Senior Lawyer – Private Sector Housing

NW Legal Consortium; Liverpool; Hybrid; GBP 66,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement

Pension scheme

Learning & development

Health & wellbeing program

Cycle to work

Car lease salary sacrifice

Job summary

Liverpool City Council is seeking a Senior Lawyer to manage a full caseload of complex and sensitive legal matters within the Planning & Regulatory Team, focusing on private sector housing enforcement. You will provide expert, proactive advice to support the Council's priorities and policies.

You will lead and develop a team of Lawyers and Trainee Solicitors, and advise on legal matters for executive decision‑making, committees, and public sector governance.

Responsibilities

• Manage a full caseload of complex and sensitive legal matters within Planning & Regulatory with focus on private sector housing enforcement.
• Lead and develop a team of Lawyers, including supervision of Trainee Solicitors.
• Advise on legal matters for public and local government law including executive decisions, information governance and public law challenges.

Job description

Salary: £65,925 – £72,938
Frequency: Annual
Job Reference: liverpoolcitycouncil/TP/14667/2207
Contract Type: Permanent Full Time
Working Hours: 35
Closing Date: 27 September, 2026
Job Category: Legal Services
Business Unit: Law & Governance
Location: Cunard Building, Water Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Office Basis: Agile fully flexible
Additional Allowances: Not applicable
Posted on: 3 September, 2026

Job Introduction

Liverpool is home to vibrant, energetic, and engaged communities, people who take real ownership of their local area and are passionate about making our city a better place. We’ve got ambitious targets to meet and we need people who are driven, dynamic and ready to deliver the very best for our communities. Public service is more important than ever, and this role represents a real opportunity to make a difference to our communities by transforming the way we work and placing our residents at the heart of everything we do.

Working at Liverpool City Council provides an opportunity to contribute to your community and make a positive impact on the lives of residents. Our values shape how we work to deliver public services, and how we communicate with the residents we serve. We care about the best outcomes for local people, through our public services.

We are proud of our world-famous thriving city with its rich culture, as well as affordable housing, good schools, beautiful green spaces – there’s really something for everyone!

The role:

As a Senior Lawyer at Liverpool City Council, you will manage a full caseload of complex and often sensitive legal matters within one or more specialisms of the team
The Planning & Regulatory Team cover the areas of planning, environment, and private sector housing enforcement. Expert knowledge and understanding of the law relating to private sector housing is essential, and knowledge and understanding of one or more of the other areas of law covered by the team is desirable
You will have personal responsibility for a caseload of complex and non-complex legal work, and act as a subject matter expert for private sector housing enforcement, with appropriate support and supervision, from a Head of Law
The post holder will lead and develop a team of Lawyers, who have conduct of matters relating to private sector housing enforcement (including criminal and civil litigation) and other areas of law where required
As a Senior Lawyer, you will help supervise and contribute to the development of Trainee Solicitors
The role reports to Head of Law for the Planning & Regulatory team
The post holder will provide proactive, and solution focussed advice that supports the delivery of the Council’s priorities and policies
Senior Lawyers will advise on legal matters relevant to public and local government law including on executive and committee decision-making, information governance and public law challenges
You may advise members and formal decision-making bodies including Cabinet, Council, committees and overview and scrutiny in respect of the team’s specialism and as required by the Director of City Law & Governance and/or their Deputy Director
The Director will expect you to support them in their role as Monitoring Officer and promote the Nolan Principles, escalating matters as appropriate
As a Senior Lawyer, you will externally commission legal work for the Council where required, ensuring value for money and high-quality advice and representation is received
You will play an active role in ensuring the team, service and the wider Council is aware of current and proposed law and practice affecting the Council
The post holder may participate in the delivery of projects and programmes in Legal Services and/or corporately
You will support your Head of Law and your clients with the development of legal procedures and policies

Our offer to you:

• At least 31 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 35 after 5 years’ service (pro rata if part time) – option to purchase further days
• Agile working (role dependent) – a “Flexibility First” approach to agile working, where flexibility is the norm rather than the exception
• Part of the Local Government Pension Scheme – option to join the AVC Scheme
• Progression – opportunities and training through a wide range of high quality learning
• Health and Wellbeing – offer including Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work and Travel Pass Schemes
• Drive Time – a salary sacrifice car lease scheme
• Family friendly policies with enhanced leave
• Discounted Gym Memberships
• Employee Volunteering Scheme
• Medicash

Closing date: midnight on Sunday 27 September 2026
Shortlisting date: W/C Monday 28 September 2026
Interview date: 5-6 October 2026 (to be confirmed)
Interview type: face-to-face

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early. Once the role has closed, you will not be able to submit an application, and we are unable to reopen the vacancy for you to complete it. We strongly recommend submitting your application well in advance of the closing date to avoid disappointment.

Liverpool City Council is committed to fostering a workforce representative of the communities we serve. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we believe in appointing candidates based on their skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities. To support this commitment, we guarantee an interview to candidates from under-represented groups who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role.

If you require any reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act 2010, such as an application form in a different format or additional time to complete your application, please contact us at [e-mail] .

Eligibility to work in the UK will be verified in the final stages of the selection process. All candidates must either already have a right to work in the UK before commencing employment or meet the Home Office criteria for Visa sponsorship. Candidates who require sponsorship should evaluate the Home Office eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa before applying.

This is not legal advice, and we advise you to seek your own independent legal advice tailored to your own personal circumstances.