Official Solicitor and Public Trustee

at  Ministry of Justice

Salary
The national salary range is £54,358 - £61,585, London salary range is £58,847 - £66,670 Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Number of jobs available
1
Detail of reserve list
12 Months
Region
National
City/Town
National
Building/Site

NATIONAL

Please note: Some of our MoJ Office locations, such as our Liverpool Justice Collaboration Centre, require higher levels of National Security Vetting. The MoJ is working to open more Justice Collaboration Centres and Justice Satellite Offices over time. Click here to learn more about where our currently open Justice Collaboration Centres and Justice Satellite Offices are, to identify where you may be based and understand National Security Vetting requirements of each location.
Grade
Grade 7
Organisation Grade for MoJ
Grade 7
Post Type
Permanent
Working Pattern
Full Time
Role Type
Legal Services
Will the successful applicant have line manager responsibilities?
No
Job description

SKILLS AND QUALITIES

Qualification for appointment is 2 years post qualification experience as a solicitor or barrister.
Candidates will be expected to have experience in private client work including the drafting of wills, deeds, settlements, administration of trusts and estates and knowledge of tax planning, plus familiarity with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Court of Protection Rules and practice.

Essential skills:

• the ability to communicate advice effectively in writing and orally.
• the ability to quickly identify and respond to legal developments and risk.
• the ability to work flexibly and collaboratively, with legal and non-legal colleagues.
• the ability to work at pace.

Advocacy experience is desirable but not essential.
If you would like to discuss the role, or the work of the team/office in more detail you can do so by contacting the Senior Lawyer for the Property and Affairs team Victoria Newey, by email victoria.newey@ospt.gov.uk.

QUALIFICATIONS

Qualification for appointment is 2 years post qualification experience as a solicitor or barrister.
Additional Information

JOB PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

We are looking for a highly motivated qualified lawyer eligible to practice within England and Wales to join the busy Official Solicitor’s Property and Affairs Team.
The successful applicant will work to the Senior Lawyer of the PAA team and will be expected to fulfil all elements of a lawyer role, together with contributing to the organisation’s corporate objectives. You will need strong communication skills, good self-awareness and a commitment to role model positive behaviours and use feedback to learn and develop as a professional. You will be expected to make confident and informed decisions within your own casework, while also escalating risks and seeking guidance from senior colleagues where appropriate. You must be able to demonstrate specific professional skills, knowledge, and qualifications. You must also be qualified at the point of making the application for this post.
The successful applicant will develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with colleagues at all grades, the judiciary and other key stakeholders and provide case management advice and legal direction to the Trust and Estates case management team.

The Official Solicitor acts as both litigation friend and solicitor in proceedings relating to the property and affairs of those who lack capacity (“P”). PAA lawyers are responsible for all aspects of the case management and conduct of litigation in matters referred to the Official Solicitor from the Court of Protection, by way of an invitation to act as litigation friend for P in PAA applications to authorise:

• execution of a statutory will/codicil,
• the making of a gift on behalf of P (or ratification of an unauthorised gift that has already been made),
• execution of a settlement of assets belonging to P;
• gratuitous care payments;
• contested deputyship or attorneyship applications.
• transactions at an undervalue; and
• transactions or investments where one of the parties faces a conflict of interest