Community Care Director

Role: Community Care Director

Duncan Lewis Solicitors (Ltd):

Regulated by the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority, Duncan Lewis Solicitors was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in the City of London (Fenchurch Street EC3M), with offices nationwide. We are recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners UK independent legal directories as a top-tier law firm in all of our key practice areas - "a diligent and professional team that is prepared to go the extra mile for its clients". A paperless law firm with over 500 personnel that embraces hybrid-working, we service both corporate entities and private individuals in over 25 areas of law across 60 languages. We give people a voice - that is our ethos.

Choosing a career with Duncan Lewis is choosing a law firm that is the largest provider of publicly funded (legal aid) legal services in the country and has a growing private client practice. We have been Investors in People Gold Standard accredited for over 15 years and are continuously applauded nationally for the work that it does.

Having demonstrated unparalleled legal expertise and a commitment to justice, we were awarded Law Firm of the Year at both the 2024 Lexis Nexis Awards and 2023 Modern Law Awards. We are named as one of the Times 200 Best Law Firms. In 2021 we were celebrated by the Chambers Europe Award as an 'outstanding firm’ for diversity and inclusion.

We look to recruit dedicated and talented employees in both legal and non-legal capacities, and we are always interested to receive applications from quality candidates.

Community Care Department Background:

Community Care deals with the care people receive in their own homes, institutional accommodation or from health and housing services.

Community Care department offers assistance to help access social care services for those who are not receiving the care they need. We believe the most vulnerable members of society are entitled to satisfactory services from institutions and organisations that have the duty to help.

With a legal team currently consisting of four dedicated specialists, the strength our client, Community Care department lies in its unrivalled knowledge and experience. Our Team is amongst a handful of firms who have been awarded a Legal Aid Agency franchise for Community Care work.

Our Team also collaborates with other firms on funding and case management issues, and has a close working relationship with a number of barristers’ chambers with relevant expertise in Community Care law.

The team undertakes both publicly and privately funded work.

Main Responsibilities of the Role

• Report directly to and collaborating with the Board to ensure performance targets are met
• Professional pro-active approach, strong client care skills and a sensitive and sympathetic understanding of clients’ needs
• Responsible for all aspects of Community Care work and on occasions, where appropriate providing technical expertise and guidance to other team members
• Ability to manage appropriate caseload types and complexities
• Demonstrate a solid commitment to upholding the rights of vulnerable children and young people
• Attending clients, taking instructions and preparing cases
• Dealing with correspondence
• Maintaining accurate time costing procedures
• Implementing any recommendations made by your supervisor following monthly file reviews ensuring that these are dealt with promptly
• Ensuring compliance with file management.
• Variety of duties including dealing with a range of Community Care matters including all stages of health and social care judicial review and ancillary applications such as trustee orders
• You will have a professional pro-active approach, strong client care skills and be interested in Business Development and Marketing to supplement the substantial work volumes brought in by the company

Key Skills Required

• Must have a clean, valid Practicing Certificate at the time of applying
• Committed team player and adapt well to new challenges
• Previous proven supervisory experience and working to key performance indicators
• Professional with a pro-active approach; excellent client care skills and ability to deal with vulnerable client matters in a sensitive manner and resolve complicated practicalities
• Excellent networking and communication skills with the ability to successfully market the Company and generate new business
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills
• Ability to use own initiative and sound judgment
• Working knowledge of the publically funded Community Care work and have the ability to service privately funded cases
• Have extensive experience in dealing with Community Care related work
• Experience in own advocacy is an advantage
• Excellent IT Skills -familiar with Microsoft Office applications and document management skills

The recruitment process will fully comply with GDPR and other applicable laws. Background checks including CRB / DBS checks will establish your eligibility to work in the UK and suitability to the role.

Equal Opportunities:

Duncan Lewis is committed to Equal Opportunities and embraces diversity of its staff. The Company strives to ensure that our staff reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, which is reflective at all levels within our workforce.

We guarantee an interview for candidates that disclose a disability and meet the essential requirements for the post. Please provide additional details in your covering letter if this applies.

If you are interested in applying for this vacancy, please visit our website and apply using our online process for your application to be considered.

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY AGENCIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR THE ABOVE VACANCY