The Law Commission

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Cite as: [2005] EWLC 294(10)

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PART 10

STAFF AND RESOURCES

RECRUITMENT AND WORKING PATTERNS

10.1 The Quinquennial Review found that the Law Commission had developed imaginative and successful recruitment policies that fitted its needs well. The Commission has continued refining procedures, and has recruited a Policy and Personnel Officer with this aim in mind. The Commission takes part in regular staff opinion surveys, undertaken by DCA. The most recent figures from 2003 indicate that staff in general liked their work, with 86% saying they were proud to work for the Law Commission. When posts are open to non-civil servants, vacancies are advertised on the Commission's website with brochures and application forms available for downloading. For some positions online application forms are now available.

10.2 There are a wide variety of work/life balance arrangements in place, such as home-working and working compressed hours. In addition, permanent appointments, loans, secondments and short-term appointments are also welcomed.

STAFF

10.3 The Commissioners very much appreciate the dedication and expertise of all the staff at the Law Commission. During the period of this Report several members of staff moved on for the sake of career development in the usual way. The Commissioners are grateful for their work and for their contribution to the team effort.

Legal staff

10.4 The Commission's lawyers are barristers or solicitors from a wide range of professional backgrounds, including academia, private practice and public service. They are recruited usually through public advertisements.

10.5 In the summer the Commission welcomed Eleanor Cawte (who joined the Public Law team on secondment from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) to cover the absence of a lawyer on maternity leave. The Commission is also very grateful to Jayne Astley, Christina Hughes, Jo Perkins and James Robinson for their valuable contributions to law reform before they moved on to new challenges. The names of all current legal staff are set out at the beginning of Parts 4 to 8 above.

10.6 Parliamentary Draftsmen who prepare the draft Bills attached to the law reform reports, and who also undertake the consolidation of existing legislation, are seconded to the Law Commission from the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. The Commission is very grateful to them for all their expertise and hard work. In the course of the year Catherine O'Riordan and Bernadette Walsh returned to their parent department. In their places, Louise Davies and Francis Coleman came to Conquest House.

Research assistants

10.7 Each year a dozen or so well qualified graduates are recruited to assist with research, drafting and creative thinking. They generally spend a year or two at the Commission before moving on to further their legal training and career. The selection process is extremely thorough and the Commission aims to attract a diverse range of candidates at university law fairs and through contact with careers advisers, as well as through advertisements in various newspapers and journals. For many Research Assistants, working at the Commission has been a rung on the ladder to an extremely successful career. The Commission recognises the contribution they make, not least through their enthusiastic commitment to the work of law reform and their lively participation in debate.

Corporate Services Team

10.8 The Commission has continued to benefit from the experience, expertise and commitment of its small Corporate Services Team (CST) of administrative staff. The CST is responsible for accommodation, communications, health and safety, human resources, information technology, programme management, publishing, records management, resource accounting, secretarial assistance and security. These support services help the Commission to function effectively and smoothly.

10.9 The Quinquennial Review (QQR) of the Law Commission, reporting in March 2003, recognised the need for the Lord Chancellor's Department to initiate a review of the CST. This review looked at the resources needed to meet current and foreseeable expectations, including related skills and expertise.

10.10 As a result of this review, the CST has seen the arrival of a new Head of Corporate Services, a Personnel Officer, and a Communications Manager. Some of the existing posts in the team have been upgraded to reflect additional responsibilities. This restructuring exercise will enhance the team's ability to provide a more focused and efficient service to the Commission. The CST has also developed a new Programme Management System for the Commission, again in line with QQR recommendations (Chapter 4). The system has been designed to bring together information relevant to all ongoing Law Commission projects. It provides the Commission with an overview of its entire programme, with the ability to monitor progress against each individual project.

10.11 The CST values the help available to them from colleagues in the DCA, in particular from the Civil Law and Justice Division and the Human Resources Directorate. The CST is also very grateful to the Facilities and Departmental Security Division.

Library staff

10.12 The Library service continues to provide a vital information service in support of the legal work of the Commission. The Law Commission makes use, reciprocally, of a number of other libraries and particular thanks are due to the libraries of the Supreme Court, the Department for Constitutional Affairs, and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. The Library makes full use of the Internet and other electronic services and databases; where possible, these are also made available via each individual desktop PC. In addition, a large collection of printed sources is available for research. Library staff also provide training and advice in all areas of legal information research. In co-operation with DCA, the Library also provides a one-year library trainee programme for graduates intending to pursue a professional library and information studies course.

10.13 The Law Commission library staff are employed by the Library Information Service (LIS), which provides the judiciary and staff in the DCA, HMCS, and associated offices with the information resources and publications needed to carry out their work.

(Signed) SIR ROGER TOULSON, Chairman

HUGH BEALE

STUART BRIDGE

JEREMY HORDER

MARTIN PARTINGTON

STEVE HUMPHREYS, Chief Executive

12 April 2005

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