Assistant Lawyer/Lawyer (Child Protection)

Wirral Council is a place where you can genuinely make a difference, guided by strong organisational values that shape everything we do. Our values—ambitious, professional, resident‑focused and accountable—act as our organisational DNA, influencing how we work, lead and support one another every day. We take pride in delivering great services, acting with integrity, building positive relationships, and always putting residents first, creating a supportive and inclusive culture where everyone can “be the best we can be”. With our beautiful surroundings, ambitious future plans, and a commitment to empowering staff to #BeTheDifference, Wirral Council offers an inspiring environment to grow your career and make a lasting impact.

We are looking for two candidates with experience of providing legal advice relating to child protection issues and education matters. You will have good communication and IT skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a busy team of solicitors and legal assistants. You will be confident in managing a full caseload of court proceedings and advice matters.

You will have the ability to work well under pressure and to manage a busy workload to tight deadlines.

The successful candidates will be an admitted Solicitor or Barrister of England and Wales with a current practising certificate.

This Post is Politically Restricted.

So you can find out more about what it’s like working within our Legal department, you can come along to meet some of the team and give you the chance to ask questions about the role at our online event on Tuesday 17 th March, 12.15pm - 1.00pm. To sign up for this event, please email: jennifersmailes@wirral.gov.uk

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Vicki Shaw on 0151 691 8481 or email vickishaw@wirral.gov.uk

We’ve embraced new ways of working and hybrid working between home and office will be a feature of this role, working at the office 2-3 days per week, when necessary. Our technology platform and equipment allow you to connect and collaborate remotely which requires that you have in place good connectivity. This can be discussed more during the recruitment process.

You will find more details about the role in the job description and what we’re looking for from you in the person specification. In return, we believe in ensuring staff are well looked after, staff well‑being is a priority for us and regulary promoted, as are professional support and continuous professional development. You will have the chance to be mentored by skilled Local Government Legal professionals in order to support your continued development in the role and your career.

Working at Wirral

You’ll also want to know what it’s like to work here so, as a start:

Our values are more than just pieces of paper on our walls! We’ve all played a role in developing these, so they reflect the immense pride we have in what we do, what matters to us, what inspires us and inform how we think, approach things and behave.

We believe in ensuring staff are well looked after, staff well‑being is a priority for us. We’re serious about recognising and rewarding people for the great things they do. You’ll benefit from our track record of developing, growing and investing in our people.

We have a range of staff benefits including staff discounts, an excellent pension scheme which includes a generous employer contribution rate, immediate life cover and ill‑health protection. We have a strong flexible working approach, hybrid working, family‑friendly employment initiatives and an annual leave package starting with 28 days leave plus public holidays.

We have an inclusive, engaged culture, everyone has a voice, everyone is valued for their contribution and understands the role they play in delivering our strategic priorities.

Each voice is heard, each contribution valued. We embrace diversity in our workforce and recognise it is critical to our success. We support an inclusive culture that champions differences and nurtures a sense of belonging. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds, who share our values and our commitment to inclusion to apply for roles with us.

We want you to be your best at work, we create the conditions to help you thrive and we mirror this in our recruitment process. If you’d like us to do anything differently during the recruitment process to make it barrier‑free and as accessible as possible please contact recruitment@wirral.gov.uk

Please note that in accordance with the Council’s policy, employees who are in a formal redeployment situation will be considered in the first instance for all vacancies. It is Council policy not to re‑appoint any employee who has left under the terms of the Council\'s Early Voluntary Retirement (EVR) scheme or who have left with a voluntary severance (VS) package, unless in exceptional circumstances.

Applications will be accepted until midnight on the closing date. We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications. Applications can only be accepted through the Jobs page following registration. Forms received via the post will not be processed. All applicants invited to interview must evidence their right to work in the UK. Details of required documents can be found by clicking the link at the bottom of the Jobs page. The job description and other supporting documents will not be accessible once the vacancy closing date has passed so if a copy is required you should download it now. We do not accept applications or CV’s from recruitment agencies, unless otherwise stated. Therefore, any candidates submitted via a recruitment agency will not be considered for this role.

How To Apply

Please apply online by clicking the link below