Training Contract - April 2025 - Justice First Fellowship/JCWI

Application deadline: 29.11.24

Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)

For decades JCWI has provided legal representation and advice to people made vulnerable and destitute by unjust immigration laws. We’ve helped tens of thousands of people secure status, keep their families together and escape poverty. We are one of the leading voices for a fairer, more just immigration system, using litigation and advocacy to challenge policies that lead to discrimination, destitution and the denial of rights. In 2023 there were 50 clients for whom we either gained refugee status, won a human rights appeal, or prevented removal. We had 40 successes at the High Court or Upper Tribunal: cancelling removal directions, setting aside unlawful decisions, liberty from detention.

We represented a client due to be deported on the Rwanda flight, succeeding in getting removal directions cancelled. We spoke out against the Rwanda Scheme, with one of our lawyers interviewed by BBC Radio London and another attending the APPG for refugees to summarise the effect of the judgement. We led a cross-sector mobilisation of 100+ organisations to release a Joint Statement responding to the ruling.

We led a joint coalition campaigning against the Illegal Migration Bill, and when it became an Act we began a first claim to challenge its policy of considering an asylum claim as ‘implicitly withdrawn’ if the claimant misses a part of the procedure such as a letter or appointment.

We are challenging the criminalisation of asylum seekers, acting for an asylum seeker and victim of torture facing prosecution for illegal entry to the UK to claim asylum.

We recently began a new Climate Justice is Migrant Justice project with a case where we raised the argument that people should not be returned back to natural disaster (in this case, Turkey); we successfully deferred the client’s removal.

We challenged the discriminatory nature of the Ukraine scheme and its failure to protect non-Ukrainian nationals on behalf of a client fleeing the Ukraine who is Afghan. The client has now been granted leave to enter the UK, and other organisations have reached out to make similar challenges.

We are on the steering group of the Human Rights Act coalition and we facilitate the Migration Coalition, enabling cross-sector collaborations to challenge attacks on justice and migrant rights.

In 2023 we were quoted by journalists over 40 times and had a further 40 appearances on national and local TV and radio, building on our legal work to make the case for a country in which immigration law and policy are based on sound evidence and the benefits of migration are celebrated and shared.

Training Location: 441 Caledonian Road, London, N7 9BG

Job Title: JFF Trainee Solicitor

Role Summary:

We are excited to offer a Justice First Fellowship position at JCWI. The JFF Scheme, established by The Legal Education Foundation in 2014, is designed to support the next generation of lawyers working in social welfare law. The Fellow will be a trainee lawyer (via LPC or SQE route). They will develop as a lawyer by providing excellent legal aid representation. They will also link their casework to JCWI campaigns for a society in which people can live safely and are treated with equal dignity, via an individual project.

We’re seeking an individual committed to immigration law who will fight for their clients using all legal avenues available. We’re particularly keen to support applicants who have lived experience of borders and/or race and others who come from groups underrepresented in the legal profession. 

JCWI Legal Team:

We are an award winning small team ranked as Excellent. Our department has a proud history and in recent years the team have been early identifiers of the Windrush scandal, we’ve exposed the UK’s breaches of human rights law before the European Court of Human Rights and we’ve used the law to change Home Office and Tribunal policy in immigration and public law proceedings. 

We use the legal system to push for change whilst always keeping our clients at the heart of what we do. We focus on representing the most marginalised refugees and migrants. As well as casework, we provide outreach advice through a telephone helpline for undocumented migrants, the Red Cross destitution service, UNISON and at Yarl’s Wood IRC. 

JCWI recognises the innumerable systemic difficulties faced by immigration lawyers and seeks to improve the support we give to our employees including through a monthly reflective practice session.

Duties:

Legal casework

• Under close supervision of the supervisor, and in accordance with all regulatory standards:

o  Provide legal advice and representation in immigration, asylum, human rights, community care and public law matters, whether taking conduct in the file or assisting members of the team. This might include taking statements from clients and witnesses, preparing funding applications and managing funding on cases, collating evidence, rationalising documentation and bundling, issuing claims and applications, legal research, preparing for hearings and liaising with third parties including external barristers, dealing with legal aid billing;

o  Provide advice, where appropriate, via our helplines and outreach activities and undertaking casework arising through the provision of these services.

• Assist JCWI’s casework team in the conduct and co-ordination of litigation;
• Maintaining and developing excellent legal knowledge;

Cross departmental work

• Work with JCWI’s Advocacy and Communications staff to identify emerging issues in immigration law & policy, develop opportunities for litigation, advocacy or communications work and, where appropriate, to support clients’ capacity to engage in campaigns; 
• Lawyers have the opportunity to contribute to our core campaigns, and to build cases on issues including migrant workers’ rights, the rights of undocumented people and climate justice. 

General

• Take responsibility for JCWI’s organisational sustainability by adhering as far as possible to billing and performance targets.
• Undertaking general administration in connection with your work or to support the Casework team.
• Attend internal and external meetings as required, including representing JCWI at external meetings and other fora, as requested.
• Undertake other tasks appropriate to the role as required.

Trainee Areas of Law: Immigration / Asylum; Public and administrative law

Person Specification:

• Qualifying law degree in addition to completion of the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or SQE;
• Hold Level 2 IAAS Accreditation, or be able to obtain Level 1 Probationary Accreditation within 8 weeks and Level 2 Accreditation within three months.
• Experience working or volunteering in a law firm or a law centre is desirable as is other experience with the immigration system;
• Understanding or experience of working with immigration law;
• Understanding or experience of working with Legal Aid, including billing desirable;
• The work is on occasion very demanding and challenging. Ability to work proactively, to prioritise effectively and to meet deadlines, with well-developed time management skills is essential;
• Empathetic approach which allows for building strong, trusting relationships with clients, including at-risk individuals;
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, with proven ability to communicate complex legal information clearly and succinctly;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate and negotiate with a wide range of people internally and externally.
• Responsible and conscientious team player.

Organisational Benefits:

Starting Salary: £32,960

Contact for Enquiries: Laura Smith

Contact Email: laura.smith@jcwi.org.uk

Organisation Website: https://www.jcwi.org.uk/

Interview Dates: Wednesday 15th January 2025 and Wednesday 22nd January 2025