Childcare Lawyers

Cheshire East; Crewe; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in Crewe is seeking Lawyers & Senior Lawyers for their Childcare legal team. The role involves conducting legal proceedings, providing advocacy, and supporting clients with high-quality legal advice. Ideal candidates will be qualified solicitors with strong skills in negotiation and communication. Benefits include enhanced annual leave, flexible working patterns, and discounts on gym memberships.

Benefits

34 days annual leave

Career average pension

Flexible working pattern

Cycle to work scheme

Paid volunteer leave

Employee assistance programme

Discounted gym memberships

Qualifications

• Wide range of post qualification experience in Childcare law.
• Ability to provide high quality legal advice.
• Demonstrable skills in negotiation and communication.

Responsibilities

• Conduct Childcare proceedings and provide advocacy before the Family Courts.
• Support Principal Lawyers and provide legal advice.
• Assist clients and stakeholders through training.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Ability to work under pressure

Legal drafting

Negotiation skills

Advocacy skills

Education

Solicitor, Barrister or Legal Executive qualification

Job description

Overview

CHILDCARE LAWYERS

A number of rewarding and engaging opportunities have arisen within Cheshire East’s Legal Services for Lawyers & Senior Lawyers within our Childcare legal team. This is the opportunity to grow and enhance your skills & experience, within a forward thinking, dynamic and supportive legal team, to really make a positive difference to the children of Cheshire East. This is an exciting time to join us at Cheshire East. With a new senior leadership team and great working relationships, this is the time to bring your skills and experience to shape and develop the work the childcare legal team do and the services that they provide. Working together with our client department to continue to develop effective and positive ways of working, enhancing skills with training opportunities and support, as well as being part of an upwards moving improvement journey to meaningful, worthwhile and positive change.

About the role

Legal Services provide legal and procedural advice and support to our client department, in the most effective and efficient way to meet the requirements of the Council has a whole and specific Services and Departments.

These roles provide support to the Principal Lawyers, including but not limited to, conducting Childcare proceedings, pre-proceedings, Deprivation of Liberty matters, Judicial Review, UASC and some school/education appeals on behalf of the Council. You will provide advice and support to our client departments, and conduct advocacy before the Family Courts.

We are a close-knit supportive team, working hard towards positive outcomes for our client departments and the people of Cheshire East. Caseloads are monitored & supported, and there is a varied range & nature of work available. You will also be encouraged to build on your career goals, in a forward thinking, inclusive Authority.

About you

• Be an admitted Solicitor, Barrister or Legal Executive with a current practising certificate or equivalent.
• Have a wide range of post qualification experience in Childcare law.
• Provide timely, high quality, legal, tactical & strategic advice.
• Have excellent communication skills, be able to work under pressure and to prioritise your workload to meet tight deadlines.
• Be able to represent the Council, including a willingness to undertake advocacy.
• Have excellent oral and written communication skills as well as demonstrable skills in negotiation, drafting, and persuading.
• Be able to work confidently & effectively either alone or as part of a team.
• Support and assist the rest of the team as well as build & maintain excellent client relationships.
• Be required to provide training to clients and stakeholders as required.
• Find out more about our essential criteria for the role please view the ‘In This Job You Will Need’ section within the attached JDPS document.

What we give in return

• ENHANCED ANNUAL LEAVE - 34 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays) from day 1, increasing up to 39 days after only 5 years\' service
• ENHANCED PUBLIC PENSION - A career average pension (contributions built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay
• FLEXIBLE WORKING PATTERN - 37-hour standard full time working week and hybrid/remote working arrangements
• PURCHASE OF ANNUAL LEAVE - The ability to purchase up to 10 days\' extra annual leave each year in addition to your normal annual leave entitlements (this is pro-rata for part time staff)
• CYCLE TO WORK SCHEME - Receive up Income Tax and National Insurance savings of up to 25-39% off the retail price of the bike and safety equipment package (savings dependent on the value of your chosen package and your tax status
• EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME - A completely free to use and confidential assistance service for all employees to help staff manage, reduce and overcome the impact of life issues which they may experience from time to time, both within work and their personal life
• PAID VOLUNTEER LEAVE – Up to two days paid leave per year to volunteer for local organisations in the borough of Cheshire East
• VIRGIN MEDIA AND O2 DISCOUNTS - Exclusive discounts on Virgin Media Broadband and O2 pay monthly plans.
• DISCOUNTED GYM MEMBERSHIPS - Access to corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure which includes: Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities, Off-Peak Racket Sports, Athletics Tracks, Sauna/Steam/Spa

To find out more about our rewards and benefits package, please click on the following link; Employee benefits (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

How to apply

If you want to be part of Cheshire East Council and contribute to our ongoing success, have the flexibility and drive to enable us to innovate, are committed to working as part of a team and striving to deliver exceptional service wherever you can, we would especially like to hear from you.

To apply for the role please click apply for this job at the bottom of the page, or, for an informal chat about the role please contact: Jennie Summers – Acting Head of Legal Services via email [e-mail]

CV’s or applications sent by email will not be accepted.