Lawyer - Adults

Dorset Council; Dorchester; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization in Dorchester is seeking a qualified lawyer to join their Adult Care Legal team. This role will involve providing high-quality legal advice related to adult social care matters, managing a varied caseload, and conducting Court of Protection proceedings. The position supports flexible working and emphasizes professional development. Ideal candidates will be collaborative and have strong communication skills, along with a solid understanding of relevant legislation.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Training and development opportunities

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Experience in handling a busy and varied caseload.
• Motivation to develop a working knowledge of relevant legislation.
• Genuine interest in Court of Protection work.

Responsibilities

• Provide clear, high-quality legal advice.
• Manage own caseload with appropriate support.
• Conduct Court of Protection proceedings as required.

Skills

Clear written and verbal legal advice

Collaborative and solution-focused approach

Strong communication skills

Understanding of adult social care legislation

Education

Qualified lawyer

Job description

This is a chance to do work with real purpose in a friendly, supportive and forward-thinking legal team at Dorset Council. Your advice will have a direct impact on people’s lives, and you’ll be encouraged to build confidence and develop your expertise, particularly in Court of Protection work.

Hybrid and flexible working are well established, and your development will be supported through regular one-to-ones, training and ongoing professional conversations.

What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll join Dorset Council’s Adult Care Legal team as a qualified lawyer, providing clear, high-quality legal advice that supports life-changing decisions for vulnerable adults and their families.

The role involves advising on a range of adult social care matters, managing your own caseload with appropriate support and supervision, drafting legal documents, responding to correspondence, and contributing to meetings with colleagues and partners.

Where required, you’ll conduct Court of Protection proceedings and respond to applications, while also contributing to shared learning and training within the team.

About You

• you’ll be a qualified lawyer with experience of handling a busy and varied caseload, confident in giving clear written and verbal legal advice
• you’ll bring a collaborative, solution-focused approach and strong communication skills, with the ability to work well with colleagues and stakeholders
• you’ll have an understanding and working knowledge of adult social care legislation, including the Care Act 2014, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Mental Health Act 1983, or the motivation and ability to develop this quickly with support, alongside a genuine interest in Court of Protection work and continued professional development.

Further Information

If you would like to have an informal discussion about the role please contact Sue Turner Business Partner/Senior Solicitor - 01035 224183.

This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.

About Us

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

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At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive.

You Will

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.