Senior Enforcement (Litigation) Lawyer

Adecco; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in Newham is seeking a Senior Lawyer (Contracts and Procurement) to provide strategic legal advice. The role involves leading a team, managing complex cases, and supporting legal solutions across multiple disciplines. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership and management skills, have experience in local government law, and be a qualified solicitor or barrister. This position offers a competitive pay rate of £50-£60 an hour, with hybrid working options available.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing and delivering functions within shared services.
• Ability to contribute to setting strategic direction of Legal Services.
• In-depth knowledge in civil litigation, Contracts and Procurement.

Responsibilities

• Support the Principal Lawyer in providing high-level legal advice.
• Manage a team of up to 10 lawyers and support staff.
• Lead complex litigation and enforcement cases.

Skills

People management

Leadership

Service improvement

Transformational change in Legal Services

Knowledge of local government powers

Education

Qualified solicitor or barrister

Job description

Client

Local Authority in Newham

Job Title

Senior Lawyer (Contracts and Procurement)

Pay Rate

£50-£60 an hour UMBRELLA

Hours

36 Hours a week (Mon-Fri) 9AM-5PM

Duration

Initial 3 month Contract

Location

Hybrid working – will be office based in Newham Dockside

Description

Job Purpose:

To support the Principal Lawyer and Legal Services management team in the provision of strategic, high level legal advice to the Councils, Members and Officers, and support the provision of legal solutions in Contracts and Procurement and related areas to enable the Councils to progress with corporate goals.

To lead and manage a team in a shared back office support service. The team will include lawyers, legal officers and support staff, and the Senior Lawyer will support the Team Leader in the delivery of a portfolio of high quality, solution focused legal work in more than one discipline and across multiple sites, to customers in different organisations.

Case Management

• Leading on complex litigation and enforcement cases, which may include tenancy management, anti-social behaviour (ASB), housing disrepair, homelessness, public law (including Judicial Review), and regulatory law matters.
• To support the Principal Lawyer in meeting the strategic aims of the Legal Services department.
• To build positive relationships with customers, assisting the Principal Lawyer in the role as relationship manager, and developing and marketing new and innovative solutions.
• To support the Principal Lawyer in developing ways of maximising and improving income generation and identifying savings.

Specific Responsibilities

• Pick up casework arising in their respective teams during peak times or where additional resources are required to meet demand, and if requested to do so by the Principal Lawyer provide support to other teams.
• Support complex strategic projects across multi-functional teams, assisting to ensure that an innovative and commercial solutions focus is adopted across projects.
• Ensure that the Councils, clients, and members are kept abreast of the law as necessary, and determine the effect of new legislation, advising on developments as necessary.
• Have responsibility for a team of up to 10 lawyers and support staff, potentially working across legal disciplines and over multiple sites.
• Carry out advocacy when necessary on own caseload, and not to instruct external support except in accordance with agreed procedures.
• Attend meetings of the Councils as required to provide legal and governance advice.

Experience / Qualifications

• People management including motivation, performance and capability.
• Leadership in the provision of functions within the Shared Service.
• Service improvement, maximising efficiency and new delivery models for the functions within the shared service.
• Managing and delivering transformational change in Legal Services.
• An understanding of the workings of local government and the challenges being set by the new local government agenda, along with financial, legal and political context.
• The ability to contribute towards setting the strategic direction of Legal Services, supporting the senior management team to develop the overarching strategy and necessary supporting plans for delivery.
• Knowledge of local government powers and duties and at least one of the following areas of law: civil litigation, Contracts and Procurement & contract, planning, development.
• Contracts and Procurement and related areas.
• A qualified solicitor or barrister holding a practising certificate.

Adecco acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. The Adecco Group UK & Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.