Solicitor/Associate - Public Law Litigation

DAC Beachcroft; Leeds; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Healthcare

Bonus Scheme

Health & Wellbeing

Job summary

DAC Beachcroft's Health, Care and Public Law Team in the UK is seeking a Newly Qualified Solicitor to join a growing Public Law Litigation practice. The successful candidate will work closely with partners and senior lawyers on a varied caseload across public sector, health and regulatory matters.

You will gain high‑quality experience, develop specialist expertise, and play a meaningful role in an expanding market while receiving strong mentoring in a collaborative team culture.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitors (NQ to ~3 years PQE) with an interest in litigation and public sector work.
• Experience gained through training contracts, qualifying work experience or post‑qualification practice.

Responsibilities

• Assist on a varied public law litigation caseload with appropriate supervision.
• Support senior lawyers and partners on Judicial Review and wider public law disputes.
• Draft pleadings, witness statements and client advice with accuracy.
• Conduct legal research and provide practical, commercially focused advice.
• Develop relationships with clients and be a trusted day‑to‑day contact.

Skills

Litigation

Public Law

Healthcare

Regulatory

Job description

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious junior lawyer who enjoys litigation, has an interest in public sector work, and is excited by the prospect of combining high-quality legal work with the opportunity to help grow a market-leading practice.

About the Team

DAC Beachcroft's Health, Care and Public Law Team provides legal advice to a wide range of organisations across the public, health and social care sectors. The team is highly rated in both Legal 500 and Chambers and is recognised for its technical excellence, collaborative approach and commitment to client service.

As part of the continued growth of our Public Law Litigation practice, we have an opportunity for a Newly Qualified Solicitor (up to circa 3 years PQE) to join the team. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious lawyer who enjoys litigation, has an interest in public sector work, and wants to be part of a growing practice with significant long‑term career prospects.

The successful candidate will join the team at a formative stage of its growth in the region, working closely with senior lawyers and partners while helping to shape the future of the practice. This provides a unique opportunity to gain high‑quality experience, develop specialist expertise and play a meaningful role in an important and expanding market.

The Opportunity

Working closely with partners and senior lawyers, you will support clients across a varied public law litigation caseload. The successful candidate will gain exposure to a broad range of matters including:

• Judicial Review proceedings.
• Public law disputes affecting public sector and health organisations.
• Procurement and procurement‑related litigation.
• Regulatory and governance disputes.
• Advisory work connected to public law litigation matters.

We are seeking someone who is excited by the prospect of working across a diverse caseload rather than specialising too narrowly in one area from the outset. As the practice continues to grow, there will be opportunities to develop specialist expertise and take on increasing responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist on a varied public law litigation caseload with appropriate supervision.
• Support senior lawyers and partners on Judicial Review, procurement and wider public law disputes.
• Draft legal documents including pleadings, witness statements, instructions to counsel and client advice.
• Undertake legal research and provide practical, commercially focused advice.
• Develop strong relationships with clients and become a trusted day‑to‑day point of contact.
• Support business development, marketing initiatives and client training activities.
• Contribute to the continued growth and profile of the Public Law Litigation practice.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

We are interested in hearing from candidates who are:

• Qualified solicitors (NQ to approximately 3 years PQE).
• Experienced in litigation through training contracts, qualifying work experience or post‑qualification practice.
• Interested in public law, public sector, healthcare or regulatory work.
• Enthusiastic, ambitious and keen to contribute to a growing team.

Previous exposure to any of the following would be advantageous but is not essential:

• Public law litigation.
• Professional regulatory matters.
• Healthcare, local government or education sector work.
• Advising public sector organisations.

This is a unique opportunity to join a growing team at an exciting stage of its development. The successful candidate work alongside highly respected lawyers on complex, meaningful and high‑profile matters affecting public services and communities.

You'll benefit from Exposure to high‑quality public law litigation work.

• Close partner support and mentoring.
• Strong opportunities for development and progression.
• The chance to help shape and grow a developing practice.
• A collaborative and supportive team culture.
• The opportunity to work with one of the UK’s leading Health, Care and Public Law practices.
• Company Benefits: Private Healthcare, Bonus Scheme, Health & Wellbeing

As a Disability Confident Scheme employer, we're committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you need any reasonable adjustments at any stage (including the application, assessment or interview process), please contact [e-mail] in confidence with the vacancy reference in the subject line, and we'll be happy to help.

About DAC Beachcroft

We are a leading international legal business with over 3,000 colleagues and a diverse range of capabilities. We are market leaders in insurance, health and real estate but with a full‑service offering, including growing Financial Services and Tech capabilities. We represent a wide range of clients – from household names to government departments and NHS bodies. We act for nearly all of the top‑20 UK and global insurers, we're market leaders in the provision of strategic, commercial and regulatory advice to providers and commissioners in the health sector, and in real estate we advise all of the UK’s top‑five housebuilders.

We are a fast‑growing international business with offices around the globe. In addition to our 11 UK offices, we also have offices in Bogota, Buenos Aires, Dublin, Lima, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, New York, Paris, Rome, Santiago de Chile, and Singapore plus a representative office in Miami and broad network of affiliations across the globe.

At DAC Beachcroft we are committed to and recognise the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion across the board, including and beyond the protected characteristics. We take decisions based solely on merit. We value, welcome and seek out people with different backgrounds and life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, ways of thinking and identities.

We are happy to talk flexible working with our Flex Forward scheme. We would encourage you to talk to us about our approach to flexible working during the hiring process if you would like to explore this further.

Note for Recruitment Agencies

DAC Beachcroft manages all vacancies via our in‑house recruitment teams, prioritising direct sourcing and referrals. When external support is required, roles are released to selected agencies on our Preferred Supplier List (PSL).

Speculative CVs sent to any DAC Beachcroft employee without prior instruction from our recruitment teams (LLP and CSG) will not be accepted, and no fees will be payable.

For PSL queries, please contact: [e-mail] or [e-mail]