Job Title: Deputy Counsel for European Legislation

Salary: £62,620 per annum
Salary Band: A1
Contract Type: Fixed term until 30 June 2019 with the possibility of extension or permanency

Number of Posts: 1

Type of Post:  Concurrent
Hours: Full time, 36 hours per week

Closing date: 24/06/2018 at 23.59

The Role

The Office of Speaker’s Counsel provides legal advice to Mr Speaker, the Clerk of the House and all the staff teams in the House.

The Office consists of fifteen qualified lawyers (a mixture of solicitors and barristers), with the support of a part-time administrative assistant and a part-time paralegal. Its work falls into four main areas: general legal advice, scrutiny of domestic legislation, advice to the Joint Committee on Human Rights, and the provision of advice on EU legislation.

This post is in the European team. The team is responsible for the provision of EU legal advice to the House, focussing on supporting the work of the European Scrutiny Committee and the Committee on Exiting the European Union, as well as providing EU and Brexit-related advice to other Committees of the House.

The post-holder will report to the Counsel for European Legislation. 

The Person

The successful candidate will have the following skills/experience:

• Substantial post-qualification experience of practice as a barrister or solicitor or equivalent, or as an academic lawyer, including substantial experience of providing oral and written advice.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to provide clear and concise legal advice on complex issues in a comprehensible and appropriate format – if necessary at short notice.
• Experience of advising people in senior positions and gaining and keeping their confidence.
• Qualified to practice as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, an equivalent qualification from elsewhere in the European Union, or holder of a higher degree in law.

Benefits

Annual leave starting at 30 days pro rata

Civil Service Pension scheme

Interest-free season ticket loan

Child care voucher scheme

Discounted membership of the in-house gym

All applications must be submitted on a House of Commons application form

More information on the role and the full criteria can be found on the job description