Lead Lawyer - Children - CMB2725e

The Cumbria County Council; Carlisle; Hybrid; GBP 53,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The Cumbria County Council is seeking a Lead Lawyer – Children in Carlisle. You will handle your own caseload in children’s social care, including Family Court advocacy, with oversight from senior lawyers.

The role requires leadership and collaboration within the legal services team to ensure cost-effective, high-standard outcomes. You will be supported by a team of professionals in a flexible environment, with a mix of remote and office-based work.

Qualifications

• Qualified and admitted solicitors, barristers or legal executives required.
• Experience in children social care law preferred.
• Excellent communication and leadership abilities necessary.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of children social care matters.
• Advocate in Family Court on own cases.
• Provide legal advice across the department and supervise junior lawyers.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Work under pressure

Education

Qualified solicitor/barrister/legal executive

Job description

Job reference REQ00000020473 Date posted 16/10/2026 Application closing date 30/10/2026 Location Carlisle Salary £53,051 - £54,143 Package Blank Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time Attachments Blank

Job description

Job Title: Lead Lawyer - Children

Salary: £53,051 to £54,143 per annum

Hours: 37 hours per week

Location: Carlisle

Contract: Permanent

About this opportunity

As a Lead Lawyer in the Children’s legal team, you will handle your own caseload of children social care work which will include the preparation of cases before the Family Court (including advocacy before the Court) as well as the provision of legal advice and assistance across all levels of the local authority.

You will receive the support of more junior lawyers and legal officers whilst benefitting from overall supervision from the Senior Lawyers for the team. In addition, you will also work as part of the extended leadership team to ensure the provision of the most appropriate and cost-effective management of that team’s work. You will also contribute to the management of the wider legal services and support the organisation in achieving and maintaining a high standard of corporate governance.

We are looking for qualified and admitted solicitors, barristers or legal executives, ideally with experience and knowledge of children social care law.

This is a fantastic career opportunity for those looking to progress in a role where you will lead and supervise, as well as manage a more complex and corporately significant caseload.

You will be supported and mentored by a highly experienced team of professionals, in a friendly, open and honest environment, and as a service, we strongly encourage the progression and development of our employees.

Excellent communicators, the ability to work in a high-pressure environment, and an open and honest approach to management, are all qualities we are looking for in our Lead Lawyers. Cumberland Council is a modern and supportive employer, and we have both the technology and the commitment to allow our employees to work flexibly and efficiently.

Our service is currently working both remotely and in the office environment. In person attendance at Court, key meetings and some office attendance will be required.

If you are looking for a new challenge, in a friendly, supportive, and professionally stimulating environment, then we want to hear from you.

This role is available on a permanent basis.

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for individuals who embody our organisation's core values: ambitious, collaborative, compassionate, empowering, and innovative. We believe in the power of these values to drive positive change, deliver excellent public services and shape a better future for our communities.

We’re also about potential over perfection and we can help you grow in the role and thrive in your career.

Be sure to take a look at the post specification (below) for the essential criteria for this role.

Contact

For more information about the role or to arrange an informal chat prior to your application, please contact Martin McAlister by email at [e-mail]

Guaranteed Interviews

We offer a guaranteed interview to the following applicantsas long as your application can demonstrate you meet the essential criteria for the role.

• Those who consider themselves disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010
• Those in care or who have left care and are aged 24 and under
• Those who identify as a member of the British Armed Forces community (service leavers, veterans, their partners or spouses, reservists, cadets).

Diversity, Inclusion & Adjustments

We’re dedicated to enhancing the diversity of our workforce and we encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. That’s why we’re a proud Disability Confident Leader and also an Age Friendly Employer – to provide opportunities for everyone to thrive.

If you need any reasonable adjustments

If you need any reasonable adjustments to participate in the recruitment process, please let either the hiring manager or our Resourcing Team know by emailing [e-mail] . While adjustments aren’t always guaranteed, we’ll always listen and we’ll try our best to accommodate your needs.