Job Title:  Accredited Police Station Representative

Location:  Darlington, Pontypridd, Swansea

Salary:  £23,413 to £31,188

The Public Defender Service (PDS) is a department of the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) that operates alongside private providers delivering a full range of quality services within the criminal defence market. Informed by its participation in the market, PDS contributes credible and expert advice to the government on service and policy development affecting the sector and acts as a test-bed for innovation and quality improvements. PDS operations provide a critical safeguard against market failure across England and Wales, thereby ensuring the LAA fulfils its statutory responsibility to ensure continuous access to justice.

Purpose of the role

Provision of advice and assistance to individuals subject to investigation or prosecution of a criminal offence. To support the legal teams within the Public Defender Service with progression and preparation of case files.

Tasks / accountabilities / responsibilities

• Attendance at police station both in and out of office hours in order to represent own and duty clients under arrest.
• Preparation of Crown Court cases – from allocation through to trial or sentence and briefing of appropriate counsel.
• Assist with billing of Crown Court cases
• Liaise with courts, experts and other third parties in relation to trial and Crown court proceedings ensuring all parties are properly informed at all times
• Liaise with clerks regarding Crown Court listings
• Administer cases in line with Better Case Management process
• Co-ordinate daily / weekly courts lists for Crown courts & ensure court diary updated appropriately
• Providing correct, appropriate and timely advice to clients by telephone and face-to-face (at the police station, courts and office) and following up in writing as appropriate.
• Ensure compliance with PDS Code of Conduct at all times.
• Responsibility for ensuring all police station cases are accepted and advice provided promptly and that attendance is arranged as appropriate.
• Ensuring all key dates are correctly and promptly recorded/diarised.
• Compliance with all office policies, procedures, criminal Contract, Arrangements and guidance.
• Responsible for own professional and personal development including maintaining up to date knowledge of criminal law and undertaking sufficient training to maintain police station accreditation.
• Ensuring paper and electronic files are kept up to date, to do lists are actioned, and files are billed accurately and within time limits, while ensuring compliance with requirements set out in our information assurance/Data Protection policies.
• Contribute to legal and team meetings.
• Prompt and accurate preparation of expense and overtime/standby claims.
• Ensure that clients on remand are visited or that video link conferences are arranged when required.
• Can be asked to travel to other locations when necessary to ensure the provision of publicly funded defence services

To find out more or apply for this vacancy please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/recruitment, follow the link ‘Apply for a Job’ and search reference 17273.

Closing date for receipt of applications is: Friday 13 July 2018 at 23:55pm