Title: Assistant to a barrister
Working for: Media and human rights barrister at Doughty Street Chambers
Location: London
Contract: Immediate ad hoc shifts with regular part-time/full-time work available going forward.
Renumeration: Introductory rate: £15 p/h. Regular rate significantly more, depending on training and experience. Self-employed.
The role
The barrister’s work is centred around media and communications law (with a particular emphasis on defamation and privacy), public law (including asylum and immigration), and human rights. Many of the cases which the assistant will work directly on are of political and social significance. The barrister is also heavily involved in policy and campaigning work on disability rights at the Bar and in the justice system. The barrister is disabled and engages assistants to support them in managing their disabilities as part of their fast paced and complex practice. Work will take place in person between Doughty Street Chambers and the barrister’s home office in Hackney.
The assistant will be involved in complex factual and legal cases where outstanding intellectual ability is beneficial. Previous legal work experience and legal education, especially the Bar Course, is desirable but not essential. Successful candidates will usually have completed a law degree or the GDL, but exceptional candidates will be considered without that. Although the role has been successfully held by people in a range of situations, it is often held by those looking to obtain or waiting to start pupillage/training contracts. Previous occupiers of the role have gone on to secure these roles and other exciting opportunities in law and civil society/public affairs.
Key duties and responsibilities
1. Supporting the barrister in every aspect of their case work including intensive case preparation, complex legal research, document collation and organisation, strategic decision-making within litigation, and drafting
2. Attending court, conferences and professional meetings with the barrister including arranging access and other adjustments
3. Fast and accurate contemporaneous notetaking, including in court hearings and conferences
4. Written and oral communication with solicitors, clerks and chambers staff, and barristers on a range of case and other professional matters
5. Assisting with IT set up and management (in Chambers and at the barrister’s home office) including set up for remote video court hearings and conferences
6. Keeping track of projects and deadlines, and supporting the barrister in complex time management, including the sensitive and appropriate prioritisation of multiple and competing demands and time recording
7. Supporting the barrister in practice management, including activity relating to billing, practice development and marketing, and assessing capacity to accept new instructions.
Essential skills and attributes
1. Capacity to support a high performing professional with multiple disabilities in high pressure, challenging and multifaceted work
2. Excellent academic/intellectual/analytical ability, including being adept at quickly becoming familiar and getting to grips with complex factual and legal scenarios and issues
3. High degree of flexibility and resilience. Working hours and shifts can be long, irregular, and unpredictable, depending on court, other demands and deadlines (including balancing competing and developing deadlines)
4. Legal and factual research aptitude
5. Strong oral and written communication skills
6. Attention to detail and excellent spelling and grammar
7. Excellent time management and organisation, especially under pressure
8. Initiative and discretion when problem-solving in professional contexts
9. Good judgement and common sense
10. Strong interpersonal skills and professionalism when engaging with individuals within the legal profession and justice system
11. Ability to work closely and build a relationship of trust and partnership with the barrister in demanding environments
Desirable (not essential) skills and attributes
1. Bar Course graduate
2. Experience of working as a barrister/pupil, solicitor/trainee, or paralegal, or working with barristers or solicitors, or other legal practice related experience
3. Other legal education/training and relevant work experience
4. Experience with legal research tools such as Westlaw and Lexis and an ability to learn to work with other platforms and AI.
5. A good knowledge or strong interest in media and communications law and the media (including social media) and/or public law and/or human rights law and/or disability rights
6. Knowledge of civil procedure
7. Experience of working closely as an assistant/adviser to someone in a high pressure/contentious public, political or business role
8. Experience of supporting disabled people in a professional environment
9. UK Driving Licence
Applications and start dates
Shifts are immediately available (potentially leading to regular part-time/full-time work).
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so candidates are encouraged to apply early.
Applications consisting of a CV and covering letter should be emailed to assistant@doughtystreet.co.uk
Applicants should indicate whether they are interested in ad hoc shifts only or regular part time work and/or full-time work going forward, plus their immediate availability until the end of June.