Recruitment: Barrister/Solicitor

 

📍 Location:  APPEAL’s offices, Holborn, London

💼 Contract: Permanent, full-time (37.5 hours per week)

💰 Salary: £42,600 to £46,300 depending on experience +  benefits

📅 Apply by: 30 September 2025

🗓️ Interviews: Mid to end of October 2025

About APPEAL

APPEAL is a charity and law practice that fights miscarriages of justice. We represent people who have been wrongfully convicted or unfairly sentenced - people like Andrew Malkinson, who spent 17 years in prison before his conviction was quashed.

Our team of lawyers, investigators, and survivor advocates work together to secure justice where the system has failed. We go beyond legal work—providing holistic support, raising awareness, and pushing for systemic reform.
Read our latest impact report at https://appeal.org.uk/impact-report-2023-24/

The Role

We’re looking for an experienced criminal defence practitioner—solicitor, barrister or solicitor-advocate—who wants to make a real difference. You’ll lead complex appeal cases, collaborate with a passionate team, and contribute to changing the criminal justice system for the better.

Key Responsibilities

Casework & Litigation

- Lead investigations and legal work on appeals against conviction or sentence

- Draft applications to the Court of Appeal and Criminal Cases Review Commission

- Supervise pro bono legal teams, students, and interns

Client Support & Advocacy

- Take an anti-racist, gender-responsive and trauma-informed approach to representation

- Able to support clients from diverse backgrounds through challenging legal proceedings

Campaigning & Reform

- Develop casework specialisms to spotlight systemic injustice and promote a fairer legal system

- Represent APPEAL in the media, at events, and participate in reform efforts

Compliance & Operations

- Maintain regulatory standards (SRA, Charity Commission, Legal Aid Agency etc)

- Support the organisation with resource development objectives

- Promote APPEAL’s key aims and strategies

 

Who We’re Looking For

Essential skills and experience:

- Qualified solicitor or barrister in England & Wales with a minimum of two years’ experience practising in criminal defence work

­ - Strong analytical, and investigation skills, with the ability to assess complex legal issues and develop effective strategies

- Excellent legal research and drafting skills

- IT proficient and able to work with case management systems

- Familiarity with the criminal Legal Aid scheme

- Resilient, tenacious, and experienced in working with vulnerable clients

 

Desirable skills and experience:

- Knowledge of criminal appeals law and procedure, including applications to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and the post-conviction disclosure regime

- Experience in delivering professional training or working in a supervisory role

What We Offer

- 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays/Christmas and New Year)

- Pension Scheme

- Cycle to Work Scheme and 1-month paid sabbatical after 5 years

- Clinical supervision

How to Apply

📧 Email your CV and cover letter to operations@appeal.org.uk

📎 Remove your name from CV and cover letter (add name and contact information in covering email marked “Lawyer Application”)

Please also send an anonymised example of a piece of written work (e.g an advice, skeleton argument etc)

📆 Deadline: Monday 30 September at 6pm

📝 Include the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form as a separate attachment

Timeline

- Applications open: 11 August

- Deadline: 30 September

- Interviews: mid to end of October