R2R103247 – 106444 – Senior Lawyer – Legal Services Children’s Social Care

Job title:

R2R103247 – 106444 – Senior Lawyer – Legal Services Children’s Social Care

Company

South End City Council

Job description

Your New Organisation: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 hiring 6 enthusiastic Lawyers and Senior Lawyers, with a range of experience. These positions are on a permanent basis and can be full-time or part-time depending on the level and team. The individual roles are set out below.Why Join Us?

• Be part of a forward-thinking Council committed to making a difference in one of the UK’s newest cities.

• Join a friendly, experienced, well-established, dedicated and professional team, which is ambitious, and creative, and where you will be supported to achieve your potential and make a difference.

• Generous salaries, starting at £51,802 and increasing incrementally with service.
• Benefits package including Local Government Pension Scheme, 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days with 5 years of service), plus bank holidays, flexible working arrangements, and more.
• Southend offers hybrid working with a requirement for 2 days (pro-rata) in the office.
• Work in modern offices conveniently located near the city’s three train stations.
• Access opportunities for professional growth and development.

Your new role:This position is on a permanent, part-time basis. As a Senior Lawyer within the Council’s well-respected Legal Services team, you will handle a technical legal caseload of complex, politically sensitive cases, ensuring the provision of timely, accurate, and high-quality advice. You will work closely with colleagues to deliver high standards of service in childcare law (The Council has achieved “Good” in its recent Ofsted inspection) The role will include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Managing and advising on all aspects of care proceedings and adoption proceedings and dealing with international issues as necessary.
• Managing DOL (Deprivation of Liberty) and Secure Accommodation proceedings.
• Drafting applications, case management documents, threshold statements, orders and case summaries as necessary.
• Dealing with S7 and S37 matters.
• Ideally provide advocacy in court.

What you’ll need to succeed:

• Qualified Solicitor/Barrister/Legal Executive with a current England & Wales practising certificate.
• Several years post-qualification experience in your area(s) of practice.
• In-depth knowledge of relevant legislation, policies, and procedures.
• Proven experience in the public sector, ideally local government.
• Strong team management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage complex workloads.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and training.

What you’ll get in return:When joining the council, you can enjoy a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave, flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities. They are committed to ensuring that you are supported in this varied and challenging role with the appropriate level of training. A full list of benefits provided by Southend Council can be viewed on the “Why Work For Us?” tab. What you need to do now:This is an exciting time to join Southend-on-Sea City Council. If you are a motivated and experienced legal professional looking to take on an interesting and rewarding role, we would love to hear from you.If you are interested in this role, please click ‘apply online’ to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV.If you would like a copy of either the Job Description pleasePlease note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above so you are advised to apply as soon as you are able to.The Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age or religion or belief.

Expected salary

Location

Southend-on-Sea, Essex

Job date

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 08:12:11 GMT

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