Discovery Internship - Grad Edition: Child Protection Legal Intern (Liverpool City Council)

***Ringfenced to level 6 LJMU students only***

***Applications must be submitted using the application form linked below. Please upload it instead of a CV. Any other method will not be accepted***

The internship position will assist the lawyers within Legal Services, Law & Governance Directorate, the in-house legal team of Liverpool City Council. Our Service have specialist lawyers in the key areas of public sector law in the following teams: Child Protection, Property & Regeneration, Commercial Law, Planning & Regulatory, Adult Social Care & Litigation, and Legal Practice & Business.

Duties and responsibilities

This internship position will be within the Child Protection Team who primarily deal with safeguarding, care proceedings, pre proceedings advice, and adoption and fostering.

Main duties will all be subject to appropriate supervision and will include:

• Drafting initial court applications.

• Brief counsel on non-complex matters.

• Draft Letters of instruction to experts/C2ʼs/Part 25 apps.

• Support counsel at hearings when required.

• Attend non-complex court hearings• Take instructions from social workers

• Liaise with experts ranging from letter of instruction to receiving report.

• Research case law.

• Attend pre-proceeding meetings/hearings

• Reading contact logs/foster carer diaries and providing a synopsis i.e., strengths/weaknesses/number missed.

• Reading medical records and providing a synopsis highlighting any issues.

• Reading police disclosure – synopsis as above.

• Preparation of court bundles including liaison with parties in respect of agreeing documents to be omitted andadministration.

Skills and experience
Knowledge of Child Care law is preferred but not essential. No specific qualifications or experience are required but the candidate should be:

• willing to learn

• able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with various professions and agencies, using standard Microsoft applications

• able to work under pressure and to meet guidelines

• able to take comprehensive and accurate notes of meetings and/or evidence at court

Location
L3 1AH