Vacancies

Remote Summer Casework Volunteers (Allocation Stream) 

June – October 2024 

Advocate is seeking dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to volunteer as Summer Casework Volunteers (Allocation Stream). This is a remote volunteering programme and the position is for four days a week for one month between June and October 2024. 

This programme presents a fantastic opportunity to obtain unique exposure to a wide range of areas of law and learn a great deal about the needs of litigants in person. You will have an interest in law and be motivated to help those who cannot afford legal assistance. As a key part of our team, you will possess strong inter-personal skills and be ready to adapt to the changing need of the casework team. 

Please read through the information below and find out how to apply for this role at the end.  

Who we are 

Advocate is the Bar’s national charity which helps to find pro bono legal assistance from volunteer barristers. We can assist with: 

• Advice, drafting, representation and help at mediation 
• Cases in all areas of law 
• Cases where proceedings have not yet been started 
• Cases in all tribunals and courts in England and Wales 

Pro bono assistance is only available to those who cannot afford to pay and who cannot obtain public funding (legal aid). We are a small staff dealing with over 2,000 cases each year and rely a great deal on casework volunteers. You will be supervised by a caseworker but carry out a lot of work independently. 

The role 

The Casework Volunteering programme is split into two streams: the Gateway Stream and the Allocation Stream.  

Gateway Stream  

You will assist Caseworkers with the following tasks: 

• Writing case summaries ready for experienced reviewing barristers 
• Preparing court standard bundles using our online system 
• Completing case reports on our case management system 
• Other Administrative support 

Allocation Stream

You will assist Casework Team with the following tasks: 

• Advertising cases to volunteer Barristers across England and Wales 
• Sending out Court Papers to Barristers 
• Creating Case Studies 
• Other Administrative support 

* Please note: We are pausing the Gateway Stream for June and July to review and adjust the programme. If you wish to apply for the Gateway Stream, please check our website again in mid-May.    

Previous volunteer’s feedback:  

“My time at Advocate has been nothing short of amazing. Structured and incredibly well-organised, the programme provided me with invaluable exposure to a diverse range of practice areas, as well as the opportunity to make a real impact. The programme also helped me grow both as an aspiring lawyer and a person, particularly in terms of perseverance and empathy.” 

Maisie (Summer 2022 Volunteer) 

“Advocate’s summer volunteering program is such a fantastic, hands-on experience. There was never a dull moment and I learned so much. I am so grateful to the wonderful team for making us all feel so welcome and offering such great guidance throughout the programme. Could not recommend it more!” 

Isabella (Summer 2022 Volunteer) 

Requirements 

1. It is essential for applicants to have completed at least one year of law-related study or work. Please check our Person Specification for more details.  
2. You must be available for one month between June and October 2024.  You may state a preference for which month you would like to volunteer on and we will do our best to accommodate it. The available slots are:  

    

   • 3rd June – 28th June 2024 (Allocation Only) 
   • 1st July – 31st July 2024 (Allocation Only) 
   • 1st August – 30th August 2024 (Gateway and Allocation. Gateway application open in Mid-May) 
   • 2nd September – 27th September 2024 (Gateway and Allocation. Gateway application open in Mid-May) 
3. The position is remote so open to all applicants willing to work from 10am to 5pm BST (GMT +1). We cannot accommodate working outside of these hours.    
4. Please apply using the form here by midnight on Tuesday 30th April 2024. We do not accept CVs or covering letters. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered. 
5. Applicants are also encouraged to complete our Equal Opportunities Form.  
6. Interviews will take place online from Monday 13th May. Successful candidates will be required to attend a compulsory online training session in the week before their start date.  
7. If you have any enquiries about the volunteer programme, please email our Volunteer Coordinator Jingyi at jma@weareadvocate.org.uk.