Senior Lawyer (Adults)

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 Senior Lawyer for our Adult’s Legal Team.  This is an excellent opportunity to support our clients by advising adult social care and community health teams within Torbay Council and Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, providing legal advice across a wide area of adult services law, including Community Care, Mental Health, Mental Capacity and all adult social care matters.  As a Senior Lawyer, you will carry a wide and varied caseload, including more complex matters, higher level strategic / policy issues and provide support for more junior members of the team. 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 Senior 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 adults. 

In return we offer:

• A generous salary (to include market supplement). 
• 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.

The salary includes an amount for a market supplement of £8000 per year. This market supplement is reviewed annually.

This post meets the requirements of the Public Services Network (PSN) and therefore will require a Basic Criminal Record Check.  This will show any unspent convictions and conditional cautions.

For an informal chat please contact Janine Bond on 01803 207149 or janine.bond@torbay.gov.uk, or Esha Kansal on 01803 207158. 

1. Key purpose of job

• To provide high quality efficient and effective legal advice and services to the Council. 

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 and provide advice within the specialist areas of Adult Social Care law.
• To provide legal advice and services in relation to other areas of local government law as required by the Senior Solicitor or Head of Legal Services.
• To consider, prepare and conduct (including advocacy) matters in the County Court and Court of Protection on behalf of the Council.
• To provide training as required to client departments.
• To be knowledgeable and up to date on the law, practice and current issues within Adult Social Care law, including the Care Act, Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act.
• To be knowledgeable and up to date on the general law relating to local government, including freedom of information and data protection.
• Assist the Senior Solicitor in the day to day running of the Adult’s Legal Team and to provide cover as and when necessary for colleagues. 

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 staff.
• The post holder will allocate work to Legal Officers and assist the Senior Solicitor in quality assuring the work of these 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 continually changing priorities and where the work is usually of a complex and/or sensitive nature.
• 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 at risk of experiencing verbal and physical abuse, aggression and intimidation.

7. Physical demands of the post:

• The post holder is required to handle heavy documentation e.g. court bundles which can be large in number and difficult to move safely. 

8. Specific resources used by the post:

• The post holder may have access to laptop computers and mobile phones.
• The post holder is required to ensure the security of confidential and sensitive information when transporting and using files and laptops when travelling and working away from the office. 

9. Key contacts and relationships:

• External:
  • Contact with service users, other local authorities, partners and external bodies, Government Departments, other professionals (legal and others), courts and tribunals.
  • Contact with members of the public.
• Internal:
  • Contact with officers at all levels within the Council. Frequent contacts with Senior Officers.
  • Contact with Members on specific case matters, including giving advice on courses of action and their legal risks and ramifications.

The post holder will represent the Council and be responsible for influencing and negotiating with others on contentious matters in circumstances where the relationships between contacts and the matters in question will usually be complex and may involve difficult situations requiring tact and sensitivity. The post holder will be responsible for advocating on behalf of the Council generally including, where appropriate, formal advocacy before Courts and Tribunals.

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.
• 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.
• As this post 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.

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 Senior Lawyer (Adults) Strategic team/Directorate

Operational Support Service Adult and Children's Team Business unit Legal Services

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness:

• Highly effective communication and interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to give clear and accurate legal advice.
• Analytical and problem solving skills. 
• Effective presentation skills. 
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships. 
• Able to influence and persuade others at a high level both inside and outside of the Council.
• Advanced negotiating skills. 
• Ability to manage a full and substantial workload.
• Able to work as an integrated part of the wider Legal Services team, and be supportive of colleagues and management. 
• Ability to command respect and authority with those persons the post holder is required to influence, support and advise. 
• As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (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. 

Desirable skills and effectiveness:

• Ability to adapt to new areas of work.

Knowledge Essential knowledge:

• A high level of knowledge of the law and procedure within the specialist discipline.
• A detailed knowledge of the law applicable to Local Government.
• A general awareness of the policies, aims and objectives of the Council.

Desirable knowledge:

• Understanding of the nature of a Local Government in-house legal service.
• A general working knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of the Monitoring Officer.

Experience and achievements Essential experience and achievements:

• Suitable training as a legal advisor and advocate
• Experience of working within a legal environment.
• Able to devise, prepare and deliver training.

Desirable experience and achievements:

• Experience of working in an in-house local government Legal Service.
• Experience of working in accordance with the LEXCEL standards.
• Experience in providing formal and/or informal support, supervision and mentoring to junior members of staff.

Qualifications/professional memberships Essential qualifications/professional memberships:

• Admitted and practicing Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives (or equivalent), with at least 3 years post qualification experience.
• Professional Membership of the Solicitors Regulatory Authority or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships:

• Diploma in Local Government Law and Practice.

Other requirements Other requirements of the job role:

• 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 home-working.