Solicitor - DGA12262

Dumfries and Galloway Council is in the final phase of the expansion of our Legal and Licensing Service and looking to add two more solicitors to our Commercial, Planning and Property team.

We are looking to recruit a Solicitor with experience in one or more of the following areas: commercial or planning or property, who will work as part of our in-house Commercial, Planning and Property Team. The team delivers a diverse and complex range of commercial, planning, property and general public sector legal support to the Council organisation wide and aims to deliver an outcome/client focussed legal service ensuring that we meet our client service needs and Council priorities.

We would be pleased to hear from anyone with enthusiasm and specialist experience in commercial or planning or property to join our Commercial, Planning and Property Team. It is not essential that you have previous experience in local government, as training will be provided in any areas the successful candidate is unfamiliar with but you should be willing to learn and be enthusiastic to diversify.

The successful candidate will be expected to undertake primarily a broad range of either commercial or planning or property work and also support the Legal and Licensing Service to deliver ad hoc general public sector advice, which may include sitting as legal advisor to a number of regulatory committees or working groups and diversifying into other areas of public sector law such as data protection, freedom of information as well as carrying out research and preparing briefing notes that may be in new or unfamiliar areas of law.

We are an organisation with a strong technological focus transforming the way we work to serve our Communities in Dumfries and Galloway and collaborating closely with Partner Agencies and the Third Sector.

Dumfries and Galloway Council has modernised its ways of working, through our Smarter Working Policy. We offer fixed, flexible, mobile, and home working styles. Legal and Licensing Services operates a hybrid working model, with a mixture of office and home working. Our flexible approach to work styles provides opportunities to manage your time in a more flexible manner and helps to achieve a better work/life balance.

The successful post holder must:

• Hold a degree in Scots Law (or equivalent) and Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
• Be admitted as a solicitor by the Law Society of Scotland and hold a current unrestricted Practising Certificate. The Council is also willing to consider applications from candidates who have not yet completed their traineeships but anticipate that they will complete by 31 August 2025.

Requirements:

• Have a good working knowledge of Scots Law.
• Have good knowledge of current and impending legislation in their practice areas of commercial or property or planning, and an understanding or willingness to learn, of the impacts on the public sector.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage own varied and challenging workload.
• Effective time-management skills and prioritisation.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft packages – Outlook, Word, case/file management systems etc.
• Good organisational and file management skills.

The Individual:

• Ability to provide succinct and targeted advice.
• Drafting and negotiation skills.
• Legal Research skills/use of online research tools.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a Team.
• Self-confident and self-motivated.
• Fostering client relationships and good resolutions.
• Able to form productive working relations with fellow Council officers, elected members, and external solicitors.
• Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs and demands of the service.
• Appreciation, acceptance of and a commitment to the importance of confidentiality.

Some knowledge/experience of the following is desirable but not essential:

• Knowledge and experience of delivering legal advice in the Local Government/Public Sector.
• Experience of supporting clients/employer to develop policies/strategies.
• Experience of operating within a political regime.
• Understand local and national strategies and impacts on local government services.
• Experience of supporting committees, sub-committees and other Council led bodies/partnerships.

With an exciting benefits package, working for Dumfries and Galloway Council supports you to invest in your own health and wellbeing. Employees have access to our bespoke Vivup platform with over 800 discounts on everyday essentials from top UK retailers, restaurants, utility providers and more. Employees also get access to membership of The Local Government Pension Scheme (Scotland) exclusive discounts from local businesses, a Cycle-to-Work scheme, financial support from My Money Matters, and guidance from our trained Wellbeing Champions.

Here at Dumfries and Galloway Council we are committed to equality, diversity and equal opportunity with our values, which include treating everyone with dignity, fairness and respect, driving us to tackle inequality. We are looking for people that can bring different perspectives and experiences and especially welcome applications from those who are underrepresented in our organisation.

Interviews will take place on the 22nd of July.

For further information please contact Jacqueline Holland, Governance and Assurance Manager, Mobile: 07920 071064, email: jacqueline.holland@dumgal.gov.uk, website: www.dumgal.gov.uk.