We are looking for solicitors with a wide experience in civil law and the civil legal assistance system to join our panel of Peer Reviewers for the Civil Quality Assurance Scheme. Reviewers are required to review files from other parts of Scotland than where they normally work. We currently have sufficient Peer Reviewers based in the West of Scotland and on this occasion are specifically looking for solicitors who are based in other parts of Scotland. The closing date for applications is Monday 26th July 2021.
Read more in the drop down box below.
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our panel of Peer Reviewers for the Civil Quality Assurance Scheme.
Background
Since 2003, the Law Society of Scotland (working with the Scottish Legal Aid Board) has been responsible for the quality assurance of civil legal assistance provided by solicitors through the legal aid scheme. (Children’s Legal Aid and Criminal Legal Aid are reviewed under similar schemes organised by the Scottish Legal Aid Board). The quality assurance scheme is a joint operation of the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish Legal Aid Board and is governed by the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations.
All firms providing civil legal aid are subject to peer review in six yearly cycles, by peer reviewers who are solicitors with current or very recent practising experience of working in areas of civil law and civil legal assistance, and who are trained as reviewers on behalf of the Scheme.
More information about the Quality Assurance Scheme is available on the Society’s website under Rule C3 and related guidance.
As an organisation our values are respect, openness, progress, inclusion and integrity. We strive to embed these in all our interactions with colleagues, members, stakeholders and members of the public.
The role
The role of the peer reviewers is to conduct periodic reviews of civil legal assistance case files to ensure that they comply with the guidance issued by the Council of the Law Society of Scotland in terms of Rule C3 of the Law Society of Scotland Practice Rules 2011.
Peer Reviewers examine a random sample of files for each practitioner who does civil legal aid work within the firm and thereby assess the quality of the work done by the firm, using the Scheme’s published criteria, and marking scheme set out on the Law Society’s website.
Currently reviews are being carried out offsite either electronically or in hard copy but, in due course, we anticipate that in-person reviews will take place again thus necessitating some travel in the future.
Peer Reviewers send their review reports to the Civil Legal Aid Quality Assurance Sub-Committee of the Law Society of Scotland whose membership reflects the interests of the Law Society, the Scottish Legal Aid Board, and the public. The Committee is a Sub-Committee of the Regulatory Committee who are responsible for the oversight of all of the Society’s regulatory functions.
The Applicant
The Society is looking for solicitors with a wide experience in civil law and the civil legal assistance system to join our panel of Peer Reviewers for the Civil Quality Assurance Scheme. Reviewers are required to review files from other parts of Scotland than where they normally work. Currently we have sufficient Peer Reviewers based in the West of Scotland, accordingly, on this occasion we are specifically looking for solicitors who are based in other parts of Scotland.
We would like applicants to-
• Hold a full and current practising certificate
• Have a minimum of five years post qualifying practising experience
• Be currently practising in a civil legal aid practice unit
• Have experience of supervising the work of legal aid practitioners or paralegals
• Have a wide range of civil expertise – having experience of immigration and asylum work would be a particular advantage
• Be based outwith the West of Scotland
• Have good IT skills, a reliable internet connection and be able and willing to conduct remote reviews electronically
• Achieve a sound pass in a peer review of a random sample of their civil legal aid files before appointment or have recently attained such a pass in such a review
What will I receive in return?
Peer Reviewers will be contracted on a consultancy basis and will have to be available to devote up to three days a month to carry out these reviews. They will have to attend compulsory training, which will be provided before conducting any live reviews, and subsequently on an annual basis.
Payment will be on a daily rate (£41 per file reviewed or £410 daily rate (7hours) excluding VAT), and travel and subsistence expenses will also be paid when required.
Apply now
To apply for one of these positions please download and complete the application form by Monday 26th July 2021 and return it to Hannah Sayers, Quality Assurance Administrator at HannahSayers@lawscot.org.uk. It is anticipated that interviews will take place around the end of August. All interviews will be via video conference.
No CVs or Agencies please.
