Senior Lawyer

East Cambridgeshire District Council; Greater London; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Childcare scheme

Training and development opportunities

Occupational health programme

Holiday and sickness scheme entitlеmеn

Local government pension scheme

Job summary

East Cambridgeshire District Council in Ely, Cambridgeshire is seeking a qualified legal professional to provide expert advice across a diverse local government caseload. You will join our Legal Services team, handling conveyancing, planning obligations, civil and criminal litigation, contracts and other local government matters.

You will work closely with the Director of Legal Services to deliver a comprehensive legal service for the council, drafting documentation, advising officers and

Qualifications

• Admitted Solicitor or CILEx Fellow with good understanding of local government law and practice
• Complex legal knowledge in conveyancing and leases, planning obligations, litigation and contracts, with ability to advise a wide range of internal clients
• Organised, accurate and able to work independently with excellent communication skills and confidence to provide clear, pragmatic advice
• Customer focused, flexible and committed to delivering high quality legal service in a busy local authority environment

Responsibilities

• Provide accurate, timely and solution-focused legal advice to officers, Members, Committees and the Corporate Management Team
• Draft, negotiate and complete legal documentation, correspondence, reports, contracts and property-related documents
• Advise on and draft planning obligations under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
• Prepare and conduct civil and criminal litigation, including drafting pleadings and instructing barristers where required
• Represent the council at inquiries, tribunals, meetings and other forums as required
• Manage a varied workload independently, prioritising competing deadlines and adapting to changing service needs
• Contribute to the development and implementation of Legal Services policies, procedures and service improvements

Skills

Admitted Solicitor

CILEx Fellow

Local government law

Legal drafting

Job description

Are you a qualified legal professional ready to provide expert advice across a diverse local government caseload?

Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 4EE

Salary: £47,665 to £51,928 per annum

Job Type: Permanent, full time

Closing Date: Monday 16 November 2026

About Us:

East Cambridgeshire District Council serves the local community across Cambridgeshire. The council is committed to environmental sustainability and has achieved silver accreditation from the Investors in the Environment scheme, ranking 43rd out of 164 councils on the national climate scorecard. We prioritise responsible and sustainable operations across all our services.

The Role:

You will join our Legal Services team providing high quality, practical and timely legal advice to officers, elected members and senior leaders. This role offers excellent variety and responsibility, spanning conveyancing and leases, planning obligations, civil and criminal litigation, contracts and wider local government matters. You will work closely with the Director of Legal Services and support the delivery of a comprehensive legal service for the council.

• Provide accurate, timely and solution-focused legal advice to officers, Members, Committees and the Corporate Management Team
• Draft, negotiate and complete legal documentation, correspondence, reports, contracts and property-related documents
• Advise on and draft planning obligations under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
• Prepare and conduct civil and criminal litigation, including drafting pleadings and instructing barristers where required
• Represent the council at inquiries, tribunals, meetings and other forums as required
• Manage a varied workload independently, prioritising competing deadlines and adapting to changing service needs
• Contribute to the development and implementation of Legal Services policies, procedures and service improvements

You:

• Admitted Solicitor or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives with good understanding of local government law and practice
• Complex legal knowledge in conveyancing and leases, planning obligations, litigation and contracts, with ability to advise a wide range of internal clients
• Organised, accurate and able to work independently with excellent communication skills and confidence to provide clear, pragmatic advice
• Customer focused, flexible and committed to delivering high quality legal service in a busy local authority environment

Benefits:

• Flexible working arrangements considered subject to service needs
• Childcare scheme in approved cases
• Training and development opportunities
• Occupational health programme
• Holiday and sickness scheme entitlements
• Local government pension scheme