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Form of work
SalaryWe are looking for enthusiastic and committed senior lawyers to join the Joint Legal Team. You’ll be working with colleagues to make a difference to the lives of vulnerable adults, children and young people in Berkshire.
The Joint Legal Team is a forward thinking shared legal service and recognised centre of excellence for adults, education and Child Care law for Berkshire councils. We are hosted by Reading Borough Council, working from our modern offices in Reading town centre close to the train station and courts.
Our ambition is to be the best place to practice law in local government; being close to our clients, recruiting the best talent, successfully deploying legal technology and ensuring the continued growth of the business to new customers. We provide the Council and its partners with the highest quality professional legal advice and representation which allows them to run their organisations well, and to serve our community.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.
We offer flexible working patterns and provide a hybrid working environment with the best of both worlds with a mix of office working in central Reading and home-working according to the needs of the Service.
About the role
We are seeking senior solicitors, barristers or FCILEX to join our Child Care teams in the Joint Legal Team. This position is an ideal next step in your career and leadership development. Willingness to undertake advocacy at CMHs and IRHs is an advantage.
You will work in a small team of lawyers, paralegals and legal assistants and led by an experienced Principal Lawyer. You will have day to day supervision of staff reporting directly to you. This role includes deputising for your Principal Lawyer at times and contributing to timely delivery of effective legal services with maximum efficiency and economy.
Our Professional Support Lawyer will support you to develop your legal skills and to move to the next level in your career.
In our Child Care Court Teams, you will have opportunities to work on a wide range of interesting and complex cases to grow your experience. Our long-established Adoption and Permanence Team works closely with Adopt Thames Valley to support our clients. We offer advocacy training to our lawyers.
Our Legal Operations Team will assist you in delivering your work as we invest further in our systems and work towards Lexcel accreditation.
Whatever your specialism or previous experience, you will thrive on the challenge of working in a client focussed environment and in a team which has an ambitious agenda for the future. You will have opportunities to join in the wider work of the team outside your specialist field in helping us to reach our team objectives.
All of our lawyer roles are open to qualified solicitors, barristers and chartered legal executives.
You will be part of a dynamic team with each individual playing their part to the best of their ability. As part of Team Reading you will play your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.
You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.
Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:
Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do
Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential
Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way
Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed
About you
To apply for this role you will have:
- A current practising certificate and be entitled to practice in England as a Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executive
- Significant post qualification experience
- An ability to work to tight deadlines and remain calm whilst under pressure
- Attention to detail and the confidence to work independently as well as in a team
- Excellent communication, team-work and relationship building skills.
- A flexible approach to work and ability to use initiative
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
- A willingness to improve your leadership skills and contribute to an ambition for the Joint Legal Team and Reading Legal Services
Our offer
We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.
A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:
- Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
- A wide range of flexible working opportunities
- Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
- Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
- Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
For more information on this position, please contact Eleanor Gibson, the Team Leader for Child Care via email.
Closing Date: 11th February 2024
Interviews: To be confirmed
Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
