Job Description:

Childcare Lawyer

We are seeking an experienced Childcare Lawyer to join the Council’s Legal Services team and provide high-quality, practical and legally robust advice across a broad range of childcare matters.

You will manage your own caseload with light-touch supervision, providing specialist legal advice to council services, senior officers and elected members. The role will involve regular advocacy, including twice weekly attendance at court, as well as advising on complex childcare issues, policies, procedures and decision-making. This role will be remote other than when attending court. 

• Manage an autonomous caseload covering the full range of childcare and public sector legal work.
• Provide specialist and general childcare legal advice to council services, colleagues, elected members and senior officers.
• Undertake regular advocacy in courts, tribunals, hearings and committees.
• Draft, review and negotiate legal documents, pleadings, agreements and other legal documentation.
• Advise on policies, strategies and procedures relating to childcare and safeguarding.
• Provide clear, proportionate and solution-focused advice on legal and operational risk.
• Support lawful and effective decision-making across the Council.
• Maintain accurate case management, file management, time recording and billing records.
• Contribute to the development of legal templates, precedents, guidance and processes.
• Support training and provide legal guidance to client departments where required.
• Attend partnership, governance and service meetings as appropriate.
• Support and mentor trainee solicitors, solicitor apprentices and junior colleagues.
• Work collaboratively across Legal Services and wider Council departments.

You will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or FCILEx with relevant post-qualification experience and a strong background in childcare law. You will be confident managing your own caseload and undertaking advocacy in court.

You should have:

• Relevant post-qualification experience in childcare law or a closely related specialist area.
• Strong knowledge of childcare law, safeguarding and local government legal frameworks.
• Experience providing autonomous legal advice and managing a caseload.
• Experience undertaking advocacy before courts, tribunals or committees.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation and communication skills.
• Strong analytical, judgement and problem-solving abilities.
• The ability to explain complex legal issues and risks clearly to non-legal professionals.
• Excellent organisation skills and the ability to manage competing deadlines independently.
• The ability to plan and manage workloads effectively over the short, medium and longer term.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and positive outcomes for children and families.
• The ability to handle sensitive and distressing case material professionally.
• The ability to travel for work purposes.

• Previous experience working within local government or the wider public sector.
• Higher Rights of Audience or other relevant specialist legal accreditation.
• Experience using legal case management and administrative systems.
• Experience advising elected members, senior officers or committees.
• Evidence of ongoing continuing professional development.

We are looking for a confident and commercially aware legal professional who can provide accurate, pragmatic and child-focused legal advice, while balancing legal risk with the Council’s operational requirements.

You will be expected to demonstrate the Council’s values of being:

Customer-focused | Respectful | Efficient | Supportive | Trustworthy

If you are an experienced Childcare Lawyer looking for an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution within a local authority Legal Services team, we would be pleased to hear from you.