Senior Employment Solicitor WCC622335

Hampshire County Council; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 56,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Westminster is seeking a Senior Employment Solicitor to provide legal advice on complex cases. This role involves advocating in various legal settings, driving a culture of service excellence, and improving outcomes for the community. Ideal candidates will have experience in civil litigation and employment law. A range of flexible working patterns available.

Benefits

Flexible working patterns

Inclusive workplace

Support for Care Leavers

Qualifications

• A qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of CILEX with solid knowledge of civil litigation.
• Demonstrated experience advising on Employment matters and negotiating settlement agreements.
• Experience representing at courts, tribunals, and inquiries is useful.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on Employment, Civil, and Criminal litigation matters.
• Conduct proceedings and advocate on behalf of the Council in legal settings.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement and excellent customer service.

Skills

Civil litigation knowledge

Employment law expertise

Negotiation skills

Strong communication

Analytical skills

Education

Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of CILEX qualification

Job description

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Salary range: £56,436 - £66,084 per annum. Salary negotiable depending upon experience
Work location: Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, Westminster, SW1E 6QP
Hours per week: 36
Contract type: Permanent
Closing date: 19 October 2025
Interview date: Week commencing 3 November 2025

About Us

THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF ARUNA’S DEDICATION TO TRANSFORMING LIVES
The Bi-Borough Legal Services team encompasses a world of extraordinary stories. Where people like Aruna work on projects that are helping to regenerate our borough and transform residents’ lives.
The Church Street Estate is an exciting, vibrant area and home to a diverse range of people, but it also has challenges that have led to social and economic exclusion for many. To meet these challenges, the legal team supported the creation of a masterplan, with the aim of improving the lives of everyone who lives and works here, while retaining and enhancing the unique and positive qualities of the neighbourhood.
Our ambition is to improve the quality of life for everyone in the area, by building 1,750 high quality homes, creating new green spaces and playgrounds, and providing services that will support health and wellbeing.
But such massive change can bring worry and conflict. Many older properties will have to be demolished to make way for the new, and many people who have lived in their homes for decades don’t want to say goodbye to cherished memories and familiar surroundings. Which is where Aruna and her team came into their own.
In the summer of 2024, a public inquiry was held into the compulsory purchase order made for a key site, and it was Aruna’s role to support the development team as they put forward the case for regeneration. Many of the people who objected were understandably fearful at the prospect of losing their homes, but Aruna was passionate in her promotion of the project and stressed that everyone in the area deserves better. And she was reassuring too, as she explained that compulsory powers would only be used as a last resort and anyone who is moved out of their current home will have a range of options, including to remain in the area. The regenerated area will offer unique opportunities, new jobs and a revived feeling of optimism.
Aruna’s commitment to a positive world of renewal for our residents is Westminster City Council’s commitment too, and the Church Street of the future will hopefully be a blueprint for progressive regeneration throughout our city.
To learn more about our plans, visit churchstreet.org

As a Senior Employment Solicitor in our Employment, Civil and Commercial Litigation Team, you can make your own powerful contribution to people across Westminster.

Across both complex and routine legal cases, you’ll provide effective and efficient legal advice on matters relating to Employment, Civil and Criminal litigation. Using your specialist knowledge, you’ll report to, liaise with and assist senior colleagues on high profile, politically sensitive and financially weighted cases.

Leading your cases with minimal supervision, but with the opportunity to draw on the expertise, knowledge and experience of supportive colleagues, you’ll conduct proceedings and appear as an advocate on behalf of the Council in Chambers, Courts, Tribunals, Inquiries and Inquests.

Taking a detail-oriented, customer centric approach to everything you do, you’ll help drive a culture of continuous improvement, service excellence and employee development.

Qualifications: A qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of CILEX (or equivalent) you’ll have solid knowledge of civil litigation and case law. You’ll also have demonstrable experience of dealing with and advising on Employment matters, and of negotiating and drafting settlement agreements. Previous experience working in local government would be useful, as would representation at courts, tribunals and enquiries.

On a personal level, you’ll be diplomatic, enterprising and communicative, with high level verbal and written communication skills. You’ll be confident explaining complex legal issues to non-specialist colleagues and stakeholders. Flexible, agile and solutions focused, you’ll put customer need at the heart of everything you do.

This is a fantastic opportunity to further your legal and professional skills in a fast-moving and challenging political environment, and to improve outcomes for Westminster residents, businesses and visitors.

Westminster City Council is committed to supporting Care Leavers into the workplace. Care Leavers seeking their first job and who wish to be considered under our scheme, will automatically be invited to interview should they meet the essential criteria for the role.

The Council is committed to achieving diverse shortlists to support our desire to increase the number of staff from underrepresented groups in our workforce. We especially encourage applications from a Global Majority (GM), people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or have been racialised as 'ethnic minorities' (formally known as B.A.M.E , Black, Asian and multiple ethnic) background and, while the role is open to all applicants, we will utilise the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to appoint a candidate from a global majority background where there is a choice between two candidates of equal merit. If you are from a Global Majority background you can self-declare this to the hiring manager as part of our positive action commitments

What We Offer

Westminster is an amazing place. We are home to more than 200,000 residents from all backgrounds, over 50,000 vibrant and vital businesses and three-quarters-of-a-million people work in Westminster. Westminster City Council’s strategy is to work towards a Fairer Westminster. A Fairer Westminster is one in which our communities are at the heart of our decision-making and help to determine the city’s future. By working directly with our communities and other partners, we can build a more inclusive city that celebrates our diverse communities, and where residents, workers and visitors from all backgrounds will feel welcome and safe.

At Westminster City Council, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive workplace and employer of choice. We encourage and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that, at all levels, represents the communities we serve. We champion equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, has a sense of belonging and is empowered to be their best, that is the Westminster Way. To find out more about how we do this visit https://www.westminster.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health-strategy-policies-and-reports/equality-duties

As a forward-thinking Council we appreciate that people work in different ways, therefore our staff benefit from working a range of flexible working patterns as well as Agile working.

The Council is a Disability Confident Employer. If you have declared a disability in your application, we guarantee an interview if you meet the essential criteria of the job. If you are invited for interview, you will be asked if you need any reasonable adjustments in order to attend, and we will make these wherever possible.