Senior Paralegal

Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership; Stafford; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexi time

Annual leave purchase

Employee discounts

Local government pension scheme

Car lease scheme (optional)

Staff parking discount

Job summary

Staffordshire County Council is seeking a legal professional to manage a rewarding caseload focused on countryside and public rights of way matters. Training will be provided, and there is flexibility with remote/hybrid working patterns and potential part-time arrangements.

The role involves investigating and progressing Definitive Map Modification Applications, drafting Orders, and providing legal advice to client departments.

Qualifications

• Minimum criteria include A-level or equivalent education or extensive experience in a similar role.
• Experience of research, reporting and presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise a varied workload.
• Local authority knowledge preferred but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Progressing Definitive Map Modification Applications to conclusion, including investigation, research, writing reports and presenting to a Panel of Members.
• Drafting and serving legal Orders and Notices, submissions to the Secretary of State, and attending public hearings and inquiries in relation to the same.
• Providing legal advice to the client department on a range of countryside and rights of way matters including legal research.
• Adhering to the Legal Services Unit’s LEXCEL quality standards.

Skills

Research skills

Reporting skills

Presentation skills

Independent work

Teamwork

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Organisational skills

Local authority knowledge

Education

A-level or equivalent

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - SP1 Stafford

Staffordshire County Council is amodern,progressiveand forward-thinking authoritythat is ambitious and empowersits employeestobe courageous and innovativein their approach.

Staffordshire Legal Servicesis a largein-housecorporate legal team,consisting of lawyers,traineesand support staff,with a key focus on staff training,retentionand progression. The servicesupportstheCounty Council in the delivery of itsobjectivesby providingquality servicesto support every single functionin theCouncilincluding Environment and Countryside,as well asto awiderange of external clients.

The successful candidatewillundertakea rewardingvariedcaseload ofcountryside and public rights of way related matters. Previous experience is desirable but not essential, as training will be provided.

There area number ofbenefits to working at Staffordshire County Council including generous holiday entitlement, flexi time, annual leave purchase scheme, employee discounts, local government pension scheme, optional car leaseschemeandastaff parking discount scheme.

We understand the importance of a work-life balance andcurrently offer remote working with attendance at ourStafford office on flexible patterns andin accordance withbusiness need. We are also happy to consider requests for part-time working.

Main Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include:

• progressing Definitive Map Modification Applications to conclusion, including investigation, research, writing reports and presenting to a Panel of Members
• drafting and serving legal Orders and Notices, submissions to the Secretary of State, and attending public hearings and inquiries in relation to the same
• Providing legal advice to the client department on a range of countryside and rights of way matters including legal research
• adhering to the Legal Services Unit’s LEXCEL quality standards

The Ideal Candidate

The minimum criteria that will be used to shortlist for this role will be:

• minimum of A-level or equivalent standard of education or extensive experience in a similar role
• Experience of research, reporting and presentation skills
• ability to work independently and as part of a team
• strong communication and interpersonal skills
• excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise a varied workload.
• local authority knowledge preferred but not essential.

If you are unsure if your skills and experience are suitable for this role or you have any queries, please contact Heather Morgan, Team Senior - [e-mail]

Interview date: w/c 30th November 2026.

Our Recruitment Process: We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.

Please note: The minimum criteria in the ideal candidate section detailed above will be used if you are applying under one of our Interview Guarantee Schemes, detailed below.

About Staffordshire County Council

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as yourapplication meets the minimum criteria for the post.