Paralegal x2

Criminal Cases Review Commission

United Kingdom

Remote

Expires: Expiring in less than 2 weeks

Legal

Flexible

£29,303 per year

Job summary

From time to time, a criminal case ends with a wrongful conviction or sentence – there might not have been a crime at all, the wrong person might have been convicted, or the process might have failed so significantly that the conviction is unsafe. Can you help to find the crucial new evidence or argument that changes things and enables us to send the case back for an appeal?

Paralegals provide support to our Case Review Managers in the work of analysing and investigating suspected miscarriages of justice. They also manage their own portfolio of less complex cases.

The role is challenging. Paralegals need to be organised, analytical, articulate, resilient, and proactive. You must be able to juggle competing priorities, planning your work to ensure each task is completed accurately and takes no longer than reasonably necessary to reach a reliable conclusion.

As a Paralegal, you will play a key role in updating applicants on the progress of their cases and responding to their queries.

You will be supporting Case Review Managers to carry out investigations, such as applicant and witness interviews and expert instructions, and you will have the opportunity to examine material from the police, the prosecution, the courts and the defence, as well as records from prisons, the NHS and local authorities.

You will also be responsible for drafting decision documents, under the supervision of a Case Review Manager.

In return, we offer you a unique and independent perspective on the criminal justice system and criminal cases.

Job description

The postholder is part of the casework team, providing support to Case Review Managers (CRMs) on large and complex cases and undertaking their own work directly on ‘no appeal’ applications and simpler cases. You will have a good knowledge of the cases to which you are assigned, sufficient to be able to draft applicant updates and respond to queries from applicants, representatives or third parties including telephone calls, emails and letters on behalf of the CRM.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks:

Under the direction of a Group Leader, and supporting the work of Case Review Managers:

Triage ‘no appeal’ applications and review simple cases.
Draft and present recommendations to the decision-making Commissioner
Support CRMs on large and complex cases by:
- Preparing update letters and supporting interactions with applicants and representatives
- Keeping case documents, including the Case Narrative, up to date
- Undertaking legal and other research
- Reviewing papers and files from external bodies
- Attending case-related meetings and preparing minutes
- Drafting and preparing letters, witness statements, summaries, chronologies and other relevant documents.
- Drafting decision documents
- Assisting in the preparation of document bundles
Undertake other support within the casework team as appropriate for the nature and salary of the post
Ensure compliance with the CCRC’s obligations on disclosure, security and confidentiality of information
Ensure compliance with the CCRC’s obligations under the Code of Practice for Victims
Keep up to date with developing law, practice and policy
As may from time to time be appropriate:
- serve on, and/or provide assistance to, in-house working groups
- prepare and deliver training and case related presentations to colleagues

Person specification

Essential criteria:

Lead Criteria: Law degree, or postgraduate legal qualification, or CILEX CPQ Paralegal (or equivalent), or previous paralegal experience in the UK criminal justice system (CJS)
Experience of understanding and applying criminal law
Strong analytical and legal research skills
Experience of drafting legal documents with excellent written ability
Experience of engaging with the public and professionals, either face to face or over the telephone
Ability to manage a challenging portfolio of work including varied tasks with competing deadlines and conflicting priorities

Desirable criteria:

Professional legal qualification (in law relating to England, Wales, Northern Ireland) having completed the bar course / the legal practice course / both SQE1 and SQE2 / CILEX CPQ Professional Stage
12 months’ work experience of legal casework in the UK criminal justice system (CJS)

Please refer to the candidate information pack which contains full details.

Qualifications

Law degree, or postgraduate legal qualification, or CILEX CPQ Paralegal (or equivalent), or previous paralegal experience in the UK criminal justice system (CJS)

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,303, Criminal Cases Review Commission contributes £8,489 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

We offer a wide range of benefits, including flexible working options. You can also look forward to:

A Civil Service pension - this will see us making a significant contribution to your pension fund
29 days' annual leave allowance (pro rata), in addition to eight statutory bank holidays and special leave allowance for your birthday
Generous paid maternity, paternity and shared parental leave (SPL), in addition to other enhanced family related policies, which are in excess of the statutory minimum
We have flexible working patterns, including access to a flexible working scheme
We also operate a flexi time system which means you can build up to two additional days off per month
Remote working (anywhere in the UK) - we will supply a laptop and any equipment you don't already have so you can work from home comfortably and safely
Reimbursement for any travel, subsistence, and expenses
3 paid volunteering days per year
Access to retail discounts and a cashback site
Occupational Health Services and an Employee Assistance Programme
Free eye tests and a contribution towards lenses or spectacles for VDU users

To find out more and apply, please visit our website.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Selection process timeline:

Applications should be submitted via our careers site by no later than 23:55 on 19 August 2026.

Our recruitment is anonymous so instead of CV’s, candidates will need to submit an online application form. It is essential that you give evidence, using examples, of proven experience / competencies when addressing the essential criteria in your application form.

As part of your application, you will be asked to answer a few screening questions based on the essential role requirements. If you pass the screening questions, you will receive an email inviting you to respond to the Criteria questions, which are based on the Person Specification criteria.

Assessment:

Once the advert has closed, candidates may be invited to complete two online timed ability assessments (Verbal Reasoning and Logical Reasoning). The deadline for completion is 26 August 2026.

Shortlisting:

Those who score highest in the ability tests will then be shortlisted against evidence of meeting the essential criteria as set out in the Person Specification. Shortlisting is expected to be completed by 11 September 2026.

Exercise:
If you are shortlisted, we will ask you to complete a timed Case Study Assessment and a video screening question as a part of the selection process. The written task will take place between 21 and 23 September 2023, with the deadline for the video screening being 23 September 2026. Further information will be provided to shortlisted candidates

Interview:

Candidates who pass the Exercise stage will be invited to attend a final interview during5 October to 8 October 2026, focused on Civil Service Success Profiles Behaviours and Strengths.

Any offers will be subject to successful completion of pre-employment checks including security clearance to CTC (Counter Terrorist Check) level.

One of our HR colleagues will be available to answer any queries you may have throughout the process.

Please note, the above dates are subject to change. It may not be possible to accommodate alternative requests for assessment and interviews. Please refer to candidate pack for the indicative timeline.

As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need. If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying, please contact the HR team in the first instance.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name : CCRC HR Team
Email : hr@ccrc.gov.uk

Salary range

£29,303 per year