CHILDCARE SOLICITOR

Our team at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.

- We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of.

- We're working with the most vulnerable in our community to help them move forwards in their lives.

- We've achieved a great deal, but we're ambitious about the future.

Join us and be part of something bigger and better as a childcare solicitor. You will be responsible for providing legal advice and assistance, progressing less complex cases initially and further developing skills to deal with more complex cases and advocacy over time.

How you will make a difference as a Childcare Solicitor:

- Working alongside the People Team Manager you will deliver effective child care legal work to the Council and provide assistance to the senior child care solicitors.

- Manage a childcare caseload, including preparation of court applications and, as appropriate, undertake advocacy in the Family Court, to include the Magistrates’ Court under the supervision of the People Team Manager.

- You will produce s7 and s37 reports, providing disclosure in response to DPA subject access and disclosure requests, organising / attending advocates’ meetings, advising at strategy meetings, collating, organising and overseeing the placement of documents within court bundles, undertaking legal research, drafting briefs for Counsel.

What we need from you as a Childcare Solicitor:

- A Qualification as a Solicitor or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives.

- Significant experience of working in a legal environment related to Public Law Children Act proceedings or within a similar role.

- Well-developed interpersonal skills for persuading, influencing, building relationships and communicating effectively.

- Good literacy and report writing skills.

How a career with South Gloucestershire Council is different:

We know our team work best when they have balance in their lives and we offer genuine flexibility to help them achieve that work/life balance - whatever that means for them. We value our staff as individuals, investing in their careers and we are recognised for the quality, breadth and depth of our training and development offer, which helps them make the greatest long-term difference in their work.

South Gloucestershire Council is a local authority that serves an estimated population of 279,000 residents, with just under 5,000 employees. South Gloucestershire is situated in the South West between Bristol and Gloucester and has a mixed urban and rural diversity with a variety of communities.

“Invest in people and great work/life balance” – Glassdoor Review July 2019.

Location: Yate, Bristol

Job type: Part time, Permanent, 4 days per week (29.80 hours per week)

Salary: £35,934 - £38,813 pro rata (dependent on experiences)

Benefits: We can offer you a flexible working pattern; we have a home working policy and generous pension scheme. A relocation package is also available subject to criteria.

You may have experience of the following: Solicitor, Legal Practitioner, Lawyer, etc.