Postdoctoral Researcher, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies

Reporting to the Professor Linda Mulcahy, The post holder will work at the
Centre for Socio-Legal Studies as a postdoctoral fellow on a Nuffield
Foundation funded project entitled ‘Developing a mixed funding model for free
and early legal advice’.





The legal advice sector supports the most vulnerable in society, but its
funding model is widely agreed to be in crisis. This is having a widespread
impact on access to justice and the provision of safety-nets of support that
impact on wider wellbeing and life chances. This project will facilitate
evidence-based national debate about creative and supplementary funding models
capable of providing a sustainable future for the sector. It goes beyond a
focus on increasing legal aid funding for individual cases to acknowledging
the broader work the sector does in educating the public, preventing disputes,
triaging, and providing advice in areas that fall outside of legal aid.





Interdisciplinary and cross-jurisdictional research will explore a range of
international funding models which have either been ignored, or remain under-
developed, in a domestic context. It will involve an in-depth examination of
overseas schemes (history, characteristics, costs and benefits) to assess the
potential for transplantation to England and Wales. There will be four key
stages: (a) interviews to assess priorities and efficient and effective
systems for fund distribution; (b) a comprehensive review of overseas schemes;
(c) pause and evaluation; and (d) six in-depth case studies. Each stage will
be informed by stakeholder engagement workshops involving jurisdictional
experts, lawyers, advice providers, financiers, regulators, insurers,
economists and academics. The project will result in an open access database,
a series of policy briefings, an accessible project report with practical
recommendations and widespread dissemination of findings.





The postholder will work with a research group comprised of the PI, an
economist, a part time law and economic post-doctoral fellow, the Access to
Justice foundation (project partner) and an advisory board.





The successful applicant should hold or be close to completion of, a relevant
PhD/DPhil in a relevant subject, together with relevant experience; possess
sufficient specialist knowledge in the social sciences or socio-legal studies
to conduct the research required; ability to manage own academic research and
associated activities; previous experience of contributing to report writing,
publications and presentations and excellent communication skills, including
the ability to write for publication, present research proposals and results
to expert professional groups, and represent the research group at meetings in
a way that engenders confidence in outputs.





This post is full time and fixed term from 24 months from 1 April 2025 to 31
March 2027. The postholder will be based at the Centre for Socio-Legal
Studies, Manor Road, Manor Road Building, OX1 3UQ.





You will be required to submit a covering letter and CV as part of your
application.





Closing date for applications is midday on Monday 20th January 2025 Interviews
will take place as soon as possible after the closing date, most likely in
early February.





Shortlisted candidates will be asked to supply an example of their written
work in advance of interview.