Senior Lawyer - Corporate and Governance - WMF2201e

Westmorland and Furness Council; England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in England is seeking a Senior Lawyer to join their Legal Team in Kendal. The successful candidate will provide legal advice on local government law, prepare reports, and attend Committees. Experience in local authority governance is essential, along with strong communication and problem-solving skills. A commitment to serving the community is required. Attractive benefits, including a competitive pension scheme, are offered.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Enhanced annual leave allowance

Various discounts schemes

Qualifications

• Proven track record of delivering to deadlines.
• Experience in handling Members' Standards matters.
• Ability to provide legal advice for local authority governance.

Responsibilities

• Assist with corporate and governance legal work.
• Prepare reports and legal advice for the Council.
• Attend Council Committees and working groups.

Skills

Legal advice on local government law

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Teamwork

Education

Experience in local authority governance

Tools

IT literacy

Job description

A great opportunity has arisen in our head office in the beautiful market town of Kendal in Cumbria and within our Legal Team for a Senior Lawyer to assist with the Council’s corporate and governance legal work.

To be successful in our Legal Team, you will needto have experience and knowledge in providing legal advice on local government law, constitutional matters, the scheme of delegation, and decision-making processes. This includes preparing reports and legal advice for the Council, the Executive, committees, and officer-delegated decisions. You should also be adept at offering legal and local authority governance advice in relation to strategic projects. Additionally, experience in handling Members' Standards matters, including complaints regarding breaches of the Council’s Code of Conduct for Members, as well as dealing with Local Government Ombudsman matters and complaints, is essential.

Who we are looking for…

You will be a strong team player with a proven track record of delivering to deadlines, have effective communication skills and be able to use sound judgement to solve problems. You will be used to working in a busy pressurised environment and will enjoy a challenge. You will have experience of working in a local authority and/or knowledge of local authority governance. A commitment to delivering the best possible service for the benefit of our residents and clients, is required. You must have good IT literacy skills and an ability to use electronic publications for the purpose of legal work and research are critical.

Other duties will include attending Council Committees and working groups as required.

What can we offer you!

Working at Westmorland and Furness Council you will receive a variety of benefits, including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave allowance and other various perks and discounts schemes. For more information about life at Westmorland and Furness Council and what we can offer you, please visit our Careers site.Our benefits | Careers (westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk)

Would you like to find out more?

For further information about this role, such as responsibilities and essential criteria please view the below attachments:

• Post Specification
• Role Profile

If you have any queries about this role or would like an informal chat about this opportunity, then please contact Julia Krier [e-mail]

Application and Interview information

Closing date: 19th August 2025

To apply please click theApply Nowlink below.