Elements and Performance Criteria
- Plan and prepare for the provision of support in criminal law
- Prepare and process documents involved in criminal law matters
- Documents are identified, prepared and processed in accordance with legal practices and procedures
- Documents are despatched in accordance with legal practices and procedures
- Incoming documents are checked for completeness and timely delivery, and sender is contacted where insufficient information or deadlines are not honoured
- Requests for information are reviewed with instructing legal officer and identified documents are retrieved, copied and despatched in accordance with legal practices and procedures
- Perform research to support instructing legal officer
- Files are reviewed and research requirements are determined in conjunction with instructing legal officer
- Relevant documents and exhibits are retrieved and processed
- Precedent and case law are retrieved, researched and reviewed, and summaries are made where appropriate
- Summaries are forwarded to instructing legal officer and explanations are presented where necessary
- Assist instructing legal officer to prepare for trial or service discipline proceedings
- Relevant trial/tribunal is identified and appropriate files are prepared
- Communications from client, police and other authorities and details of client’s charge and bail status are communicated to instructing legal officer
- File is discussed with instructing legal officer, and work is planned and diarised
- Availability of legal officers is canvassed and details are forwarded to instructing legal officer to facilitate engagement
- Opposing party’s legal representative is contacted on behalf of instructing legal officer and relevant information is exchanged
- Briefs for legal officers are prepared in conjunction with instructing legal officer and delivered
- Liaison and communication between instructing legal officer and other parties is facilitated
- Reminders of pending critical dates are forwarded to relevant persons
- Conduct trial/tribunal and post trial/tribunal administration
- Relevant trial/tribunal administrative instruction is prepared/processed
- Trial/tribunal participants are notified of relevant details
- Court/tribunal personnel are notified
- Post trial/tribunal, all documents are collected and archived as appropriate, outcomes are processed, accounts are prepared and relevant reviewing authority is notified