Children’s Solicitor

Essential Employment; Swindon; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

Essential Employment seeks a Children's Solicitor for a full-time temporary contract in Swindon. You will deliver timely legal advice and representation to Officers and Members on routine and complex matters, balancing risk and policy considerations.

You will manage a caseload, conduct legal research, draft documentation, act as advocate in proceedings, and ensure confidentiality and data protection compliance across all activities.

Responsibilities

• Provide accurate, succinct and timely legal advice, representation and support to Officers and Members of the Client in relation to routine transactional and complex matters, including assessing information sources and delivering balanced legal advice and decisions to assist and identify risks for the council.
• Hold day to day personal accountability for a case load of files
• Research legal questions and find solutions through analytical ability and thorough research arising from the Client’s work and converting into legal advice
• Analytically consider documents and evidence provided by the client department and other parties where appropriate
• To act as advocate and represent the Client in legal proceedings under all relevant legislation
• To negotiate, draft and complete all types of legal documentation including with external organisations
• Use the case management system, templates and processes within the department
• To engage in supervision and performance framework of legal services
• Maintain understanding of client functions, delegations, and decision-making processes
• Keep up to date with legislation, regulation, case law, codes of practice and policy and share knowledge within the legal team
• Undertake annual professional development required by the role holder’s professional body
• Ensure compliance with Client policies and procedures and practices
• Take steps to ensure confidentiality including encryption and redaction of documentation and use of electronic resources
• Participate in team meetings, briefings and staff events
• Complete mandatory training such as Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act and equality and diversity training as prescribed
• Promote equality and diversity best practice in all areas of work
• Protect the reputation of the Client
• Provide advice at internal and external meetings and at Committee
• Ensure continuous improvement of legal advice, processes and policies
• Attend and advise Cabinet or other Committees and establish good working relationships with other departments and outside agencies
• Promote high professional standards and contribute to team development
• Provide advice, support and mentor trainees and legal staff
• Carry out other duties as required by management and the Chief Legal Officer
• Undertake the functions and knowledge set out in the personal specification

Job description

Children's Solicitor needed in Swindon, £45.84ph PAYE – Reference: 139041

Key Accountabilities

• Provide accurate, succinct and timely legal advice, representation and support to Officers and Members of the Clientin relation to routine transactional and complex matters (depending upon experience) including providing solutions to problems taking into account a wide range of procedures and policies, legislation and practice which will include assessing sources of information that may be conflicting in nature and to deliver balanced legal advice and decisions for cases and situations to assist and identify risks for the council.
• Hold day to day personal accountability for a case load of files
• Research legal questions and find solutions to problems through analytical ability and thorough research arising from the work of the Client or its components or associated public bodies and converting that into legal advice for the client as necessary
• Analytically consider documents and other evidence provided by the client department and other parties where appropriate
• To act as advocate and represent the Client in legal proceedings under all legislation subject to the area of law
• To negotiate, draft and complete all types of legal documentation including where there is involvement with external organisations
• Use the case management system, templates and the processes and procedures put in place within the department.
• To engage in supervision and performance framework of legal services
• Have an understanding and knowledge of client functions, delegations, decision making processes.
• Keep up to date with, and to ensure implementation and adherence to, legislation, regulation, case law, codes of practice and policy relating to relevant areas of work and share that knowledge within the legal team
• Undertake the annual professional development required by the role holder's professional body
• Ensure compliance with Client policies and procedures, and client practices, as may be applicable.
• Take all reasonable steps to ensure appropriate confidentiality including the encryption and redaction of documentation and utilisation of electronic resources
• Actively participate in team meetings, information briefings and staff events
• Annually complete the Client's Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act and in equality and diversity training and other mandatory training as by their manager y the and/or the Chief Legal Officer;
• Promote equality and diversity best practice in all areas of work;
• Protect the reputation of the Client
• To provide advice at internal and external meetings and at Committee
• To ensure continuous improvement of legal advice, processes and policies to ensure the service is modern, effective and efficient and operates within the ethos of the 21st century public servant
• To attend and give advice to Cabinet or other Committees, Sub-Committees or Working Parties or other groups of the Client at public meetings or in closed sessions as and when required and to establish good working relationships with other departments and outside agencies
• Promote the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards throughout the work and service of the Client and to contribute towards the development of the team
• Provide advice support and Mentor trainee solicitor, legal assistants and Legal support officers
• Carry out other duties as required from time to time by their manager and/or the Chief Legal Officer as appropriate to the level of responsibility of the post;
• To undertake the functions and hold the knowledge set out in the personal specification table.

This is a full time role on a temporary contract basis.

All our roles may be subject to pre-employment checks including references so please be prepared.