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ANNEXURE A TO EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT - JOB ROLE AND DESCRIPTION
This position is a Criminal Lawyer role at Bloem Law. The job description includes:
1. CLIENT FILES
Undertake legal research Draft and file legal submissions Appear in Court in the four Auckland District Courts Attend to all client communication and correspondence in a timely manner Meet and take instructions from clients Manage client files Correspondence with all relevant parties on client files Filing of documents as appropriate File Preparation Trial preparation Appropriately file note and document work completed on Actionstep Enter time spent on Actionstep on a daily basis.
2. MENTORING AND MANAGEMENT
This aspect of the role ensures that the firm operates efficiently, maintains high standards, and delivers excellent client service while supporting and developing the junior legal team
Work Allocation
Regularly manage the work allocation spreadsheet and distributing files and assignments to lawyers as they come in, and allocating lawyers a color. Assess the complexity and requirements of each case to determine which lawyer is best suited for the file. Ensure balanced workloads across the team, taking into consideration individual strengths, experience levels, and current caseloads. Communicate clearly with team members about their responsibilities, deadlines, and expectations. Regularly review progress and reallocate work if needed to manage deadlines and ensure quality outcomes.
One on one junior staff meetings Conducting regular individual meetings with junior lawyers to provide guidance, feedback, and support Meet with junior lawyers to discuss their ongoing cases, challenges, and professional development. Offer constructive feedback on their work, including legal research, drafting, and courtroom preparation.
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Provide mentorship and advice on career progression, skill development, and work- life balance. Address any concerns or issues they may have, ensuring they feel supported and motivated.
Training
Draft and facilitate continuing professional development for the legal team through training. Identify areas where junior staff need further development, whether in legal knowledge, procedural skills, or courtroom techniques. Organize and lead training sessions, workshops, or seminars on relevant topics such
Encourage participation in external training programs or continuing legal education (CLE) opportunities. Ensure junior lawyers meet CPD requirements.
Supervision and support
Overseeing and supervising junior lawyers work and through court observations to ensure lawyers are producing high quality work and obtaining good outcomes for our clients. Review written legal work (submissions, memoranda, letters of advice, reporting letters, CMMs, TCMs, trial preparation, etc) prepared by junior staff before they are submitted to court or sent to the client. Provide guidance on questions and helping junior lawyers navigate difficult cases Ensure compliance with legal procedures (particularly the Criminal Procedure Act 2011) and firm policies, and correction of any deviations. Providing ongoing support to the team in their day-to-day tasks and challenges. Act as a resource for legal and procedural questions, offering advice and assistance whenever needed. Provide moral and emotional support, especially during high-pressure cases or when dealing with difficult clients. Act as a point of escalation for any issues that junior staff cannot resolve on their own, including dealing with difficult clients. Assist in problem-solving, whether it involves legal strategy, client management, or administrative challenges. Encourage a collaborative team environment where junior staff feel comfortable seeking help
Billing and KPI management
Managing billing processes and key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure financial and operational efficiency. Oversee the accurate recording of billable hours by all junior staff, ensuring that all time spent on cases is properly and accurately recorded. Review private client invoices to ensure fees are reasonable, before they are sent to clients, ensuring compliance with our fee structures.
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Assist Anoushka to implement strategies to enhance productivity, incentives and reduce non-billable hours, ensuring the firm meets its financial targets/goals.
Trial scheduling
Coordinating and managing the scheduling of trial dates, allocating trials to each junior to ensure everyone gets a fair opportunity Manage the firm trial calendar (as updated by admin staff), to ensure conflicts are avoided and senior counsel are in a position to supervise/run the trial and resources are available as needed. Communicate with the juniors to ensure everyone is aware of upcoming trials and their roles in each case.
File auditing
Regularly reviewing case files to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with legal standards.
Provide feedback to staff on how to improve file management and documentation practices.
Role review
Assessing the roles and performance of team members to ensure they are aligned
performance. Discuss goals with staff, identifying opportunities for growth or improvement, and helping juniors to attain PAL levels. Ensure that each lawyer is contributing effectively to the overall success of the firm.
Quality assurance (style guide)
Maintaining consistency and high standards in all legal documents and
Develop and enforce a style guide that sets standards for language, formatting, and tone in legal documents and correspondence.
they are finalized or submitted. Update the style guide as and where required to reflect changes in legal practices, client preferences, or firm branding
Hiring staff
Assist Anoushka with recruitment and selecting new team members (lawyers and clerks) to join the firm. Define the qualifications, skills, and experience required for new hires based on the
Review CVs and cover letters to identify potential candidates.
experience, and cultural fit with the firm.
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goals and values. Oversee the onboarding process to ensure new staff are integrated smoothly into the team and understand their roles
3. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Manage new client inquiries as required. Assist with the development of online marketing, business branding and website changes. Contribute to new marketing initiatives Write legal articles when required Meet monthly fees targets after three months of employment.
4. LEGAL AID
Obtain all legal aid approvals as required by the Employer. Comply with all legal aid requirements and policies for legal aid files. Ensure that funding applications (ATGs) are completed in a timely manner and prior to work commencing. Ensure files are audit ready prior to closing.
5. PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS
Knowledge and application of all Law Society and Professional Obligations as an employed Barrister & Solicitor. Keep the Law Society informed of relevant developments as required by the Law Society. Complete and document all CPD obligations on a yearly basis. Keep up to date in criminal law legal developments. Cooperate any request for information, procedures or any other request made by the