Lawyer - Childcare Litigation

Hertfordshire County Council; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 56,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council in Stevenage is seeking an experienced childcare lawyer to join the childcare litigation team on a full-time, permanent basis. The role covers care proceedings, pre-proceedings and adoption work.

You will advise Children's Services, draft key documents, attend court advocacy and provide training while supporting junior colleagues.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor/barrister/chartered legal executive with at least 2 years PQE.
• Experience in childcare litigation dealing with care proceedings, pre-proceedings and adoption work.
• Knowledge of Children Act 1989, Adoption and Children Act 2002, PLO 2014, and related law.
• Ability to manage a diverse and demanding caseload.
• Strong written and oral communication, reports and relationships.
• Experience working effectively within a team.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a mixed caseload of childcare matters including care, pre-proceedings and adoption.
• Attend advocacy in Family Court before various judges.
• Advise Children's Services to ensure decisions comply with the law.
• Draft case management documents, position statements and skeleton arguments.
• Advise on implications of changing legislation and policy.
• Attend planning and pre-proceedings meetings and provide training as directed.
• Support junior team members such as paralegals.

Skills

PQE 2+ years

Childcare litigation experience

Legal knowledge: Children Act 1989

Caseload management

Written and oral communication

Teamwork

Education

Qualified Solicitor / Barrister / Chartered Legal Executive

Job description

Job Title: Lawyer - Childcare Litigation

Starting Salary: £55,582 plus £5,878 market enhancement progressing to £61,460 plus £5,926 market enhancement per annum

Hours: 37 per week

Location: Stevenage with flexibility for hybrid working

Contract Type: Permanent

Directorate: Resources

About the team

The childcare litigation team deals with all child protection and adoption litigation on behalf of the Local Authority, as well as supporting the client department with conduct of pre-proceedings PLO matters and ad-hoc advice on any matters relating to children.

About the role

We are looking for an experienced childcare lawyer to join our highly regarded childcare litigation team on a full-time basis. As a childcare lawyer, you would be expected to carry out the following:

• Conduct and manage a mixed caseload of childcare matters including care proceedings, pre-proceedings and adoption legal work.
• Attend advocates meetings and conduct advocacy before the Family Court in matters listed before Magistrates, District Judges, Circuit Judges and where appropriate High Court Judges
• Provide legal advice and assistance to Children's Services to ensure that the decisions made by the Department are within legal boundaries.
• Draft all legal documentation including case management documents, position statements, skeleton arguments and schedule of allegations.
• Advising on the implications of changing legislation case law, practice directions and policy.
• Attend and advise at legal planning meetings, pre-proceedings meetings, professional meetings and other similar meetings, as directed by the Principal Lawyer
• To provide training on legal issues as directed by the Principal Lawyer.
• Liaise with key stakeholders and support the Principal Lawyers with strategic management tasks.
• Support the management of junior members of the team such a paralegals.

About you

Essential

• You will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive (with Litigation Rights) with at least 2 years PQE.
• Experience of working in a childcare litigation department and in holding a diverse range of cases of differing complexities.
• Working knowledge of the Children Act 1989, Adoption and Children Act 2002, Public Law Outline 2014 and the Children and Families Act 2014 and other directly relevant legislation.
• Demonstrable ability to manage a varied and demanding caseload
• Strong written and oral communication skills, used to build and maintain working relationships, and to produce and present reports
• Experience in working effectively as part of a team

Desirable

• It is possible that the role could involve travel to other parts of Hertfordshire and courts so access to your own transport would be beneficial or alternatively be able to access public transport for travel.
• Previous experience of working within a Local Authority environment would be useful but is not essential.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 13. Please locate the job profile here:

Interview Date : week commencing 9th November 2026

Additional information

We are changing

Hertfordshire County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings - Protection of Employment) principles. LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

DisabilityConfident

We are proud to be a and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

English Fluency

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required).