Lawyer (Childrens)

Torbay is breathtaking, captivating, and welcoming, occupying a prime position on the south coast of Devon. Currently unprecedented levels of investment and the council’s own ambitious transformation programme have given Torbay the opportunity to capitalise on the area’s profile and many assets.

As a small unitary authority, you’ll discover Torbay is a place where you can make things happen quickly.  We have real momentum building, fuelled by a shared sense of purpose and ambition - which is clearly evident by our recent success in being awarded the ‘Most Improved Council’ at this year’s LGC Awards. We want Torbay and its residents to thrive and are committed to making a difference in our community, delivering high quality services to local people. 

To complement this journey, we are now seeking an experienced, enthusiastic and motivated lawyer for our Children’s Legal Team.  We provide legal advice and representation to our clients across a spectrum of children’s public law and within private law matters, supporting the safeguarding of children and ensuring the Local Authority is fulfilling its statutory duties. This includes all aspects of child protection, from emergency protection orders and care proceedings to adoption, disclosure work, leaving care advice and immigration issues relating to children and families.  As a junior lawyer, you will carry your own caseload of varied matters.  No two days will be the same, for which those already working within local government will attest to and actively thrive upon.

Undertaking the role of lawyer, you will be a suitably qualified professional with relevant experience; excited by a fast-paced and varied workload, conscientious, professionally curious and a role model to your colleagues. In return, you will join a supportive and rewarding organisation and team, whereby your talent will be valued and actively developed. At Torbay Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from our people. 

We also understand the importance of an effective work-life balance, therefore offer a hybrid working approach. This is managed effectively around the need to attend essential meetings and/or make court appearances in line with the remit of the role.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to work for an employer that sees legal services as not simply a support function, but an enabler in the pursuit of the highest standards and outcomes for children. 

In return we offer:

• A generous salary. 
• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with length of service. 
• A Career Average Re-Valued Earnings (CARE) pension scheme through Peninsula Pensions. 
• Flexible working. 
• Paid professional subscription. 
• Learning and development opportunities. 
• A supportive management and team structure. 
• Family friendly policies. 
• Key skills relocation package. 
• Golden Hello opportunity. 
• A wide range of lifestyle discounts and health and wellbeing benefits. 

We would welcome applications from suitably qualified and experienced candidates.

This post requires a Standard Criminal Level Check. This will show details of all spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions that have not been filtered in line with legislation.

For an informal chat please contact Janine Bond on 01803 207149 or Katrina Forsythe on 01803 207169.

1. Key purpose of job:

• To assist the Senior Solicitor (Adult & Children’s Team) (SSACT) in the provision of specialist legal advice, representation and assistance to the Children’s Services Directorate and Schools in a format and within a timescale which assists them in conducting their business in the most efficient and effective manner. 

2. Anticipated outcomes of post:

• The delivery of high quality efficient and effective legal advice and services to the highest standards of professional conduct and ethics, in a way that furthers and promotes good customer care within Legal Services. 
• To undertake all legal work as required, with minimal supervision and professional support.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post:

• To undertake case work in childcare, and to advise the Children’s Services Directorate and Schools generally on childcare and education law.
• To provide legal advice and services in relation to other areas of local Government law, as required by SSAC or Head of Legal Services. 
• To consider, prepare and conduct (including advocacy) matters in the Magistrates’ Court, Crown Court, County Court, High Court and in all other tribunals or hearings of whatever description, on behalf of the Council.
• To attend quasi-judicial bodies including school admission, exclusion and school transport appeals as a legal adviser.
• To provide training to Children’s Services Directorate and School Appeals Panel regarding current legislation and best practice and informing colleagues within Legal Services, as appropriate.
• To be knowledgeable and up to date on the law, practice and current issues relating primarily to childcare and education.
• To be knowledgeable and up to date on the general law relating to local government, including freedom of information and data protection.
• Assist the SSACT in the day to day running of the Adult & Children’s Team and to provide cover as and when necessary for colleagues.
• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post:

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post:

• The post-holder is required to provide informal support and supervision to junior members of the team and its Business Support Officers. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post:

• The post-holder operates in an environment governed by the need to meet deadlines, (including those externally imposed) in a context of changing priorities.
• The post holder is required to be able to travel to Court hearings and meetings.
• The post holder is at risk of exposure to material and situations likely to cause distress.
• The Post Holder is likely to handle cases of a sensitive and emotive nature concerning  matters which may have caused person distress and upset. 

7. Physical demands of the post:

• The post holder may occasionally be required to handle heavy documentation e.g. deed parcels.
• Court bundles and public enquiry files offsite with appropriate manual handling equipment provided to enable safe working. 

8. Specific resources used by the post:

• The post holder will have access to a laptop computer and other agile working equipment.
• The post holder is required to ensure the security of confidential and sensitive information when transporting and using files and laptops when homeworking, travelling and working away from the office.

9. Key contacts and relationships:

• External: Contact with service users, Torbay Care Trust, other Local Authorities, the local Magistrates’ Court and County Court, Devon & Cornwall Constabulary, the local legal profession, Experts such as psychiatrists, psychologists and risk assessors, partner organisations and relevant regional and national agencies and organisations.
• Internal: SSACT, Adult & Children’s Team members, other colleagues in Legal Services and officers in client directorates. 
• The post-holder will represent the Council and be responsible for influencing and negotiating with others on contentious matters in circumstances when the matter in question will be of a moderate complexity.  The situation may require tact and sensitivity.  The post-holder will be responsible on behalf of the Council in routine matters.

10. Other duties:

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job. 

Other Information:

• All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements.
• Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
• You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• If this post is a customer facing role and meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job Info Details

Job Title Lawyer Strategic team/Directorate

Corporate Services Service Adult and Children’s Team Business unit Legal Services

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness:

• Effective communication and interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to give clear and accurate legal advice. 
• Ability to influence, support and advise.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills. 
• Effective presentation skills. 
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships especially within a team environment.
• Effective negotiating skills. 
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently and prioritising workload with conflicting deadlines.

Desirable skills and effectiveness:

• Ability to command respect and authority with those persona the post-holder is required to work with, influence and support, advise.
• Ability to adapt to new areas of work.

Knowledge Essential knowledge:

• Childcare law. 

Desirable knowledge:

• Community care and mental health law. 
• Education law. 
• Understanding of the nature of a Local Government in-house Legal Service. 

Experience and achievements Essential experience and achievements:

• Suitable relevant experience as a legal adviser and providing legal advice and representing clients in hearings and/or tribunals. 

Desirable experience and achievements:

• Conducting own advocacy. 

Qualifications/professional memberships Essential qualifications/professional memberships:

• Qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships:

• Membership of the Children’s Panel. 

Other requirements Other requirements of the job role:

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the role (i.e. manual handling). 
• Ability to travel efficiently around the South West in order to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours. 
• Ability to accommodate on-call working. 
• Ability to accommodate home-working.