Lawyer (Civil Litigation)

Care Quality Commission; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health and social care regulatory body in the UK is seeking a qualified Lawyer to join their Civil Litigation Team. The role involves providing legal advice, supporting senior lawyers, and leading complex casework related to public safety. The position offers a permanent contract with competitive benefits and the possibility of hybrid working. Applicants must have relevant legal expertise and experience in health and social care regulation.

Benefits

Annual leave starting at 27 days

Training and development opportunities

Wellbeing initiatives

NHS pension scheme

Discount schemes and reward vouchers

Qualifications

• 2 years post-qualification experience or substantial relevant experience in health and social care regulation.
• Experience managing legal caseloads, advising on enforcement activity.
• Proven ability to build relationships and contribute to shared goals in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert legal advice to support teams across CQC.
• Coach and supervise Trainees and Paralegals.
• Build strong relationships to embed legal thinking in decision-making.

Skills

Legal qualification

Casework management

Collaborative working

Education

Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of CILEx

Job description

Overview

Grade B - £39,784 (National) or £45,456 (London – for London office based or homebased workers within the boundary of the M25). There is also a recruitment & retention allowance of £3,000 per annum.

Contracted Hours: Full time 37 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Office based at London or Leeds Office. Lawyers in the Civil Litigation Team are office-based to support learning and development. Reasonable adjustments will be considered. Hybrid working (2 days a week from home) can be offered.

Closing date: Sunday 5 October 2025 at 11.59pm

The role

As a Lawyer in the civil litigation team within the Legal Services Directorate at CQC, you will help ensure our decisions are legally sound and support our work to improve health and social care across England. You may have the chance to:

• Lead on complex legal casework that supports regulatory enforcement and protects public safety.
• Support Senior Lawyers on complex Judicial Review claims.
• Deliver training and legal awareness sessions that empower teams across CQC to make informed, lawful decisions.

The responsibilities

• Provide expert legal advice: Support teams across CQC with clear, solutions-focused guidance that helps manage legal risks.
• Support and develop others: Coach and supervise Trainees and Paralegals to build capability within the team.
• Collaborate and influence: Build strong relationships across CQC to embed legal thinking into everyday decision-making.

The team

Apart of the Legal Services Directorate, you will work with colleagues across the directorate. The team handles appeals to the First-tier Tribunal, Upper Tribunal appeals, private law claims, litigated public law challenges and employment matters.

Requirements & expectations

• Legal qualification and experience: You’ll be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, with either 2 years post-qualification experience or substantial relevant experience in health and social care regulation.
• Casework and enforcement expertise: Experience managing legal caseloads, advising on enforcement activity, and presenting complex legal information clearly. Experience of First-tier Tribunal appeals, Judicial Review claims and other relevant litigation will be beneficial.
• Collaborative working: Proven ability to build relationships, support colleagues, and contribute to shared goals in a fast-paced environment.

Compliance

To progress your application, you’ll need to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK. We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. Some roles may be subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

Next steps

If you apply, you’ll need to create a profile and complete an online application form. Your application will be anonymous in the process. See the information for applicants for more details on the process. We contact every applicant to let them know the outcome of their application, so you will hear from us whether or not you are shortlisted.

You can read the full details of the role in the Job Description.

If you’d like an informal chat about the role contact Sarah Potter, Legal Manager, or email recruitment at the CQC. For general enquiries, please email the recruitment team.

The Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including:

• Annual leave starting at 27 days per year, rising to 32.5 days with service, plus bank holidays.
• Training and development opportunities.
• Wellbeing initiatives, such as gym discounts and meditation.
• NHS pension scheme, with around 14% employer contribution.
• Discount schemes, reward vouchers, car leasing and more.

Please see our benefits page for the full list.

Equity and Inclusion

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds. If you need adjustments to our process, we’ll work with you to remove any barriers. We promote fairness, respect and inclusion as core values and offer support through employee networks. See our ED&I information for more details.

Values

Excellence, Caring, Integrity, and Teamwork. We are a disability confident and carer confident employer.

Note on AI

AI tools can assist with research and drafting, but your application should reflect your real skills and experience. Do not copy AI-generated answers. Providing false information may lead to the application being withdrawn or termination of employment.