Principal Advocate

A brilliant opportunity to join a dynamic, progressive legal service where you will be given the opportunity to work on some incredible projects and cases, while learning and developing as a leading local government lawyer. Birmingham City Council's legal service is unique and one of the largest in-house local authority legal teams. The City Council is on its journey of resetting, reshaping and restarting and everyone within legal services is essential to the Council's success and achieving beneficial outcomes for our citizens.

We have one Principal Advocate vacancy in our Housing and Community Safety team. We are looking for an advocate who has experience of undertaking housing and community safety work. This role is to act as in-house advocate for the whole team dealing with a diverse caseload consisting of antisocial behaviour and community safety matters including Public Space Protection Orders, injunction applications, committal applications, possession, succession, unlawful occupiers and providing general advice and assistance in housing management matters. You will attend court as required and sometimes at short notice for breach/committal hearings. You will be responsible for your own caseload as well as assisting junior members of the team to motivate, guide and develop them.

As a principal advocate you will provide high-quality legal support for the Council's strategic goals, manage a complex and politically sensitive caseload, advise on legal and evidential matters at the request of a colleague or client and take instructions from colleagues as an alternative to counsel.

• Act as a legal advisor to ensure compliance with statutory duties and obligations, to protect the best interests of the Council.
• Provide high quality, innovative, well researched and comprehensive specialist legal advice.
• Attend courts, tribunals, public inquiries or other meetings, undertaking advocacy and representing clients in negotiations and discussions.
• Appear as advocate in the higher courts representing the Council, undertaking a wide range of hearings.
• Provide evidential strengths and weaknesses in a case and advise on appropriate next steps or options.
• Draft court documents, briefing notes and legal documents.
• Support the Legal Services Management Team to meet practice management requirements and ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
• Play a key role in maintaining high service standards.

You will need to possess a current practising certificate as a Solicitor/Chartered Legal Executive or be a member of the Bar who has completed pupillage/registered Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives. In addition you will need to possess a Higher Rights Qualification or be willing to obtain one.

• 30 days annual leave – increases to 33 days after 5 years and 35 days after 10 years, plus option to purchase additional leave.
• Access to voluntary benefits providers that support health, wellbeing and making the most of your leisure time.
• Family friendly policies e.g., maternity/adoption, paternity, shared parental leave, carers’ leave.
• Health and wellbeing support networks e.g., independent, and confidential employee assistance and counselling, occupational health, etc.
• Employee communities and support groups including Corporate Black Workers Support Group, Disability and LGBT+ Networks, Menopause Support Forum, etc.
• Membership of job-related pension scheme, West Midlands Pension Fund or Teachers’ Pensions, with generous employer contributions.
• Access to ‘My Rewards’ – over 800 individual brands providing discounts and savings including high street stores, supermarkets, utility, and insurance providers, as well as great days out.
• Opportunities to join great salary sacrifice schemes e.g., Cycle to Work, Annual Travel and Car Parking, as well as making the most of Tax and National Insurance savings.

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities we serve. Our data tells us that for this level of role, ethnic minorities are underrepresented and therefore we will use positive action to support us to achieve diverse shortlists.

Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Birmingham City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our citizens and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.