Senior Lawyer – Community Services in Horsham

The Vale of Glamorgan Council advertises this vacancy. LLG is advertising this vacancy on behalf of Vale of Glamorgan Council.

The Vale of Glamorgan is a place with a strong sense of identity, ambition and purpose.

Our Vale 2030 plan is more than a strategy, it’s a commitment to strengthening communities, protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring that every child and family has the opportunity to flourish.

Safeguarding is central to that commitment.

The decisions made within Social Services are among the most sensitive and far-reaching taken by the Council.

They shape lives, influence futures and demand the highest standards of professional judgement, care and integrity.

Legal Services plays a critical role within that safeguarding framework.

We work alongside social workers, managers and Members to provide clear, steady and legally robust advice in complex and often time-critical situations.

Our work spans care proceedings, adoption, fostering, mental health and public law, and we are trusted to bring both legal precision and balanced perspective to difficult decisions.

As a Senior Lawyer within the Community Services team, you will be directly involved in cases that have immediate and meaningful impact.

You will manage complex proceedings, represent the Council in court and provide advice that helps ensure decisions are proportionate, defensible and centred on the wellbeing of children and vulnerable individuals.

This is a role for someone who understands that safeguarding law is not abstract.

It is human, consequential and often urgent.

The connection between your advice and real-world outcomes will be clear.

You will join a professional, supportive and collaborative team that values composure, clarity and collective responsibility.

We work openly, support one another through demanding caseloads and take pride in the difference our work makes every day.

We live our values — Open, Together, Proud and Ambitious — and welcome colleagues who want to use their legal expertise to create lasting public value where it matters most.

Our values in action

• You will provide clear, balanced and accessible legal advice in complex safeguarding matters, supporting transparent and defensible decision-making.
• You will be honest about legal risks and options, helping officers and Members navigate sensitive issues with confidence, clarity and professional integrity, particularly when the stakes are high.
• You will build strong, collaborative relationships across Social Services and partner agencies, working constructively with social workers, managers and Counsel to secure the best possible outcomes for vulnerable children and families.
• You will contribute positively to a supportive team culture, sharing knowledge and supporting colleagues in a demanding safeguarding environment.
• You will take pride in delivering high-quality legal work that protects children, strengthens families and upholds the Council’s statutory safeguarding responsibilities.
• Your professionalism, attention to detail and composure in court will reinforce trust in public service and in the integrity of our decision-making.
• You will maintain and develop your professional expertise, keeping pace with legal developments and best practice in safeguarding law.
• You will contribute to improving processes, managing risk proactively and strengthening how Legal Services supports safeguarding across the Vale.

The role at a glance

This is a role with real influence. You will help shape decisions that affect the safety, stability and futures of vulnerable children and families across the Vale.

We are recruiting a Senior Lawyer to join our Community Services legal team, contributing expert legal advice across safeguarding matters and ensuring complex and high-risk cases are handled with professionalism, care and sound judgement.

• You Will
• Manage a complex caseload including children’s public law proceedings, child protection, adoption, fostering and related education matters.
• Provide confident, timely and risk-aware legal advice to officers, managers and Members in sensitive and time-critical situations.
• Represent the Council in Family Court proceedings and manage contested and high-risk litigation.
• Work collaboratively with social workers, managers and Counsel to ensure cases are well-prepared, proportionate and defensible.
• Support early legal engagement in safeguarding decisions, helping to strengthen evidence, manage risk and promote best practice.
• Contribute to strong governance, excellent client care and high professional standards within Legal Services.

You will work on varied and intellectually demanding matters where your professional judgement directly protects children and supports families.

The connection between your advice and real-world outcomes is immediate and meaningful.

This role offers the depth, continuity and purpose rarely found in private practice.

You will see cases from early advice through to resolution, becoming a trusted and valued adviser, not just a legal technician.

About You

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in complex, high-stakes environments and values professional purpose as much as technical excellence.

If you want your legal expertise to directly protect vulnerable children and adults, shape safeguarding decisions and support families at critical moments, this could be your next step.

• You’ll Bring
• Professional qualification as a Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of CILEX with a current practising certificate.
• Strong experience in children’s public law, care proceedings or related safeguarding litigation.
• Confidence managing complex and contested cases, including advocacy and/or instructing Counsel.
• Experience working independently on demanding and time-critical caseloads.
• A sound understanding of public law principles, human rights and governance within a local authority context (or the ability to develop this quickly).
• Excellent drafting, analytical and negotiation skills.
• The ability to manage urgent matters while maintaining composure, perspective and sound professional judgement.
• Clear, confident communication skills, including translating complex legal concepts into practical advice for non-lawyers.
• A collaborative, inclusive and values-led approach.
• Experience supporting colleagues or sharing knowledge within a team environment would be welcomed, but this is fundamentally a senior practitioner role focused on personal case responsibility and professional excellence.
• You do not need prior local government experience.

What matters most is depth of experience in safeguarding or children’s litigation, alongside the professional curiosity and judgement needed to operate confidently within a public sector framework.

• We are looking for a thoughtful and resilient practitioner, someone who approaches complex cases with care and clarity, works constructively alongside social workers and managers, and brings steady judgement to emotionally demanding situations.

You will take ownership of your caseload, contribute to a collaborative team environment and uphold high professional standards without needing to lead from the front.

We are looking for a thoughtful and resilient practitioner who approaches complex cases with care and clarity, works constructively alongside social workers and managers, and brings steady judgement to emotionally demanding situations.

You will take ownership of your caseload, contribute to a collaborative team environment and uphold high professional standards without needing to lead from the front.

What We Offer

You’ll join a professional, supportive and collaborative Legal Service where safeguarding work is respected and professional judgement is trusted.

Our Community Services team works closely together on complex and sensitive matters, sharing expertise openly and supporting one another in a demanding but purposeful environment.

We recognise that safeguarding litigation is challenging.

As a Senior Lawyer, you will have autonomy to manage your own caseload from early advice through to resolution, with access to experienced colleagues and leadership support when needed.

We value clear thinking, sound judgement and constructive dialogue, not unnecessary hierarchy.

This role offers meaningful professional depth and continuity.

You will see cases through, build trusted working relationships across Social Services and develop specialist expertise in public law and safeguarding practice.

For those who wish to broaden their experience over time, there are opportunities to develop supervisory skills and explore future progression within Legal Services.

We are committed to creating an environment where high standards and wellbeing go hand in hand.

Flexible working arrangements and a supportive team culture are central to how we operate.

• You Will Also Benefit From
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
• Relocation support (where applicable)
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Family-friendly policies
• Wellbeing support and access to employee assistance programmes
• Ongoing professional development and advocacy opportunities

This is work with visible impact.

The connection between your advice and the protection of children and vulnerable individuals is immediate and meaningful, and that sense of public value is something our team genuinely takes pride in.

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