for childrenand young people.
PROACTIVE OWNERSHIP	Developed
		Takes responsibility for independently managing
		a complex and varied caseload with minimal
		supervision. Uses initiative to progress
		casework, resolve issues proactively, and
		deliver high-quality child-centred legal services
		in a timely and professional manner.
MANAGING MULTIPLE PRIORITIES	Developed	Effectively manages competing priorities across
		court work, hearings, outreach, helpline duties,
		stakeholder engagement, administration, and
		client support while maintaining high standards of
		accuracy and professionalism. Responds flexibly
		and efficiently to urgent and changing demands.
		Responds effectively to changing client needs,
ADAPTIVE THINKING		legal developments, and operational priorities
		using sound judgement and a child-centred
		approach. Communicates complex legal issues
		clearly and accessibly to children, young people,
		and a range of stakeholders.
NSPIRING LEADERSHIP	Developed	Demonstrates professionalism, accountability,
		and child-centred practice in all aspects of work.
		Positively supports colleagues, contributes to an
		inclusive and collaborative team culture, and
		represents Clan Childlaw confidently in professional and public settings.
RESILIENCE	Developed emotionally demanding, and fast-paced work. Uses reflective practice and appropriate support	Maintains professionalism, empathy, and
		attention to detail while managing sensitive,
		to sustain wellbeing, resilience, and effectiveperformance.
INTEGRITY	Developed	Demonstrates the highest standards ofprofessionalism, discretion, and ethical practicewhen handling sensitive information andcomplex casework. Maintains compliance withlegal, regulatory, and organisationalrequirements and acts consistently inaccordance with children's rights andorganisational values.
COLLABORATIVEIMPACT	Developed	Works collaboratively with colleagues, partneragencies, counsel, and external stakeholders todeliver effective child-centred legal services andimprove outcomes for children and youngpeople. Shares knowledge constructively andcontributes positively to organisationaleffectiveness and team development.