Associate - LG Governance

Anthony Collins Solicitors; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A specialist law firm is seeking an experienced Governance Lawyer in the United Kingdom to support their Local Government and Planning Team. The role involves advising on governance matters, drafting legal documents, and supporting public sector clients through significant governance changes. Ideal candidates should possess substantial experience in local government governance, strong drafting skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities. This position offers hybrid working options, generous holiday, and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Hybrid working

25 days holiday plus 2 gift days

3 days for social purpose volunteering

On-site gym access

Qualifications

• Experience handling or supporting investigations, standards issues.
• Experience working with public sector clients, ideally local authorities.
• Comfortable managing competing priorities and working independently.

Responsibilities

• Advising on governance and constitutional matters.
• Drafting and reviewing governance documents.
• Supporting clients through governance change.
• Conducting investigations as required.

Skills

Solid experience in local government governance

Strong understanding of local authority powers

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Ability to draft clear governance documentation

Education

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister (England & Wales)

3+ years PQE

Job description

About the role and team

Our nationally recognised Local Government and Planning Team is looking for an experienced Governance Lawyer (ideally 3+ years PQE) to support our thriving Chambers and Legal 500-ranked practice. We work with a wide range of local authorities, combined authorities and public bodies across the country, advising on some of the most interesting and impactful governance matters in the sector.

Clients include:

• A broad mix of local authorities (as referenced on our website and approved client list)
• Local government organisations undertaking significant governance, constitutional and structural change
• Public bodies requiring specialist governance and monitoring officer support

Recent work includes:

• Advising a Metropolitan Borough Council on a full constitution review, including executive arrangements and delegations
• Supporting a Local Government client on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
• Conducting independent investigations relating to member/officer conduct and standards matters
• Advising multiple authorities on access to information, committee governance and decision-making structures

About the Team:

• Led by Partner Claire Ward, former Monitoring Officer of Herefordshire Council and nationally recognised governance specialist
• Supported by Sue Bearman (Legal Director and former Monitoring Officer) and Alex Lawrence (Legal Director and Legal 500/Chambers-ranked specialist)
• Friendly, collaborative and values-driven, with a strong focus on public sector impact

Key Responsibilities:

• Advising monitoring officers and in-house legal teams on a full range of governance and constitutional matters
• Drafting, reviewing and advising on constitutions, delegations, and governance frameworks
• Advising on standards, member/officer relationships and conduct issues
• Supporting and/or conducting investigations
• Advising on access to information (FOIA/EIR)
• Supporting clients through governance change, including LGR
• Developing business opportunities through training, thought leadership and client engagement

About the candidate

We are looking for a motivated Governance Lawyer who is committed to working with local authority clients and enjoys tackling complex governance questions.

Experience Required:

• Solid experience in local government governance gained in-house or in private practice
• Advising on constitutions, decision-making structures, delegations and governance frameworks
• Experience handling or supporting investigations, standards issues or conduct matters
• Experience working with public sector clients, ideally local authorities

Technical Skills:

• Strong understanding of local authority powers, functions and governance frameworks
• Ability to draft clear, robust governance documentation
• Confident advising at pace and managing multiple deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

People & Management Skills:

• Able to build strong client relationships and work collaboratively with monitoring officers
• Comfortable managing competing priorities and working independently when required
• A proactive, solution-focused mindset

Qualifications:

• Qualified Solicitor or Barrister (England & Wales)
• Ideally 3+ years PQE, though all levels with strong governance experience will be considered

About the firm

What's in it for you?

• Hybrid working.
• 25 days holiday, 2 gift days at Christmas.
• The opportunity to give back and have 3 days available for social purpose volunteering.
• For Birmingham Colleagues, we have a newly refurbished office with an onsite café and free access to an on-site gym.
• All IT equipment and support for effective home working
• An excellent technical training programme and opportunities to grow sector expertise

Anthony Collins Solicitors is a specialist law firm with a clear purpose - to "improve lives, communities and society". For over 50 years we've been successfully combining market-leading legal expertise with a commitment to excellence and long-term relationships underpinned by a strong set of values.

What makes Anthony Collins Solicitors distinctive, beyond simply being a sector-specialist law firm, is our people and the values we share. We're extremely proud of the calibre of people that we attract; people who are inspired by our values, motivated by our vision and work with our clients to positively influence the society and communities we are building together.

Anthony Collins Solicitors is a committed Equal Opportunities employer promoting equality of opportunity. This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.