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- Tasks: Manage legal matters in children's social care, including care proceedings and adoption.
- Company: Join a respected local authority legal team dedicated to safeguarding children.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible hybrid working, career development, and a supportive team culture.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while advancing your legal career.
- Qualifications: Qualified Solicitor or Barrister with 1-3 years of experience in social care.
- Other info: Work in a dynamic environment with opportunities for impactful legal work.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
This is a fantastic opportunity to join a well-regarded local authority legal team that plays a key role in supporting children’s services. The team is known for its collaborative culture, high professional standards, and commitment to safeguarding public service excellence.
As a Senior Lawyer within the Children’s Social Care team, you’ll manage and advise on a wide range of legal matters including care proceedings, adoption, and international issues. You’ll also lead on complex cases and supervise up to three legal assistants. This position is available on a PT and FT basis.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Managing Deprivation of Liberty (DOL) and Secure Accommodation proceedings.
- Drafting applications, threshold statements, case summaries, and orders.
- Handling Section 7 and Section 37 matters.
- Providing advocacy in court.
- Advising on all aspects of care and adoption proceedings.
- Leading routine and complex cases under the direction of the Principal Lawyer.
- Supervising and supporting legal assistants to deliver successful outcomes.
This role offers hybrid working, with a requirement to be on-site at least two days per week.
What you’ll need to succeed:
- Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Legal Executive with a current practising certificate (England & Wales).
- 1–3 years post-qualification experience in the social care sector.
- Strong understanding of local government and experience in a political environment.
- In-depth knowledge of relevant legislation, policies, and procedures.
- Proven experience in the public sector, ideally within local government.
- Excellent communication, advocacy, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage complex workloads and meet deadlines.
What you’ll get in return:
- Flexible hybrid working arrangements.
- Supportive team culture and opportunities for career development.
- Exposure to high-impact legal work in a meaningful public service context.
- Local authority pension scheme and employee benefits.
Senior Lawyer – Children\'s Social Care – FT or PT in Essex employer: hays-gcj-v4-pd-online
Contact Detail:
hays-gcj-v4-pd-online Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Lawyer – Children\'s Social Care – FT or PT in Essex
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the legal field, especially those who work in children's social care. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on relevant legislation and recent case law. We want you to shine when discussing your experience with care proceedings and adoption matters!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! If you've supervised legal assistants before, be ready to share specific examples of how you guided them through complex cases. This will highlight your fit for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Lawyer – Children\'s Social Care – FT or PT in Essex
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in children's social care. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Legal Expertise: As a Senior Lawyer, you’ll need to demonstrate your understanding of care proceedings and adoption laws. Use specific examples from your past work to illustrate your knowledge and experience in these areas.
Highlight Your Team Spirit: We value collaboration, so make sure to mention any experience you have in leading teams or supervising others. Share how you’ve supported colleagues in achieving successful outcomes, as this is key to our culture.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this fantastic opportunity in our legal team.
How to prepare for a job interview at hays-gcj-v4-pd-online
✨Know Your Legislation
Make sure you brush up on the relevant legislation and policies related to children's social care. Being able to discuss specific laws and how they apply to real cases will show your depth of knowledge and commitment to the role.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare examples from your past work that highlight your experience in managing complex cases and supervising others. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses and make them impactful.
✨Demonstrate Advocacy Skills
Since advocacy is a key part of this role, be ready to discuss your approach to court appearances. Share any experiences where you successfully advocated for a child’s best interests, and explain how you handle challenging situations.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about the team culture, ongoing projects, and how success is measured within the local authority. This not only shows your interest but also helps you gauge if the environment aligns with your values.
