Lawyer - Childcare

Staffordshire County Council; Stafford; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Staffordshire County Council is seeking a qualified legal professional to join Staffordshire Legal Services as a Lawyer. The role offers hybrid working with one day in the Staffordshire office per week and occasional additional attendance to meet service needs.

You'll handle a range of casework, represent clients at meetings and hearings, and supervise junior staff when required. Interview date 21 October 2026 in Stafford.

Qualifications

• Solicitor with practising certificate, Fellow of CILEX with litigation/advocacy rights or a Barrister with practising certificate.
• Proven experience in the relevant legal area and understanding of the law relating to the role.
• Experience completing all aspects of relevant legal casework with limited supervision.
• Ability to communicate clearly in all media and draft straightforward to moderately complex legal documents.
• Ability to use own initiative, work under pressure and maintain high standards.

Responsibilities

• Completing all aspects of straightforward to moderately complex legal casework including drafting and negotiating complex documents and working under limited levels of supervision in order to contribute to the service delivery outcomes.
• Representing the relevant client at all case related meetings and conduct advocacy, including contested hearings at appropriate court hearings.
• Achieving chargeable hour targets and maintain strict adherence to the Lexcel quality standard including time-recording.
• Supervising and managing junior staff as requested.

Skills

Qualified lawyer

Litigation experience

Advocacy rights

Communication skills

Education

Solicitor with practising certificate

Fellow of CILEX (litigation/advocacy)

Barrister with practising certificate

Job description

Are you a qualified legal professional looking for an opportunity to undertake meaningful, varied work that makes a real difference to communities?

Staffordshire County Council is seeking a talented Lawyer to join our highly regarded Staffordshire Legal Services team. Whether your experience comes from private practice, public sector, or a mixed legal background, this is an opportunity to develop your career within a collaborative and forward-thinking legal environment.

As part of an accredited professional advisory service, you'll provide high-quality legal support to the Council and a range of external clients, helping deliver services that positively impact residents, communities and partner organisations across Staffordshire.

We offer a hybrid working arrangement, with colleagues expected to work from the office at least one day each week. There will also be occasions when additional office attendance is required to support team, service or business needs.

You will be involved in:

• Completing all aspects of straightforward to moderately complex legal casework including drafting and negotiating complex documents and working under limited levels of supervision in order to contribute to the service delivery outcomes.
• Representing the relevant client at all case related meetings and conduct advocacy, including contested hearings at appropriate court hearings.
• Achieving chargeable hour targets and maintain strict adherence to the Lexcel quality standard including time-recording.
• Supervising and managing junior staff as requested.

The minimum criteria that will be used to shortlist for this role will be:

• A Solicitor with practising certificate, Fellow of CILEX with litigation/advocacy rights or a Barrister with practising certificate and authorisation to conduct litigation.
• Have proven experience in the relevant legal area and demonstrate an understanding of the law relating to the role.
• Demonstrate experience of completing all aspects of relevant legal casework with limited supervision.
• Show an ability to clearly communicate in all media forms; verbally, digitally and in writing and an ability to draft straightforward to moderately complex legal documents.
• Ability to se their own initiative and will work well under pressure, meeting competing demands, and consistently maintaining a high standard of work.

No previous local government experience is necessary but you will be able to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the work done by this Council and operate comfortably alongside a professional client.

Interviews will be held on the 21st October 2026 in Stafford.

For an informal chat about the role please contact Farzana Bi, Senior Team Solicitor at: [e-mail]

Our Recruitment Process:

We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.

Please note: The minimum essential criteria in the ideal candidate section detailed above will be used if you are applying under one of our Interview Guarantee Schemes.