Title: Managing Solicitor
Employer: Mercy Law Resource Centre Limited (MLRC)
Reports to: The Board – via the Chairperson of the Board of Directors
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Working Hours: Full-Time: 9.30a.m-5.30p.m. Mon-Fri (a four day working week will also be considered)
Duration: Permanent
Location MLRC offices, Dublin 8
Background Information
Mercy Law Resource Centre (MLRC) is an independent law centre and charity which provides free legal advice and representation to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in the areas of housing and social welfare law. Our services include:
- Free legal advice clinics in a number of hostels for homeless people;
- Legal representation in the areas of housing and social welfare law;
- Legal support and training to organisations working in the field of homelessness;
- Policy Work;
- Befriending Service.
Job Description
General
- Overall management and running of the Centre;
- Actively manage relationships with key stakeholders in the government, legal, academic and NGO sector;
- Implement the Centre’s Strategic Plan 2019 to 2024;
- Oversee and develop policy and research papers on relevant issues for submission to Government;
- Act as primary spokesperson for the Centre on all matters.
Legal strategy
- Oversee the legal casework of the Centre;
- Monitor the casework activity to ensure litigation is undertaken with a view to achieving advances for our communities in the area of human rights and social justice;
- Undertake selected strategic legal casework where possible.
Planning
- Collaborate with the Board to articulate the Centre’s vision and to develop and implement strategies for achieving that vision;
- Develop and monitor strategies to ensure the long-term financial viability of the Centre;
- Develop future leadership within the Centre.
Management
- Oversee the operations of the Centre and manage its compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;
- Promote a culture that reflects the Centre’s values and ensures its organisational effectiveness;
- Evaluate staff’s performance on a regular basis and actively support staff and volunteers in performance of their duties, including the befriending service;
- Report to the Board of the Centre and support the Board members work and activities;
- Other reasonable duties as directed by the Chairperson of the Board.
Fundraising
- Develop and implement fundraising strategies in conjunction with the Board;
- Serve as the primary contact person in funder relationships and actively develop and foster those relationships;
- Draft and report on funding applications and grants and pursue funding opportunities for the Centre supported by the relevant staff.
Community Relations
- Serve as the primary representative for the Centre;
- Ensure that the Centre and its purpose and services are strongly and positively presented to relevant stakeholders;
- Actively advocate for the Centre in line with the vision.
Responsibilities
- Managing the overall operation of the Centre and implementing decisions taken by the Board of MLRC;
- Management of a litigation caseload with particular emphasis on public housing, homelessness and social welfare law;
- Provision of legal advice and assistance to individuals through legal advice clinics in hostels and other centres for people who are homeless;
- Provision of legal information, advice and training to organizations dealing with homelessness, including oversight and design of MLRC’s training sessions;
- Developing policy and law reform proposals on legal issues affecting our client group. This will include carrying out research, analysing legislation, writing submissions and such other tasks as necessary;
- Working together with other lawyers and organizations on issues affecting our client group and assisting in the development of initiatives facilitating such cooperation;
- Recruiting, coordinating and supervising any legal and administrative staff including volunteers, interns and volunteer befrienders;
- Liaising with external organizations regarding the promotion and development of the Centre and the achievement of its goals and objectives;
- Ensuring that legal and other professional obligations of the Centre (e.g. insurance, employment, accounts, reporting to Law Society, CRO, Charities section of the Revenue) are carried out in a proper and timely fashion;
- Working as part of a team to ensure that high standards are developed and maintained in office procedures and case management and, in particular, to ensure that our services are delivered in a way that respects the special needs of our clients;
- Such other tasks as may be necessary to assist in the carrying out of the work of the Centre.
Person Specification
Essential Requirements
- An appropriate third level qualification (to at least Level 8) in a relevant discipline;
- A professional qualification as a solicitor with minimum two years post-qualification experience;
- A demonstrable interest in or commitment to helping those who are disadvantaged and/or using law to advocate on their behalf;
- Litigation experience at Superior Court level and wide experience of legal practice;
- Prior achievements in delivering on organisational vision and strategy;
- Experience of and track record in fundraising;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to command the confidence of funders, donors and other stakeholders;
- A professional attitude with an ability to work under pressure and to act on one’s own initiative.
Desirable Requirements
- Masters in human rights or public interest law;
- Experience in human rights/social justice work and/or in the community and voluntary sector;
- Experience in the area of human rights law;
- Experience of handling a variety of legal and policy matters;
- Knowledge of legal issues affecting those who are homeless or experiencing disadvantage.
Terms and Conditions
The Managing Solicitor position will be offered as a permanent position with an initial six month probationary period.
The salary offered with this contract position is commensurate with experience.
This position is based at Mercy Law Resource Centre, 25 Cork Street, Dublin 8 and the hours of work are 9.30a.m. to 5.30pm. Monday to Friday. Applicants available for a four day working week will also be considered.
Application
To apply for this post, please send your CV and a covering letter/personal statement to recruitmentsupport@rsmireland.ie or by post for the attention of Ciara Kiely, RSM Ireland, Trinity House, Charleston Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 12pm (Noon) on Wednesday, 4th November 2020.
It is anticipated that first-stage interviews will commence early November.