Senior Lawyer in Manchester

About The Role

Working Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent

Closing Date: 11.59pm, 26 April 2026

Interview method: in person

Applicants must have an existing right to work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position. This role is subject to:

• Legal right to Work: In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment.
• 2 references - where possible, we require 3 years' history
• Qualification and registration - Qualified solicitor, barrister with litigation conduct authorisation, Chartered Lawyer or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives with advocacy and litigation conduct practising rights
• DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance - this post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended in 2013). Appointable candidates will be required to apply for a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Put your legal experience to work for Manchester. Having invested into our structure we are growing our already effective team of lawyers, legal officer and business support team who produce incredible, outstanding results with an enhanced vision for the future. Aligning ourselves with Children’s Services to deliver safe, efficient, and effective services to families, the enhanced vision is supported by new team structures, an enriched training, mentoring and coaching tool and a new Case Management System. Highly valued by our clients, our excellent relationships and continual looking for better ways of doing things and achieving greater heights produces an innovative, responsive, inclusive and transparent legal service. At the heart of everything we do is:

• the safety and needs of children
• high-quality representation of Children’s Services.

Be part of our effective team of lawyers who produce incredible, outstanding results. You will play an integral part in supporting Manchester and Salford’s Children’s Services. You will provide legal advice to children's services supporting them in all aspects of their statutory functions. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to develop their legal skills whilst working for one of the largest childcare teams in the country. Legal work for public services in Manchester, and Salford Councils and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority puts you among the few practitioners in England’s first, and biggest, devolved region, where major decisions are now taken in-house rather than in Whitehall and by NHS administrations. We offer our team members flexible start and finish times with an effective hybrid working-practice model. There’s opportunity for development in the role thanks to the way our teams practise in our Lexcel accredited and supported legal service.

About the Candidate

Are your skills and legal mind being rewarded? Do you work together as part of a supportive team? Is your work wide-ranging and varied? Are you achieving your goals? Are you able to conduct your own advocacy?

You will be someone who works well as part of a team but you will be able to complete your own work with minimal supervision. You will have your own busy caseload of complex matters so the ability to manage your time effectively is essential. You will be someone who has excellent communications skills, both written and verbal, as you will need draft legal documentation and provide advice to our clients. You will also represent the local authority at court on a regular basis. The role will suit someone who enjoys advocacy which is a substantial part of the role as a childcare senior lawyer. As a senior lawyer in the team you will mentor less experienced members of the team and will lead by example in the ways you work.

As part your application, please submit your Curriculum Vitae (with your name removed) and detailed Expression of Interest setting out how your skills and experience meet the requirements on the attached role profile. To arrange an informal discussion on this role please contact Jennifer Heason, Head of Children & Families Legal Services by email at jennifer.heason@manchester.gov.uk.

About Us

We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities. Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone. Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer:

• Generous holiday allowance - Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
• A buzzing pension - You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave - Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
• Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow - We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
• A Good Employment Charter member - We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave - Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panel's minimum shortlisting requirement for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long-term condition

When You Join Us

We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email jobs@manchester.gov.uk.

What we will need from you if you're successful:

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.

Pre-Employment Checks

If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for, see the top of the advert for details. These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.

Other relevant information

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factual accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.