Senior Solicitor in Motherwell

Your passion has never had a greater purpose. Here at SEPA, we’re connected by a passion that drives us to be purposeful in every action we take – to protect our environment. Through our expertise, we lead projects that make a difference for Scotland, and our workplaces are grounded in respect for that expertise.

As a Senior Solicitor, you will:

• Use your advanced legal expertise, particularly in environmental law and corporate governance, to provide specialist legal advice and support to SEPA.
• Deliver complex and sensitive legal advice to SEPA’s leadership teams, directly supporting SEPA’s mission and strategic objectives.
• Provide expert legal advice across a wide range of practice areas.
• Advise on the interpretation and implementation of new legislation, contributing to SEPA’s input in shaping legislative and policy frameworks.
• Analyse and interpret complex information from diverse sources, including legislation, case law, and technical scientific data, to provide clear and actionable legal advice.
• Communicate effectively with internal teams to deliver detailed legal advice that supports SEPA’s goals.
• Engage with external stakeholders, including government bodies, legal representatives, and partner organisations, to advance SEPA’s interests.
• Develop and deliver training sessions and guidance materials to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations across the organisation.
• Support the Head of Corporate Legal and the Legal Senior Manager in managing litigation, disputes, and judicial reviews, including drafting legal documents and representing SEPA at tribunals and hearings.
• Supervise solicitors and paralegals, ensuring high-quality work and adherence to professional standards, while providing mentorship and guidance to develop team capability.

This list of responsibilities is not exhaustive. You may be required to undertake other duties consistent with the level and grading of the role.

This is a highly important role within our Governance, Performance and Engagement portfolio, which means you’ll need:

• To be a Scottish Qualified Solicitor with LLB Degree and Diploma in Legal Practice or equivalent and a current full (unrestricted) practising certificate.
• At least 5 years legal professional experience as a practising solicitor.
• Knowledge and experience of application of legislation in either a regulatory or environmental law context.
• Proven experience analysing and interpreting legislation to inform policy, strategy or approach.
• Supervisory experience.

We’re cultivating a workplace that supports not only your passion and your professional lives, but your personal life. Benefits include:

• Hybrid and Flexible working opportunities.
• Up to 35 days annual leave and 7 additional public holidays each year (pro rata).
• Paid time off to support your Wellbeing and enable you to Volunteer in your community.
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Progressive Family Friendly policies.
• Training & development to enable colleagues to improve their skills, competencies and knowledge.

SEPA is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and good relations in everything it does. We recruit solely based on merit, and our shortlisting process is conducted on an anonymous basis. We support flexible working arrangements to help you maintain a healthy balance between career and home life.

For the security and wellbeing of our colleagues, successful candidates will undergo Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) pre-employment checks including a level one Disclosure Scotland check.

If you have questions or need any assistance with the recruitment process please contact SEPA’s Recruitment Team.

Closing date: 25 January 2026.