Senior Lawyer

We have a great opportunity for a Senior Lawyer to join our award-winning in-house legal team, specialising in child protection.

In your role as Senior Lawyer (child protection), you will manage a caseload of complex child protection matters, provide specialist legal advice to children’s social care on all matters relating to safeguarding children, and undertake some advocacy if required. You’ll take on new challenges in a supportive environment and be a member of a team who pride themselves in their work.

Milton Keynes City Council is a modern and friendly place to work. We offer an excellent benefits package including an enhanced pension, generous holiday allowance starting at 28 days, as well as a great range of training and development opportunities to help you in your career.

This role may be suitable for home working, following an assessment.

Interviews for this role will be held W/C 10 March.

Main Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of the most complex and novel child protection matters ensuring that all work is of high quality and delivered in a timely manner. All work should be undertaken with the purpose of assisting the city council to achieve its business objectives and operates within the wider policy context.
• Undertake advocacy if required at all levels of the Family Court including the High Court and the Family Drug and Alcohol Court.
• Establish and maintain a deep understanding of the client’s business needs and objectives as these evolve over time through building professional relationships, ensuring those objectives are understood and shared by colleagues.
• As a Senior Lawyer, be responsible for supporting lawyers and paralegals as arranged with the Principal and Deputy Principal through supervision or other arrangements.

The Ideal Candidate

• Qualified Solicitor or Barrister (Supreme Court of England and Wales/English Bar) or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives or equivalent relevant qualification with relevant experience.
• Significant experience of providing legal advice in complex and novel situations and conducting advocacy in proceedings relating to children.
• Significant knowledge of relevant local government law.
• Ability and commitment to working in a flexible manner, including unsociable hours and weekends, when the role necessitates it.

Package Description

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits – most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
• Excellent pension – everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
• A full range of family-friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.
• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
• Salary sacrifice car scheme – low-cost leasing of electric and low emission vehicles.
• Blue Light Card – employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.

About The Organisation

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.

We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support, and because of the size and scale of the organisation, there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.

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