Senior Immigration Solicitor (Violence Against Women and Girls & Migrant Justice)

Job Purpose:

The Senior Immigration Solicitor (Violence Against Women and Girls & Migrant Justice) will lead on complex immigration casework and strategic legal interventions, with a particular focus on supporting Black, minoritised, and migrant (BMM) women affected by violence against women and girls (VAWG), especially those with insecure immigration status or no recourse to public funds (NRPF).

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide high-quality legal advice, representation, and complex casework support to victim-survivors of VAWG with insecure immigration status and/or no recourse to public funds (NRPF).
• Manage a varied caseload, including asylum claims; domestic violence-related applications (e.g., DDVC, DVILR); family/private life claims; human rights claims; and appeals.
• Ensure all legal advice and representation comply with the Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme (IAAS) and professional/regulatory standards.
• Conduct holistic risk assessments, safety planning, and safeguarding interventions (including MARAC referrals) using a trauma-informed approach.
• Explain immigration procedures, options, and potential outcomes in clear, accessible, and culturally sensitive ways to support informed decision-making.

Internal Support, Advice and Capacity Building

• Provide expert legal guidance and second-tier advice to SBS staff across teams, including frontline advocates, as well as to partner agencies and other external professionals on immigration, asylum, and NRPF matters.
• Lead internal advice surgeries, legal briefings, and knowledge-sharing sessions to build the legal capacity of the team.
• Design and deliver training for staff, legal professionals, and external partners on immigration issues affecting Black, minoritised, and migrant women.
• Support the continuous improvement of internal systems for legal case management, risk assessment, and data collection.

Policy, Campaigning and Strategic Influence

• Provide expert legal insight to SBS’s campaigning, policy, media and public education work.
• Identify trends, systemic issues, and opportunities for law reform; contribute to evidence-gathering, public submissions, and (where relevant) strategic litigation.
• Collaborate with policy leads, lawyers, campaigners, and coalition partners to influence systemic change in immigration and VAWG frameworks.

Monitoring and Evaluation and Compliance

• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential records in line with organisational, legal, and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure legal work is compliant with professional codes, safeguarding duties, data protection laws, and funder/contractual obligations.
• Contribute to monitoring data, reports, and qualitative evidence to support internal learning, funding returns, and external briefings.

Organisational Leadership and Development

• Contribute to the strategic development of SBS’s legal, advocacy, and public education work in line with its anti-racist feminist values.
• Represent SBS in legal networks, conferences, and external forums to enhance its influence and visibility.
• Mentor and support junior legal staff, volunteers, and interns, and model reflective practice and continuous professional development.
• Engage in organisational planning, cross-team collaboration, and service improvement initiatives.

General Responsibilities

• Adhere to SBS’s policies and procedures, upholding its core values — including anti-racism, secularism, intersectional feminism, and a commitment to human rights and social justice — with full respect for the rights, dignity, and agency of Black, minoritised, and migrant women and girls, and ensuring the integration of an equalities and human rights agenda in all areas of work.
• Maintain clear and adequate records of work and produce reports on programmes and activities as required.
• Take ownership of an agreed work plan; set objectives with the line manager and regularly review progress.
• Keep up to date with relevant legislation, policy, research, and good practice.
• Participate in supervision, training, and meetings; contribute to service development in line with agreed plans.
• Undertake necessary administrative tasks (e.g., file management, word processing) to support effective delivery.
• Assist, as needed, with the organisation of SBS conferences and events.
• Attend and contribute to team/staff meetings, supervision/appraisal, and other meetings as appropriate.
• Undertake any additional duties appropriate to the post to support the smooth running of SBS’s centre, services, projects, and campaigns.