Legal Practice Manager
JOB CONTEXT
We are seeking a legal practice manager to
lead and develop our practice program into a world-class criminal law practice.
This role will specifically lead to shifting the organisation’s practice to a
law firm operation and standard. Primarily, this position will ensure that our
clients receive quality services. This includes ensuring that the
operations of the legal offices are effective and efficient and that the
operating model is easily transferable from prison to prison, and to a
community law office.
Are you someone who enjoys criminal law
practice? Do you enjoy mentoring advocates and paralegals? Do you have
experience setting up and running a practice department? We are looking for a
leader with a passion for justice, who wants to play a key role in our
fast-growing organisation. Come work with us at this incredibly exciting time
for Justice Defenders.
Key Responsibilities
- Ensure that Justice Defenders has
a viable and world class criminal law practice.
- Establish a robust quality
assurance framework for the casework and experience of clients in Justice
Defenders legal Offices.
- Draw up a road map for Justice
Defenders to establish a similar service in other criminalized community
such as refugee camps or slum.
- Ensure lessons are learnt and
widely shared and validate across the organisation.
- Represent the interests of
Justice Defenders legal services programme in terms of litigation and the
administration of justice, within the organization and externally, and
support the legal services team to ensure government offices (prison
Officers, State Attorneys) take necessary action.
- Develop and manage an annual
budget and plan, in liaison with the Country Director, and finance team.
- Lead and/or contribute to the
local fundraising strategy including making funding applications, building
relationships, reporting /presenting to Donors, Kenya Senior Management
Team and the Boards of Trustees.
- Provide supervision, mentorship
and guidance to the legal services team.
- Offer Legal Representation to
Justice Defenders clients in court.
Qualifications
We are looking for candidates who possess the
following skills, competencies and experiences:
- An Honours Degree in Law with a
practicing certificate in Kenya.
- Postgraduate Diploma in Legal
Practice.
- Enrolled Advocate of the High
Court with 8 years post admission
- At least five years’ work
experience in criminal litigation and at least 5 years in a
management/supervision role
- Experience in heading and
managing a legal practice department.
- Understanding of, and commitment
to, the aims of providing legal services to vulnerable groups.
- Awareness of current local social
and legal issues in the criminal justice system.
- Experience in conducting
strategic, complex and high-profile litigation to a high standard.
- Experience in making public
funding applications and understanding of the recent legal aid reforms,
with a knowledge and understanding of other options for funding litigation
and casework.
- Experience of in-depth financial
budgets and cost analysis.
- Proficiency in working with
Microsoft office suite
