Senior Lawyer - Litigation Team in Milton Keynes

Location: Civic Offices, 1 Saxon Gate East, Central Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Closing Date: 31/05/2026

Job Category: Legal

Service Area: Law & Governance - Legal

Package Description:

• 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. 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 – eligible employees can access 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.

Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week. Of course, managers designate which category roles are in based on the needs of the service and the circumstances.

Job Introduction:

We’re recruiting a Senior Lawyer – Litigation to join our Law and Governance service at Milton Keynes City Council. This is a rewarding role where your legal expertise will directly protect the Council, support our communities and help us deliver lawful, accountable public services. Our Litigation Team safeguards the interests of Milton Keynes City Council by managing all contentious legal matters across the organisation. We provide robust, strategic advice and representation on disputes, enforcement activity and regulatory compliance. We support every council department to act lawfully, confidently and proportionately. Our work spans civil and criminal jurisdictions, including possession proceedings, complex litigation and the prosecution of offences in the criminal courts. By upholding legal standards and ensuring effective enforcement, we protect the Council’s assets, reputation and statutory responsibilities.

As a Senior Lawyer, you’ll manage a varied caseload of medium and high‑level litigation matters. You’ll work closely with the Principal Lawyer and play a key role in supporting and guiding more junior colleagues. Your work will help the Council achieve its objectives and deliver fair outcomes for the residents of Milton Keynes. This role may be suitable for home working, following an assessment. Home‑based roles require a minimum of one day per week working from the office or site. Interviews for this role will be held on 15th June 2026.

At Milton Keynes City Council, we aim to make a difference every day. We’re dedicated, respectful and collaborative. We act as one council, and we work hard to create cleaner, safer and healthier communities while tackling inequalities and supporting people to thrive.

Responsibilities:

• Providing high‑quality legal advice and services on litigation matters to support the Council’s objectives.
• Managing a caseload of medium and high‑level contentious matters from instruction through to completion.
• Undertaking advocacy in court on your own cases where appropriate to the work area.
• Building effective working relationships with council departments, barristers and external solicitors.
• Supporting the supervision and development of junior lawyers within the Litigation Team.
• Contributing to team performance, service improvement and the delivery of key performance targets.

Ideal Candidate:

• A qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, or equivalent qualification, with relevant experience.
• Strong knowledge of local government law, particularly litigation.
• The ability to manage complex, high‑risk or high‑value cases with confidence and sound judgement.
• Clear and concise communication skills, both written and verbal.
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to support and guide colleagues.
• A commitment to working in line with our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

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.