Principal Legal Officer - Children’s Social Care
Job title: Principal Legal Officer
Contract: Permanent
We serve an outstanding Children’s & Families Department, and seek three full-time permanent Principal Legal Officers (PO4) to practise primarily in the area of Children’s Social Care Law.
Benefits include:
* Access to West Yorkshire Pension Scheme
* Generous annual leave entitlement
* Training and development
* Flexible working, including from home.
The successful candidate will be supported by an experienced team of Legal Officers and Legal Assistants, as well as senior principal legal officers and team managers to assist with personal development and career progression.
The successful candidate will be a solicitor or barrister holding a practising certificate or FILEX with knowledge and experience of Children’s Social Care Law. This position would suit a newly qualified solicitor or Legal Executive. Previous experience of child care law would be welcome but not essential.
Leeds is an award-winning and progressive authority, which works closely with local communities and businesses to create a child-friendly city. At its core is the overall vision to be the Best City, to tackle poverty and inequality and improve quality of life for everyone who calls Leeds home.
Having a workforce that reflects the people of Leeds is important. We value diversity and fair treatment of employees and applicants. Leeds City Council is a Stonewall Top 100 and Mindful employer, and proudly retains the Disability Confident Standard.
Our Legal Services department reflects the diversity of Leeds, and is a welcoming and inclusive team, with a positive, healthy workplace culture where everyone can be themselves. Our Lexcel accreditation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing a quality legal service.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
SKILLS
* Able to plan and organise own workload, with minimum supervision, and to strict deadlines.
* Able to act as an advocate on behalf of the Council including dealing with contested hearings as appropriate and relevant to the job role.
* Able to draft and prepare clear and concise documents as relevant to the job role, including for example legal agreements, procedures, guidance notes, reports, statements, letters and memoranda.
* Able to work and communicate effectively as a member of a team.
* Able to establish productive relationships with people and organisations at different levels inside and outside the Council.
* Able to grasp and assimilate new information quickly.
* Able to resolve a wide range of legal problems in a local government context.
* Able to carry out effective legal research.
* Able to contribute directly to generate external income.
* Able to work flexibly across the Service as required.
KNOWLEDGE
* Solicitor or Barrister entitled to hold a practising certificate or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (with a Grant of Rights of Audience).
* Knowledge of the law and practice relating to Child Care law.
* Knowledge of the law and practice relating to at least one other area of law covered by the service.
* Knowledge of law and practice relating to local government.
EXPERIENCE
* Experience of managing and dealing with a personal legal caseload.
* Experience of advocacy e.g. courts/tribunal/inquiries/appeals including experience in dealing with contested hearings as appropriate and relevant to the job role.
* Experience of providing advice to clients.
* Experience of drafting legal documents and or agreements as relevant to the job role.
* Experience of assisting others in providing training, preferably legal.
* Experience of Windows-based IT systems.
* Experience of working to a quality system e.g. Lexcel, ISO or similar.
* Experience of working as an effective member of a team.
BEHAVIOURAL AND OTHER JOB RELATED CHARACTERISTICS
* To demonstrate and evidence living the Council’s values and behaviours.
* A commitment to provide and develop for clients high-quality legal services.
* A professional approach and presentation.
* An awareness of the sensitive and confidential nature of the work.
* A willingness to work flexibly beyond normal hours.
* To take ownership of your personal development planning and be willing to actively participate in learning and development activities to ensure up-to-date knowledge and skills.
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