Regulatory Lawyer

West Midlands Police; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days' annual leave

Additional annual leave

Police Mutual benefits

Discounts across gyms, travel, tech

Family-friendly policies

24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

West Midlands Police is seeking a Regulatory Lawyer (Discipline & Inquests) to join the Joint Legal Services team serving Staffordshire and West Midlands Police. You will manage a varied caseload, advise on misconduct and inquests, and contribute to high‑profile regulatory work.

The role offers flexible, hybrid working with office attendance and the chance to develop specialist expertise in public sector law while engaging with senior clients. Some advocacy may be required as part of the role.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor, barrister or Chartered Legal Executive with experience handling complex legal work.
• Experience in inquests, police misconduct or public sector regulatory matters is advantageous.
• Ability to analyse complex issues and communicate confidently with senior clients.

Responsibilities

• Manage a complex caseload with a high degree of autonomy.
• Provide timely, pragmatic legal advice to clients.
• Advise on and represent the forces in legal proceedings, including inquests.
• Draft legal documents and provide advocacy where appropriate.
• Instruct and work with external legal advisers and Counsel on more complex matters.
• Develop effective relationships with senior clients and stakeholders.
• Some basic advocacy, with Counsel handling more complex matters.

Skills

Legal analysis

Advocacy

Stakeholder management

Court proceedings

Education

Qualified Solicitor

Barrister

Chartered Legal Executive

Job description

Regulatory Lawyer (Discipline & Inquests)

Are you looking for a legal role where the work is genuinely interesting, high-profile and has a direct impact on public confidence?

This is an opportunity to join the Joint Legal Services team supporting Staffordshire Police and West Midlands Police, working on a varied caseload spanning police misconduct, inquests, public inquiries, public order and other regulatory matters.

This is a new role created as the team continues to grow. It would suit an experienced lawyer who enjoys complex work, wants meaningful exposure to senior clients and is looking to develop further within a specialist area of public sector law.

Why this role?

The work is varied and rarely routine. You could find yourself advising on a police misconduct matter one day, representing the force at an inquest the next, or working alongside Counsel on a complex public inquiry. The role provides the opportunity to develop expertise in areas of law that can be difficult to access elsewhere.

You will also have the opportunity to build strong working relationships with the Force Executive Team and senior officers, giving you valuable exposure to senior decision-makers and high-profile legal issues.

The work has a clear public purpose. By supporting the Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner and helping ensure professional standards are upheld, you will play an important role in maintaining public trust and confidence in policing.

And whilst previous experience of police regulatory work would be advantageous, it is not essential. The team is willing to support the right lawyer to develop their expertise, with on-the-job training and opportunities to shadow colleagues on specialist matters.

The role

Working as one of four lawyers reporting to a Senior Lawyer, you will provide a comprehensive legal service to the Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner for both Staffordshire and West Midlands Police. Your work will include:

• Managing a complex caseload with a high degree of autonomy.
• Providing timely, pragmatic legal advice to clients.
• Advising on and representing the forces in legal proceedings
• Representing the force in inquests and other regulatory proceedings.
• Working on police discipline and misconduct matters, including the preparation of charges relating to alleged breaches of professional standards.
• Advising on public inquiries, inquests, public order and other regulatory matters.
• Drafting legal documents and providing advocacy where appropriate.
• Instructing and working with external legal advisers and Counsel on more complex matters.
• Developing effective relationships with senior clients and other stakeholders.
• The role will involve some basic advocacy, whilst Counsel will be instructed on more complex matters.

About you

You will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive with experience of handling complex legal work with minimal supervision. We are particularly interested in lawyers with experience of inquests, although applications are welcomed from a range of backgrounds.

Your experience could have been gained in:

• A local authority or other public sector legal team
• A police or other public sector environment
• Private practice, particularly where you have worked on complex contentious or regulatory matters

Experience of police misconduct, public inquiries, public order or other regulatory work would be advantageous, but direct police experience is not required.

More important is your ability to analyse complex issues, exercise sound judgement and communicate confidently with senior clients. You will be comfortable managing your own caseload, influencing others and dealing with sensitive and high-profile legal matters.

Higher Rights Advocacy and experience of coaching or mentoring colleagues would also be advantageous.

What you can expect

This is a friendly and supportive team where colleagues work closely together and there is plenty of scope to develop.

You will receive exposure to genuinely interesting legal work and have the opportunity to build a specialist practice in an area that can open up further career opportunities.

The role offers 36.5 hours per week, flexible working and the ability to work from home when appropriate. You will be required to work from both the West Midlands and Staffordshire offices depending on service requirements, with the standard expectation of two days per week in the office.

The package includes:

• 28 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with service
• Option to purchase additional annual leave
• Access to Police Mutual financial and healthcare services
• Discounts across gyms, travel, technology and more
• Family-friendly policies
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme