Senior Counsel - Investigation and Tribunals

Summary

In this role, as a member of the Legal Office Advisory Team, you will be providing legal services to the National Institutions of the Church of England, with a particular focus on clergy discipline, including acting as an advocate in the relevant statutory tribunals and courts. While the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 remains in force you will be responsible for performing the national statutory role of Designated Officer. About the Department The Legal Office is the in-house provider of legal services to the national policy-making and governance institutions of the Church of England (the National Church Institutions, "NCIs"), the largest of which are the Archbishops' Council, a national policy and strategic decision-making body, and the Church Commissioners, a substantial endowment fund with assets valued at £10.4bn (2023) which has positioned itself at the forefront of Responsible Investment and which supports the mission of the Church. The Legal Office also advises the General Synod, which is a legislative assembly. We are a small, inclusive team currently comprising twelve legally qualified staff, with two paralegals and two support staff. Our professional backgrounds are diverse, with members coming to us from private practice in law firms, the Bar, from government, and from regulators. What you'll be doing In this role you will:

• Initially, fulfilling the role of Designated Officer under the Clergy Discipline Measure; subsequently leading the Investigation and Tribunals Team, in particular by overseeing and investigating complaints of serious misconduct against the clergy
• Conducting proceedings before the relevant court or tribunal, including acting as advocate and taking all necessary steps to prepare the case for hearing
• Acting as advocate on appeals from the decisions of tribunals and courts to the provincial courts of appeal
• Supporting and advising the Clergy Discipline Commission/Clergy Conduct Commission in the exercise of its statutory responsibilities
• Providing legal advice to the General Synod and its Houses and committees, the Archbishops' Council and its committees and staff (including the National Safeguarding Team) and the other National Church Institutions as appropriate

You will need:

• Ideally at least 7 years' experience of advocacy, case management and preparation in courts and/or tribunals
• Proven experience of advising in highly complex, sensitive and contentious matters
• Proven experience of drafting complex legal documentation
• To be a highly effective communicator
• To have strong powers of legal analysis and proven experience of providing appropriate legal advice on complex, sensitive and contentious issues directly to members and other key stakeholders, and the ability to quality assure own work
• Ability to build effective relationships with senior stakeholders