Southwark Law Centre Vacancies
Employment and Welfare Rights Paralegal
Salary: NJC SP 9-13 £31,884 – £33,780 per annum dependent on relevant experience
Hours: 35 hours per week (28 considered)
(1 Year Fixed Term)
We are looking for a dedicated Employment and Welfare Rights Paralegal to join our team and help support local residents facing employment and welfare benefits challenges.
This role is more than just legal support—it’s about empowering individuals, ensuring fairness, and helping people access the rights and benefits they deserve. Our employment solicitor and welfare rights supervisor provide vital casework and expert guidance to those in need, as well as supporting local voluntary sector organisations through second-tier advice.
As a key member of our team, you will play an essential role in fighting for workers’ rights, tackling discrimination, and ensuring vulnerable individuals receive the support they are entitled to. Your work will have a tangible impact on people’s lives, helping them secure fair treatment, financial stability, and peace of mind.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Supporting the work of the Employment, Discrimination, and Education Supervisor, assisting with casework, research, and client interviews.
- Assisting the Welfare Rights Supervisor in ensuring individuals receive the benefits and financial assistance they are entitled to.
- Developing your expertise to progress into managing your own caseload and contributing to second-tier advice delivery.
Why Join Us?
This is an exceptional opportunity for someone with a strong sense of social justice who wants to build a career in employment law and welfare rights. You will gain hands-on experience, professional mentorship, and opportunities for career progression while making a direct and lasting impact on your community.
If you are committed to fairness, equality, and ensuring that no one is left behind, we want to hear from you.
The post will be based at our office in Camberwell with some outreach and attendance at evening meetings. SLC has adopted an agile working policy and encourage staff to work partly from home.
Southwark Law Centre has an Equality Diversity and Inclusion policy. We welcome applications from candidates who meet the person spec regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex (gender) and sexual orientation.
To download an application pack, click here
For an informal discussion about the role please contact Stacey Edgar at stacey.edgar@southwarklawcentre.org.uk
Starting salary and relevant experience
The Law Centre criteria for starting salaries aims to ensure that all relevant experience is recognised for all posts within clearly justifiable limits so that starting salary does not unfairly reward on the basis of age. Experience is only relevant for these purposes if it is equivalent to the role on offer. The post holder salary increases by 1 point each year until the top of the scale is reached within NJC payscales. In addition the Law Centre pays cost of living increases agreed nationally by the NJC.
Relevant experience 1-2 years SP9 £31,884
Relevant experience 2-5 years SP11 £32,817
Relevant experience 5 years + SP13 £33,780
Closing date for applications: 5pm, Monday 17 March 2025
Interviews: Tuesday 25 March 2025
Notice: We are currently not accepting any new volunteers for the Admin Support Volunteer position. Please continue to check our website for updates on future opportunities.
Our busy admin team, consisting of two full-time administrators, is seeking some proactive and enthusiastic volunteers, with great organisational and customer service skills to assist with the smooth running of our busy Peckham and Lewisham offices. You will primarily be handling messages and calls for assistance that we receive from vulnerable and disadvantaged clients and supporting the admin team and caseworkers with ad hoc administrative tasks. Volunteers will also assist with preparatory tasks related to the relocation of our Peckham Office to Camberwell (scheduled for December 2024/January 2025).
The role is varied and will give you the opportunity to hone interview skills as well as offering a diverse workload. If you are beginning your journey towards an admin or legal career, this role could be a great first step for you.
You will receive in-house training and have access to further applicable training and events where available within the Law Centre during the time that you are volunteering.
Commitment: Dedicate at least one or two full days per week for a minimum of three or six months.
Location: This is an office-based volunteering role. You will be required to attend either the Peckham or Lewisham Office
Remuneration: While this is a voluntary, unpaid position, we will reimburse your reasonable travel expenses when travelling to and from the office. Additionally, we will cover your lunch expenses up to £5.00 per working day. Receipts must be presented for re-imbursement.
Start date: As soon as possible
Application Process:
Please read Guidance to Applicants before completing application form.
For more details, please download our Volunteer Application Pack
Please return your volunteer application pack and (Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form which is optional) to: volunteer@southwarklawcentre.org.uk
Successful applicants will be contacted shortly after.
Please note that this is an administrative position, and you will not be advising clients or run your own caseload.
Our Organisation
We are a registered charity and are governed by a trustee board of local residents.
Please click here to view our 2022/2023 Annual Report
Please click here to view our Audited Reports for the Year Ended March 31st, 2023
To view our Privacy Policy click here.
Company registration number: 1418763 • Charity registration number: 277927
Office of the Immigration Service Commissioners reference is N201000009