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Lawyer/Legal Officer - Social Care

Employer
Cornwall Council
Location
Truro, Cornwall
Salary
£32,001 - £39,177
Closing date
2 Jul 2017

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Job Details

Lawyer/Legal Officer - Social Care 
£32,001 - £39,177 
Fixed term
37 hours per week
Ref: 000002TX
Truro, New County Hall

About the role & About us 

Cornwall Legal is a team of lawyers providing expert, high quality legal advice exclusively to public sector clients. We advise in-house clients, as a service of Cornwall Council. We also act for a number of external clients across the South West, including the Councils wholly owned companies, a fire and rescue authority, in excess of 150 schools and academies and other local authorities. 

The role holder will be responsible and accountable for a personal caseload of child care matters including high profile and/or complex legal matters. You may be required to provide advice at Council, Cabinet and Committee meetings and also provide advice on areas of law that fall within the remit of the Social Care Legal Team e.g. education. 

The main accountabilities of the role include;

  • Providing general and specialist legal advice to client officers and external clients (at all levels) of high quality on issues of varying complexity, within agreed timescales and to proactively support clients in all areas of their work which have a legal dimension.
  • Managing and progressing a caseload of straightforward and complex legal work.
  • Keeping relevant stakeholders informed of the progress of the case, taking due regard of key dates, priorities, deadlines and service level standards in order to ensure excellent client care and promote high levels of client satisfaction.
  • Undertaking legal research, drafting of legal documentation, attendance at case conferences and/or client and/or project meetings; and updating internal management.
  • Undertaking, if appropriate, advocacy work in relation to both contested and uncontested cases in the civil and criminal courts and to liaise with officers of the Courts, Government Office, Solicitors, Barristers and their staff and members of the public in respect of appropriate cases.
  • Ensuring that work undertaken is of the highest quality and accords where appropriate with current regulations / legislation and court practice.
  • Updating client services on changes in the law relevant to their services and maintain up to date knowledge of the law in relation to the areas most commonly encountered.
  • Building positive working relationships within the Legal Service.
  • To work constructively with the Business Partner to identify strengths and agree action in relation to development needs and to evaluate own working processes, identifying effective working methods.

To find out more about us see www.cornwall-legal.co.uk

This may represent a suitable secondment opportunity for existing Cornwall Council employees. If you wish to be considered for a secondment, please obtain your manager’s permission before applying. Initially a 12 month fixed term contract but with a possibility of this being extended or becoming a permanent post.

This position will be subject to an enhanced criminal record disclosure check. Cornwall Council is committed to safeguarding and is an equal opportunities employer.

More information about working for Cornwall Council is available here

If you would like further information please call or email Jessica Harries on 01872 324516 or jharries@cornwall.gov.uk 

About you 

You should have an up to date knowledge of local government legislative framework and administrative law. You must have a high level of negotiation, influencing and mediation skills. Practical experience of democratic decision making processes and an ability to evaluate complex information and apply knowledge to the law to create solutions to complex and strategic problems is required. The successful candidate should be able to deal with complex legal work and be an expert within Social Care and Family law.

You will have a degree or equivalent qualification and membership of a relevant professional body - Solicitor or Barrister or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives with significant proven practical and theoretical legal experience and expertise on matters is required.

To apply for this role please visit: https://cornwall.taleo.net/careersection/cornwall_portal/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en_GB&job=000002TX

Closing Date: 2nd July 2017, Midnight
Interview Date: 7th July 2017

Company

Cornwall Council is an employer of choice, providing career opportunities in a supportive environment and seeks to promote work life balance. There are many benefits of working for Cornwall Council such as a defined benefit pension scheme, family friendly leave, flexible working in terms of location and hours, consideration of part time working, on-site parking and facilities.

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