Specialist Lawyer (Child Protection Team)

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Job reference VAC007129 Date posted 02/07/2025 Application closing date 20/07/2025 Location City Hall College Green City Centre Bristol BS1 5TR Salary BG14: £49,764 – £52,805 Package Blank Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time Job category/type Legal Attachments Person Specification.pdf Job Description.pdf

Specialist Lawyer (Child Protection Team)

Full Time, Permanent

A fantastic opportunity has arisen in the Council’s Legal Service who are looking for a Specialist Lawyer (BG14) to join the Child Protection Team.

The role will involve providing specialist legal advice, support and advocacy to the Council and providing supervisory support to non-qualified staff (legal assistants and legal officers) within the team. Under the direction of the Team Leader you will undertake all types of child protection legal work, providing legal advice & support to Bristol City Council Children’s Services Department and to enable the City Council to meet its legal duties.

The team deals with a wide range of child protection legal work including acting on behalf of the Council in connection with pre proceedings cases and applications to the court for care/supervision orders, Deprivation of Liberty and Secure Accommodation orders, Female Genital Mutilation Protection orders, Forced Marriage Protection orders, Placement and Adoption orders.

Working for a diverse and innovative Council, you’ll need to be quick-thinking, versatile and comfortable working with a wide range of people. It’s an exciting, intellectually challenging environment that will test your skills and knowledge to the full. The role will involve supporting the Legal Team Managers in the effective management of the team and to contribute to the overall management of the legal service.
Above all, you will carry out all duties in a professional and accurate manner with a client focused approach. Although management experience isn’t necessary to undertake this opportunity,in depth knowledge of the specialist practice area and ability to provide robust legal advice will be.

Why Bristol City Council?

At Bristol City Council, we go that extra mile for our people; we offer a work environment which is fast moving and supportive, giving you the chance to use your skills and develop new ones within a high-profile organisation. Hybrid working arrangements are available, mixing both home and office working, but time spent at the office with colleagues is encouraged. The successful candidate will be expected to attend City Hall in person at least once a month to attend the whole team meeting.

Join us and you’ll receive an excellent rewards package including flexible working and flexitime, membership of the Local Government Pension scheme, and a generous annual leave allowance. In addition, you’ll be working in a supportive environment where you’ll have the chance to make Bristol a better place and contribute to its future.

If you share our values and are ready to be part of our exciting journey, please select the apply button below. To be shortlisted for interview you’ll need to demonstrate how you meet each of the essential criteria in the Person Specification within the Further Information section of your application. On occasion we will receive high numbers of applications, we may then shortlist against the desirable criteria along with the essential criteria, so if you can, please demonstrate how you meet this in your application.
We\’re a Disability Confident employer which means we value recruiting and retaining disabled people. Any job applicants who consider themselves to be disabled and meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification are guaranteed an interview. We\’ll make reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process and provide continued workplace support throughout your career.
Applications should be received by 18 July 2025. We expect to shortlist shortly thereafter, with interviews in w/c 4 August 2025.

If you would like to discuss the role further before applying, please contact the Team Managers, Caroline Harris ( caroline.harris@bristol.gov.uk) and Rebecca Davies ( Rebecca.Davies@bristol.gov.uk )
At Bristol City Council, we value having a workforce as diverse as the city we serve. We therefore welcome, develop and promote people from all sections of the community. Appointments will be made on merit.
The personal information section (including your name) you’ll complete as part of the application form will not be visible to hiring managers, but is used confidentially to make sure that everyone is treated fairly.

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