Childcare Lawyer

Senior Child Care Lawyer

Temporary Ongoing | Hybrid WorkingAn excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior Child Care Lawyer to join a well-established local authority legal team, providing specialist legal advice on complex children's social care matters and helping to shape strategic decision-making across the organisation.

The Role

You will provide expert legal advice and representation across the full spectrum of children's social care law, supporting senior officers, elected members and service departments on complex and sensitive matters.

You will be responsible for a substantial caseload of care proceedings and other public law matters, whilst also contributing to the leadership and management of the legal service.

Key responsibilities include:

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• Advising on all aspects of children's social care law, including child protection, care proceedings, adoption and related public law matters.
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• Managing a complex caseload of high-risk and sensitive matters from instruction through to conclusion.
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• Conducting advocacy and attending court hearings where appropriate.
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• Advising senior leaders, committees and decision-makers on legal and governance issues.
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• Supervising and mentoring lawyers, legal assistants and support staff within the Child Care team.
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• Supporting the operational management of Legal Services and deputising for senior legal leadership when required.
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• Delivering training and legal updates to internal stakeholders.
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• Contributing to policy development, service improvement initiatives and strategic projects.
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• Instructing and managing external counsel as required.
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About You

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• A qualified Solicitor, Barrister or FCILEX.
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• Experienced in children's social care law and local government practice.
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• Confident handling complex care proceedings and associated litigation.
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• Comfortable advising senior stakeholders on legal risk and governance matters.
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• An effective advocate with excellent case management skills.
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• Experienced in supervising, mentoring or managing legal staff.
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• Able to build strong relationships with clients and colleagues across the organisation.
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• Committed to delivering practical, solution-focused legal advice.
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Essential Experience

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• Significant experience advising on children's social care law.
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• Extensive experience conducting complex and high-risk child care cases.
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• To be familiar with using Iken Cloud as a Case Management system
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• Willingness and ability to undertake own advocacy on family matters
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• Experience advising senior management, members, boards or committees.
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• Experience contributing to policy development and organisational decision-making.
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• Experience supervising or managing legal professionals.
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What's on Offer

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• Challenging and rewarding public sector legal work.
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• Exposure to complex and high-profile cases.
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• Leadership and people management responsibilities.
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• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
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• Ongoing professional development opportunities.
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• A collaborative and supportive legal team environment.
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• The opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of children, young people and families.
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If you are an experienced Child Care Lawyer looking to take the next step into a senior position with strategic influence and leadership responsibility, we would welcome your application.