Lead SEN Lawyer

Hertfordshire County Council; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 64,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council in Stevenage seeks an experienced Lead SEN Lawyer to lead the local authority’s SEN litigation and represent the Council at First Tier Tribunal hearings at all levels of complexity. You will manage a personal caseload and provide expert advice to senior colleagues within the Council’s multidisciplinary team.

The role requires drafting skill, strong advocacy, and supervisory responsibility for lawyers and paralegals, with a hybrid working arrangement in Stevenage.

Qualifications

• Recognised legal qualification (Solicitor, Barrister, or Chartered Legal Executive).
• Significant experience in SEN litigation.
• Demonstrable people management skills.
• Excellent time management with ability to handle a busy caseload.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and staying current with law and practice.
• Strong governance and local authority awareness to ensure compliance.

Responsibilities

• Represent the Local Authority in First Tier Tribunal hearings on SEN matters of varying complexity.
• Draft all documents for hearings, including preliminary documents.
• Identify key issues and craft cogent arguments.
• Provide advocacy in the First Tier Tribunal.
• Supervise lawyers, trainees and paralegals on SEN matters.
• Liaise with clients, the First Tier Tribunal, and external solicitors/counsel as required.
• Support governance processes and committees as needed.

Skills

SEN litigation

People management

Time management

CPD

Governance awareness

Job description

Job Introduction

Job Title: Lead SEN Lawyer

Starting Salary: £63,471 plus £7,333 market enhancement progressing to £71,045 plus £6,666 market enhancement per annum

Hours: 37 per week

Location: Stevenage with hybrid working opportunities

Contract Type: Permanent

Directorate: Resources

About The Team

Acting as lead expert in area of SEN law, relying on significant professional and technical expertise to deliver expert level advice on a range of complex issues, and effectively managing the competing priorities of a busy caseload.

The role is part of a multidisciplinary Team that undertakes work in relation Adults, Children ,Health and Education

About The Role

An experienced and enthusiastic Lead Lawyer to represent the Local Authority principally in First Tier Tribunal hearings concerning Special Educational Needs at all levels of complexity and with responsibility for managing a personal case load.

• To ensure that the client departments decisions are made within legal boundaries and achieve their aims and objectives and accord with Local Authority policy
• Provide expert level advice to senior professionals within key Client departments and members as required.
• Have experience of providing SEN law support to Local Authority or similar public sector organisation
• To draft all documents related to the effective conduct of the hearings including preliminary documents.
• To identify the key issues in the case and formulate cogent and compelling arguments
• Have experience in Advocacy within the First Tier Tribunal
• You will be client facing and as well as working directly with clients , you will also have regular contact with the First Tier Tribunal and solicitors/counsel instructed by parents.
• Provide supervisory support to lawyers, trainees and paralegals on SEN Law matters.
• Strong governance and local authority awareness to ensure Council compliance in decision making in relevant area, and supporting relevant Committees as required.
• Continuous professional development to keep up to date across best practice and new legislation/ case law for area. Ensuring sharing of this information across team.

About You

Essential

• You will need to have a recognised legal qualification as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive.
• Significant experience in SEN litigation
• Demonstrable people management skills
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to manage a busy caseload
• Continuous professional development to keep up to date across best practice and new legislation/ case law for area. Ensuring sharing of this information across team.
• Strong governance and local authority awareness to ensure Council compliance in decision making in relevant area, and supporting relevant Committees as required

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 14. Please locate the job profile here:

Job profiles - Corporate services

To hear more about this opportunity please contact [e-mail] for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date

to be confirmed

Additional Information

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/

Disability Confident

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer 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). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.