Legal/Senior Legal Adviser (Childcare)

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL; England; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in the United Kingdom is offering an opportunity for a Legal/Senior Adviser specializing in child care law. The role involves advising on legal matters, managing complex cases, and ensuring compliance with statutory obligations. The position provides a supportive environment within a close-knit team, a competitive salary, various flexible working options, and generous benefits including holidays and a pension. This is ideal for qualified individuals looking to advance their career in a valued team.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Generous holiday allowance

Desirable pension scheme

Qualifications

• Must be a qualified Solicitor/Barrister/Filex with litigation qualifications.
• Recent experience in providing legal advice on child care law.
• Demonstrated ability in client care with practical applications.

Responsibilities

• Advise Children’s Services on legal aspects of cases.
• Manage a complex case load and present cases to Court.
• Ensure resources are allocated appropriately and statutory commitments are met.

Skills

Drafting skills

Client care

Child care law knowledge

Public law experience

Education

Solicitor/Barrister/Filex qualifications

Job description

Supporting the Safeguarding Children’s Team, our close-knit group of 19 enjoy working with Children’s Services to ensure vulnerable children in Hampshire are protected. Join our team with this unique opportunity.

We currently have a Legal/Senior Adviser role (Solicitor, Barrister or FILEX with litigation rights) available within our friendly team, with the remit of providing advice relating to all aspects of public children act proceedings including care proceedings, deprivation of liberty cases and adoption, including advocacy. Our roles offer the unique level of support that comes with working within this team and Hampshire County Council generally and provides a valuable opportunity to further your career in our well-respected team.

This post is being advertised at both F and G grades with Market Supplement of up £7,500 per annum available, dependent on experience. You will be appointed as either a Legal Adviser or as a Senior Legal Adviser, depending on experience and qualifications relevant to the criteria in below Candidate Pack.

What you’ll do:

As a Legal/Senior Legal Adviser, you will hold a complex case load, advising Children’s Services directly on legal aspects of this specialised area of law, and how best to present cases to Court. Working with both Council colleagues and external third parties, you will take responsibility for these cases, ensuring resources have been allocated appropriately and that statutory commitments are being met.

What we’re looking for:

We are looking for a qualified Solicitor/Barrister/Filex with litigation qualifications. You need good knowledge and recent experience of providing legal advice on specialism i.e child care law, good drafting skills as well as good understanding of the concept of client care with evidence of having applied this in practice. Applications are welcomed from those newly qualified with experience in public law children proceedings.

Why join us:

Our commitment to delivering an exceptional quality of life to our residents also extends to our employees. It is important to us that our staff feel supported in their work. We offer benefits package with a variety of flexible working options and furthermore, you will benefit from a competitive salary, a generous holiday allowance and access to a desirable pension scheme. The work is varied, important, and fundamental to the County Council’s corporate priorities, so you will need to be highly resilient and motivated.