What's involved with this role: Interim Advocate for Social Care & Education Reference no: Merton 5251841 Pay Rate: £47.50 per hour PAYE 37 Monday - Friday, normal working hours This opening assignment is for 2-3 months City: MORDEN, LONDON Advocate for Social Care & Education Team dealing with Childcare hearing cases. You will have good knowledge and experience of advocacy and attending hearings. You will be required to attend up to 5 day court hearings at the London Family Courts. Attend the West London Family Court, Croydon Court for East London Family Court and Central Family Court. Key Responsibilities: Responsible for the provision of advocacy in complex contested child care proceedings, including representation at short notice in emergency hearings, ensuring that work is reflective of best practice, is of a high professional standard and is cost effective. Develop and obtain knowledge in Special Education Needs Tribunals and Adult Social Care and be responsible for the provision of advocacy if appropriate. Be able to enter complex negotiations, provide innovative, creative advice to clients in a pressurised environment. Prepare and process the more complex and sensitive documents relevant to care proceedings before all levels of court, including the evaluation of evidence and to provide advice and guidance in respect of complex areas of law and practice to other team members and client departments as appropriate. Advising on the Department’s statutory duties and powers relating to children Advising on complex policies and procedures relating to the Councils’ child care functions. Support the Practice Lead and Team Manager, Social Care and Education in maintaining liaison with senior managers in the client departments. Key requirements: Must be qualified solicitor, barrister or legal exec fellow Specialise knowledge of English law and practice in relation to child protection and adoption. Significant experience of undertaking advocacy at all levels of court including higher court advocacy, including contested hearings requiring the cross examination of witnesses in court Highly developed negotiating and listening skills with various groups of people and in a variety of different settings, including some of which may potentially end in conflict Excellent research and problem solving skills with ability to convey complex legal and factual issues to various audiences. Excellent research and IT skills including the ability to use a case management system Ability and experience in working closely with other advocates and in a team to ensure service is delivered to the highest standard Please quote the Job Title & Vacancy Reference No. in your application, or we will be unable to match your CV to the role being applied for. Qualification details and any other experience/skills relevant to the role to help support your application should be clearly shown in your CV. Due to the number of CVs being sent to us unfortunately we cannot respond to all applications. If you have not heard from us within 3 working days please assume that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion. "XI ALD Please note that clients invariably ask us to strip out contact details from CVs before we submit them for consideration. This is always quicker and easier to do if you send your CV to us in Word format, rather than as a PDF please.