Legal Practice Manager at Justice Defenders

We are seeking a legal practice manager to lead and develop our practice program into a world-class criminal law practice. This role will specifically lead to shifting the organisation’s practice to a law firm operation and standard. Primarily, this position will ensure that our clients receive quality services.  This includes ensuring that the operations of the legal offices are effective and efficient and that the operating model is easily transferable from prison to prison, and to a community law office.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure that Justice Defenders has a viable and world class criminal law practice.
• Establish a robust quality assurance framework for the casework and experience of clients in Justice Defenders legal Offices.
• Draw up a road map for Justice Defenders to establish a similar service in other criminalized community such as refugee camps or slum.
• Ensure lessons are learnt and widely shared and validate across the organisation.
• Represent the interests of Justice Defenders legal services programme in terms of litigation and the administration of justice, within the organization and externally, and support the legal services team to ensure government offices (prison Officers, State Attorneys) take necessary action.
• Develop and manage an annual budget and plan, in liaison with the Country Director, and finance team.
• Lead and/or contribute to the local fundraising strategy including making funding applications, building relationships, reporting /presenting to Donors, Kenya Senior Management Team and the Boards of Trustees.
• Provide supervision, mentorship and guidance to the legal services team.
• Offer Legal Representation to Justice Defenders clients in court.

YOUR PROFILE

We are looking for candidates who possess the following skills, competencies and experiences:

• An Honours Degree in Law with a practicing certificate in Kenya.
• Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
• Enrolled Advocate of the High Court with 8 years post admission
• At least five years’ work experience in criminal litigation and at least 5 years in a management/supervision role
• Experience in heading and managing a legal practice department.
• Understanding of, and commitment to, the aims of providing legal services to vulnerable groups.
• Awareness of current local social and legal issues in the criminal justice system.
• Experience in conducting strategic, complex and high-profile litigation to a high standard.
• Experience in making public funding applications and understanding of the recent legal aid reforms, with a knowledge and understanding of other options for funding litigation and casework.
• Experience of in-depth financial budgets and cost analysis.
• Proficiency in working with Microsoft office suite