Essex Legal Services (ELS) provide high quality, professional, legal advice across the council and to increasing numbers of external clients. Providing a client facing legal service which proactively embraces change and delights the customer.

Part of a specialist legal team providing high quality advice in the area of Health and Adult Social Care Team with a focus on public law Health and Adult Social Care proceedings to underpin effective decision making, meaningful performance management and meet statutory requirements. Achieving good customer service and making a real and demonstrable difference to the delivery of Essex Legal Services’ business and the business of our clients.

We're looking for a qualified solicitor or legal executive with commercial awareness but primarily with a strong interest in working in-house to contribute to the ongoing development of the business and with the ability to build excellent working relationships.

Service/Functional Accountabilities

• Responsible for providing timely and accurate legal advice across the Council and to external customers, including constructively challenging where appropriate to produce the best possible outcomes.
• Accountable for delivering outcomes against the business plan for legal services which supports and drives the Council’s wider Organisation Strategy and vision.
• Act as a legal practitioner and advocate providing specialist advice, professional consultation and support to colleagues (where appropriate) within your team.
• To understand client needs and provide them with a service they value; driving the delivery of productivity and efficiency improvement.
• Support the development of current and future business opportunities, to promote the Essex Legal Services’ vision to the external market.
• Build strong working relationships across the Council, external stakeholders and other local authorities to ensure a quality advice service is provided to the customer.
• Delegated functions as detailed in the council’s constitution (and as amended from time to time).
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Qualified solicitor/barrister with current membership of the Law Society or Bar Standards Board.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.
• Desirable experience of working within a legal setting in a politically sensitive environment, providing high-quality advice to a wide range of customers.
• Experience in providing legal advice on social care matters including, DOLs, court of protection matters, safeguarding, mental health, Care Act 2014 and subordinate regulations and statutory guidance, health related matters
• Ability to provide clear advice on complex matters to both to both the client base and junior colleagues.
• A strong focus on outcomes to achieve strategic objectives.

Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Next steps

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.