Legal Officer - Property And Public

GOVERNMENT LEGAL DEPARTMENT

Property and Public Law Lawyer

Location: London, Bristol, Leeds or Manchester

Salary: £61,200 (London) £59,200 (National)                

Full-time, part-time and job share available

Advise on housing and property issues as a key member of one of our legal teams

Who we are

The Government Legal Department is the largest provider of legal services across government and works with all the main Whitehall departments. From roads to rivers, and from health to human rights, our work touches on most aspects of public life. Our vision is to be trusted by government to provide excellent services, to be known throughout the legal profession for the quality of our work, and to be the best employer for our people.

The role

We’re currently looking for a Property and Public Law Lawyer to join the Housing and Land legal team that supports the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The team works on a number of housing and property law issues, including social housing, homelessness and rough sleeping, the private rented sector, leasehold and freehold tenures and the housing market.

Join us and you’ll advise on whether a policy can be implemented under existing legislation, ensure that all the legal implications of a policy have been thought through, and that any legislation produced will withstand the scrutiny of both the courts and Parliament. If new primary legislation is required, you’ll help to prepare the Bill, take it through Parliament, and draft any secondary legislation.

You’ll work closely with Departmental officials and Parliamentary Counsel, brief Ministers and support them in Parliamentary debates. We’ll also expect you to focus on issues that involve the Government, producing timely risk-based advice for our Litigation teams and external Counsel on a wide range of cases.

About you

You’ll have sound knowledge of a range of property law matters, an excellent understanding of the role of lawyers in Government, reliable legal judgment and a good appreciation of legal risk. We’ll also expect you to possess an analytical approach to your work and use secure legal research to produce fit-for-purpose advice. Any knowledge of residential leasehold and Public law would be desirable, as would the ability to advise on these areas.

You should have a minimum of a 2.1 honours degree in your first degree (or its overseas equivalent) or evidence of high level academic and/or professional achievement. You must be qualified to practice as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales, and you’ll have completed a training contract/pupillage/qualifying employment or been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx.

Chartered Legal Executives are eligible to apply where a qualifying law degree is held or the Graduate Diploma in Law has been completed, or where CILEx Level 6 exams have been passed at 50% or above in Contract Law, Criminal Law, Equity and Trusts Law, European Union Law, Land Law, Public Law and the Law of Tort.

You’ll enjoy a wide range of benefits including superb training and development opportunities, a highly competitive contributory pension scheme, and family friendly work policies. We’re committed to ensuring that all our people enjoy a healthy work/life balance, and with this in mind we offer flexible working arrangements, generous paid maternity and paternity leave, and season ticket and bicycle loans. And in addition to 8 public holidays, you’ll receive 25 days annual leave rising to 30 after 5 years’ service.

For more information

Should you wish to discuss this role in more detail please contact

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