Lawyer

Job Description

About ReprieveReprieve is a UK charity founded in 1999. Reprieve uses strategic interventions to end the use of the death penalty globally, and to end extreme human rights abuses carried out in the name of "counterterrorism" or "national security".Reprieveworks with the most disenfranchised people in society, as it is in their cases that human rights are most swiftly jettisoned and the rule of law is cast aside. Thus, Reprieve promotes and protects the rights of those facing the death penalty and those whoare the victims of extreme human rights abuses carried out in the name of "counterterrorism" or "national security", with a focus on arbitrary detention, torture, and extrajudicial executions.Reprieves main office is in London, UK. Reprieve also supportsfull-time fellows, who work as lawyers, investigators and campaigners in the countries in which we work. We work closely with a number of partner organisations in jurisdictions all over the world, who provide access to beneficiaries, expertise, knowledge andguidance on specific issues or regions. We work in cooperation with relevant government officials, individual lawyers and human rights defenders, as well as individual, corporate and foundation funders to further the cause of our shared goals.About the RoleReprieve focuses on three key areas: the death penalty; extra-judicial killings; and secret detention. Reprieves UK litigation team works alongside our media and policy teams to support regional casework teams to uncover and expose British complicity in theseabuses. We use litigation before the English Courts and Tribunals strategically to hold government agencies and agents accountable for their role. Our UK litigation work serves not only to help individuals obtain protection, justice and redress through legalmechanisms, but also to highlight and challenge the abusive practices carried out and supported by our government and to expose the absence or failings of safeguards to protect individuals from such abuses of state power.The Lawyer (UK Litigation Lead) willwork under guidance from the Head and Deputy Head of UK Litigation and with casework teams and seconded trainees to maintain and progress our existing portfolio of cases. This includes public and civil law cases, interventions before UK and European Courts,and actions before complaints bodies and tribunals.The Lawyer (UK Litigation Lead) will proactively seek out, identify and work with the relevant teams to assess opportunities to use UK litigation to advance the organisations strategic goals. In analysingwhether to pursue a UK litigation opportunity, the Lawyer (UK Litigation Lead) will consider alternative options which could achieve the same objectives, and carefully weigh up the pros and cons of pursuing litigation in any given situation. The Lawyer (UKLitigation Lead) will manage casefiles, working closely with instructed legal teams and individual claimants and their families to advance cases and ensure coordination of legal actions in line with Reprieves strategic goals. The Lawyer (UK Litigation Lead)will also help teams advance investigation, including overseeing and offering guidance on record collection and other investigative techniques.In addition to working on UK legal cases, the role may encompass some drafting and coordination of internationallegal submissions, particularly before international human rights complaints mechanisms and international tribunals. There may also be opportunities to contribute to Reprieves legal advisory and policy work.About YouYou will be a self-motivated, creativelegal strategist with excellent attention to detail and a rigorous approach to legal work. You will be passionate about Reprieves work and excited to work as part of a team to bring cases to benefit those we assist while also contributing to wider politicaland legal changes that will advance our organisational goals.You will be a confident and capable lawyer, with experience of managing a varied and fast-moving caseload with limited supervision and handling sensitive client interactions. You will have a demonstrableunderstanding of how the law can be used as a tool both to protect and achieve redress for those in the most vulnerable positions, and as part of a broader strategy to effect political change. You will be comfortable working under pressure, collaborating wellwith different teams working towards shared goals, and take into consideration multiple factors in analysing and strategising on cases.You will have excellent attention to detail and be confident producing high quality, judiciously researched and evidencedsubmissions and documents under time pressure. You will be highly organised and take pride in completing administrative and supporting tasks to high standards, understanding how this furthers the teams substantive work. You will be comfortable in overseeingfile administration and management. You will enjoy people management, and will oversee seconded trainees on short placements and staff members as required.You must be a qualified UK solicitor or barrister and have at least 3 years relevant legal experiencein the UK and the right to live and work in the UK.Responsibilities UK litigation Management of and accountability for a diverse and complex caseload (under supervision as required), working alongside regional and project teams, instructed counsel and solicitorsto advance Reprieves strategic goals through various ongoing cases before the UK Courts, Tribunals and complaints mechanisms;Identification and preliminary assessment of new opportunities to use UK litigation to advance casework and organisational strategicobjectives; Close and continual collaboration with policy, media and campaigns teams as well as regional and project casework teams to provide legal support and identify and progress litigation opportunities;Day to day conduct (under supervision as required),of certain casefiles, including public and civil law actions, actions against the police, complaints and information law claims. Tasks will include acting as a contact point for claimants or potential claimants, liaising with counsel and instructed solicitors,substantive and procedural legal research, locating and interviewing witnesses, drafting statements and legal submissions, record collection, review and analysis, interpartes correspondence, file maintenance and management, coordination of legal actions andteams;Oversight of investigations relevant to UK litigation, including providing advice, guidance and support to casework teams responsible for gathering, processing and recording evidence; and Maintenance of accurate and complete case files, includingresponsibility for filing, record keeping and dissemination of information as appropriate. International lawDrafting and reviewing international legal submissions, including before the European Court of Human Rights, International Criminal Court, and theUnited Natio