A brilliant opportunity to join a dynamic, progressive legal service where you will be given the opportunity to work on some incredible projects and cases, while learning and developing as a leading local government lawyer.

Birmingham City Council's legal service is unique and one of the largest in-house local authority legal teams. The City Council is on its journey of resetting, reshaping and restarting and everyone within legal services is essential to the Council's success and achieving beneficial outcomes for our citizens. You could be part of this. 

Legal Services covers all areas of work that the Council undertakes, from employment to property, from social care to contracts. The variety of work that our team undertakes is wide and at the highest level. The work is challenging and rewarding in equal measure. Based in Victoria Square in the City Centre, you will have excellent transport links, access to Courts and tribunals, partner organisations and all the benefits that working in the wonderful City of Birmingham brings.

Birmingham City Council is committed to achieving excellence, putting our citizens first, acting courageously and being true to our word. If this resonates with you, then we want to hear from you.

Due to a redesign of the service, we have a Principal Lawyer vacancy available.

Your workload will include advising on a broad range of Education Legal matters including question relating to School Organisation, Elective Home Education, Special Educational Needs, School Improvement, School and Governor Support, Education Transport, Admissions, Exclusions and Alternative Provision. You will also support with resolving claims for Judicial Review brought against the City Council in respect of education matters and appeals in the Upper Tribunal relating to SEND matters. The role also includes direct line management and involves supporting the Head of Law to run the School Admissions Appeals and Exclusion Review Services.  

As a lawyer you will be a proactive and innovative legal advisor, providing high-quality, professional advice. You will represent the City Council in legal proceedings and meetings. You will have a commitment to exceptional legal support and management.

Key responsibilities:

• Acting as a lead legal advisor to ensure compliance with statutory duties and obligations, to protect the best interests of the Council.
• Developing, with the Head of Law, a clear sense of direction and motivation within the team through team meetings and supervision meetings.
• Providing high quality, innovative, well researched and comprehensive specialist legal advice.
• Working with the Head of Law to develop highly effective working relationships with clients. To deliver a client focussed service with an excellent standard of client care.
• Attending courts, tribunals, public inquiries or other meetings, undertaking advocacy where required. 
• Representing clients in negotiations and discussions and to also to instruct external legal services.
• Allocating work within the team including the setting and monitoring of performance indicators, targets and deadlines. 
• Managing a complex caseload and delivering advice within the timescales required.
• Preparing reports for, and attending Committees, Sub-Committees and Executive Committee as required. 
• Ensuring that the Department’s policies, procedures and practice standards are adhered to within the team and effectively manage non-compliance.

You will need to possess a current practising certificate as a Solicitor/Chartered Legal Executive or be a member of the Bar who has completed pupillage or be a registered Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives.

Benefits of working at Birmingham City Council

• 30 days annual leave – Increases to 33 days after 5 years and 35 days after 10 years, plus option to purchase additional leave
• Access to voluntary benefits providers that support health, wellbeing and making the most of your leisure time
• Family friendly policies e.g., maternity/adoption, paternity, shared parental leave, carers’ leave
• Health and wellbeing support networks e.g., independent, and confidential employee assistance and counselling, occupational health, etc.
• Employee communities and support groups including Corporate Black Workers Support Group, Disability and LGBT+ Networks, Menopause Support Forum, etc.
• We are a disability confident employer
• Membership of job-related pension scheme, West Midlands Pension Fund or Teachers’ Pensions, with generous employer contributions
• Access to ‘My Rewards’ – over 800 individual brands providing discounts and savings including high street stores, supermarkets, utility, and insurance providers, as well as great days out … to name but a few!
• Opportunities to join great salary sacrifice schemes e.g., Cycle to Work, Annual Travel and Car Parking, as well as making the most of Tax and National Insurance savings (additional schemes to launch soon)

Please upload an up-to-date CV and Personal Statement via the attachments part of your application.  The Personal Statement should outline how you meet the essential criteria for the role through your personal qualities, skills and experience and include your motivation for applying to the post.  Note the Personal Statement should be no more than 1500 words.  Unfortunately, we cannot consider any applications without a CV and Personal Statement attached.