Senior Lawyer - Adult Social Care, Legal Services - Permanent

NHS; Milford on Sea; Hybrid; GBP 53,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority is looking for a Senior Lawyer to manage care proceedings and adoption cases. You will represent the council in court and manage up to three legal assistants. Ideal candidates will be qualified solicitors with experience in social care. The position is full-time and offers a salary range of £53,460 - £58,959, with hybrid working opportunities.

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor/Barrister/Legal Executive with a current England & Wales practising certificate.
• 3 years post-qualification experience within the social care sector.

Responsibilities

• Manage and advise on all aspects of care proceedings.
• Draft documents under the Children Act 1989.
• Represent the Council at court.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Ability to manage complex workloads

Education

Qualified Solicitor/Barrister/Legal Executive

Job description

Job Summary

Southend City Council are looking to appoint a permanent, full-time Senior Lawyer. As a lawyer within the Council’s well-respected Legal Services team, you will be managing and advising on all aspects of care proceedings, adoption proceedings and dealing with international issues as and when necessary.

Main duties of the job

As a lawyer within the Council’s well-respected Legal Services team, you will be managing and advising on all aspects of care proceedings, adoption proceedings and dealing with international issues as and when necessary.

• Advising on and managing all aspects of care proceedings.
• Drafting all documents relating to applications under the Children Act 1989, including case management documents, threshold statements, orders and case summaries as necessary.
• Representing the Council at court.
• Advising and managing DOL (Deprivation of Liberty) and Secure Accommodation proceedings.
• Dealing with S7 and S37 matters.
• Lead and take responsibility for routine and complex cases, including High Court applications and Judicial Reviews as necessary.
• Manage up to three legal assistants, empowering and engaging them to continually improve and deliver successful outcomes.

Within this position, hybrid working opportunities are available. However, you are required to be on-site at the Civic Centre a minimum of 2 days a week.

About Us

Southend-on-Sea is a vibrant and diverse coastal city known for its long beaches and famous pier. As one of the UK’s newest cities (over 200,000 residents and growing) and with its proximity to London, Southend is focused on the future with ambitious strategic plans. The Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer has restructured the Legal Services team to match these broader ambitions. As part of this, the director has hired a new Head of Legal focused on standards, performance, continuous improvement and organisational resilience, and is now looking to expand further by appointing an enthusiastic Senior Lawyer, with a range of experiences.

Job Description

To manage a range of cases under the Principal Lawyer. This could include a combination of routine and more complex legal cases, high-profile matters, or some politically sensitive issues. To manage up to three legal assistants providing direction and supervision to ensure that cases are delivered to a deadline. To support the Principal Lawyer to work collaboratively with senior officers and councillors. To promote the behaviours and values of the council and set out a clear vision.

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualified Solicitor/Barrister/Legal Executive with a current England & Wales practising certificate.

Desirable

• 3 years post-qualification experience within the social care sector.
• Understanding of local government and experience of working in a political environment.
• In-depth knowledge of relevant legislation, policies, and procedures.
• Proven experience in the public sector, ideally local government.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage complex workloads.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and training.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Southend-On-Sea City Council
Victoria Avenue
Southend-on-sea
SS1 9SB
Website: https://www.southend.gov.uk/

Job Details

• Date posted: 24 October 2025
• Reference number: F0033-25-0018
• Salary: £53,460 - £58,959
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Location: Southend-on-sea City Council, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-sea, SS1 9SB