Role Profile
AO Caseworker
Working with others to achieve excellence in the delivery of Legal Aid
Case Management
Partnershipw
Purpose
Over 900k pieces of
Over 250k pieces of
to work
or
Crime work dealt with
k
Civil work dealt with
in
To facilitate access to legal aid services for
g
per year
per year
ac
eligible clients.
ros
great place
s
A
Get things right
Ongoing Learning
290k
Mo
first time
and Development
Ambition
applications
J
for staff
for
To use our knowledge, skills and
What
Support
criminal
vulnerable
legal aid
experience to support modernisation and
clients
Support
assessed
Engage with
ensure the services we deliver offer value
Welcome
How
per year
Legal Aid
new ideas
Access to
for money. To invest in our people and
providers
Justice
utilise their experience to inform, influence
Why
and implement every day decision making.
Staf
Assess Legal Aid
Over 170k
fs
Over 122k
Hybrid Working
applications/claims
Culture
Civil
up
calls
To listen and engage with all staff ensuring we
applications
po
answered
granted per
r
always value the ‘caseworker voice’ and that this is
te
year
d a
represented when delivering or influencing change
nd
Pay Legal Aid
orkforce
e
agendas. We will value expertise, including the
ng
Providers fairly
age
expertise of our providers, and create a culture
d
Diverse w
where new ideas are encouraged and appreciated.
Caseworker Quotes
I joined LAA 15 years ago as a temp, I only intended to
The main thing I enjoy about
stay for 1 year, but here I am 15 years later! The
The role is varied and requires you
the job as well as the work
reasons I’ve stayed are that the job is really interesting
to make decisions within set
being interesting is that I'm
- no two days are the same and there are so many
parameters. Legal Aid applications
allowed to manage my own
opportunities to progress in my career. The best part
can sometimes be distressing, but
workload in away that suits me
about working for the LAA is the support you receive
in the end, you have the satisfaction
best, I don't feel like I’m ever
every day and the opportunity to learn new skills.
of knowing you are helping
being micromanaged.
someone in a difficult situation.
I'm really enjoying the flexibility of the
job. I have 2 young children and the fact I
It's satisfying to know that
can work round them is amazing. I love
I’m part of something that
I find the role interesting and varied, and
how friendly and supportive the team
helps vulnerable families
there are lots of opportunities for self
are, every single person is happy to help
which is great.
overcome hardship and
development and to learn new skills. The
resolve disputes.
team are friendly and very supportive.
I love the engagement as well, as a
hybrid role where you don't always see
everyone often, there is a lot to keep you
engaged and interactive with the team.
South Tyneside
LAA Offices
Locations
South Tyneside
OF OFFICES
Leeds
Manchester
Leeds
Liverpool
Manchester
Liverpool
Nottingham
Birmingham
Nottingham
Cambridge
Cardiff
Birmingham
Bristol
London
Cambridge
Brighton
Cardiff
London
Bristol
Brighton
Job Role
The caseworker role can stretch across several teams all processing different aspects of legal aid, ensuring
access to justice, and that legal aid lawyers are paid fairly. The role can include one of the following:
• Assessing applications to determine eligibility based on the merits of the case and financial eligibility of the
client. In both Criminal Court proceedings and Civil proceedings including Family, Housing, Debt and
Immigration matters. There are applications for legal aid covering high profile matters.
• Assessing and paying claims submitted by Solicitors and Barristers, using guidance and regulations, to make
accurate decisions, ensuring the correct spending of public funds.
• Reviewing cases to identify if additional contribution payments are due from legal aid applicants and
liaising with debt recovery to facilitate contribution collections.
Job Role
Being a caseworker within the LAA is an interesting and varied
role, where you can make a real difference
The role requires regular interaction with Solicitors, legal aid
applicants and colleagues across the LAA and MoJ. As well as
liaising with other government departments such as DWP and
HMCTS.
Benefits
Saving
Rewarding
Learning &
Flexible
Staff
Leave
Volunteering
Money
Great Work
Development
Working
Wellbeing
➤ Season ticket
➤ ‘One-off’
➤ Mentoring
➤ Flexi-time
➤ Employee
➤ Minimum of 25
➤ Volunteering
loans
exceptional
➤ Apprenticeships
➤ Job sharing
assistance
days annual leave,
leave (taken
➤ Cycle to work
contribution awards
➤ Development
➤ Hybrid working
programme
rising to 30 days
throughout the
loans
➤ Royal garden
programmes
(office & home)
➤ Workplace
after 5 years of
year within the
➤ Gym membership
parties
➤ Lunch and learns
adjustments
service
working week)
➤ Eye care vouchers
➤ Team awards
➤ Secondments
➤ Occupational
➤ Disability leave
➤ Reserve forces
➤ Employee
➤ Sustained
health
➤ Special leave
training
discounts, cashbacks
excellent
➤ Staff networks
➤ Buy or sell leave
➤ Volunteer
and free gifts
contribution awards
➤ Support for carers
➤ Career break
independently or
➤ Civil Service
➤ Discounts on
with colleagues
Pension
sports and leisure
➤ Salary advances
Timeline
OF RECRUITMENT
Interviews will be held.
These may be online or
Once pre-employment
in person. For online
checks are completed
interviews candidates
your new manager will
will be sent instructions
be in touch to agree start
Advert live
Panels sift applications
with a link to dial in.
dates
Week 0
Week 3
Week 6
Weeks 10-14*
Week 2
Week 5
Week 8
Weeks 12-20*
Closing date
Successful candidates
Start dates for
Candidates informed of
invited to interview.
employment
outcome of interview.
Slots for the interview
Pre-employment checks
will be made available
commence (these take
for candidates to book
up to 25 working days)
* Dates are dependant on security
checks and notice periods
Myth Buster
Dress Code
Annual leave
Legal experience
Office experience
There is no formal dress code
Any holiday or leave you
You don’t need to have any
You don’t need to have office
policy (shirt & tie etc). It’s
already have booked will be
experience of the law or how
experience, full training will be
casual dress all the way in the
honoured and taken as
the court system works.
given.
LAA! - business dress only for
annual leave.
external meetings.
Flexible Working
Hybrid working
Qualifications
Interviews
Flexible working hours are the
On top of flexible working hours
You don’t need any legal
Our interview process is
norm, with full time, part time,
Hybrid working is a big part of
qualifications or degree to
relaxed and friendly. You will
compressed positions available.
how the LAA works. You are
work within the LAA. Just
be asked about your
Flexi time allows staff to vary
currently required to work a
ensure you can demonstrate
strengths. You will have the
their time of arrival and
percentage of your working
the skills listed in the essential
opportunity to ask us
departure from work; vary the
week within a LAA office. Want
criteria of the job description.
questions too!
length of their lunch breaks; and
to work more in the office -
take time off if they have worked
that’s fine too.
extra hours within the limits of
the scheme. The LAA does not
operate core hours however
employees are able to work
between 7am - 7pm once signed
off from training.