Lawyer

Lawyer
Walthamstow
Full-time temporary contract
£27 per hour

Purpose of the role:
Contribute to the effective operational management of the Legal Services team in order to deliver a high quality and cost-effective legal service.

Provide high quality pro-active legal advice, assistance and support to clients and their service areas including cases/projects of high complexity and/or substantial corporate importance in the following areas of law and practice:

• Criminal
• Housing
• Employment
• Civil
• Commercial premises

• Corporate Governance and Information (shared with other teams)

• Act as a principal point of contact for clients for the primary areas of responsibility
• Ensure the highest standards of client care for the primary areas of responsibility by monitoring service quality, consulting with clients and delivering continuous improvement to service provision
• Build constructive relationships with client officers, elected members and corporate colleagues to the benefit of Legal Services and the corporate whole
• Engage effectively with all clients and customers in order to understand their service requirements and to deliver on them
• Ensure that client confidentiality is maintained at all times
• Provide effective management of such other staff as allocated including the supervision and training of trainee solicitors to ensure the best use and professional development of available staff
• Communicate a clear sense of purpose and direction to assist senior management in motivating and developing staff within the Legal Services team
• Contribute to the planning and management of the effective use of all resources following team systems, processes and policies
• Maintain good working relationships with staff, Council members and managers, partners, stakeholders and the wider community
• Assist in developing policies and good practice in relation to the primary and secondary areas of responsibility in the role
• Participate in the development of team and corporate projects as required
• Provide legal advice within other areas of local government law as required

• Responsible for giving timely and accurate legal advice, undertaking advocacy (where required in the role) and providing guidance and support to clients
• To deal with complex casework and undertake or arrange representation in courts, tribunals or inquiries in order to ensure the Council’s position is represented in the most cost effective and efficient manner
• Advise and undertake work in all aspects of the primary and secondary responsibilities of the role
• Keep up to date with all legislation, case law and best practice to assure the quality of legal advice and support to clients
• Ensure compliance with all relevant professional standards including the Solicitors Code of Conduct
• Undertake original drafting of complex legal documentation for the areas of responsibility in the role
• Represent, promote and defend client interests in courts, public inquiries, tribunals or other forum for the areas of responsibility in the role
• Prepare reports, minutes and correspondence and provide legal guidance and advice taking in to account the constitutional, risk and corporate governance context
• Attend such meetings (including committees and cabinet) as are allocated to give legal and procedural advice and support

• Relevant post qualification experience in the legal profession.
• Experience in conducting advocacy in a wide variety of civil and criminal proceedings in court, especially those in the Magistrates, County Courts and Employment Tribunal
• Effective participation in Lexcel and/or other quality systems
• Working in a local authority or other large organisation
• Ability to handle a varied caseload across a wide range of local authority related litigation
• Ability to handle complex legal matters within area of responsibility.
• Excellent advocacy skills
• Excellent communication skills both orally and in writing
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines whilst handling a diverse workload
• Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with senior managers, other officers, external partners and stakeholders, public
• Pro-active and have the energy, commitment and resolve necessary to get the job done
• Ability to use a computer for word processing, time costing and other similar office/case management systems and processes
• Practising Solicitor or Barrister or FILEX with advocacy rights who currently has or who is immediately able to obtain a practising certificate

If you have the relevant qualifications and are interested in the role, please apply directly!