Key responsibilities

1. Manage a substantial personal caseload of contracts work, including providing legal advice on matters such as the Council’s Procurement Rules, procurement legislation, partnerships, externalisation vehicles and best value and drafting comprehensive documents and offering specialised expertise in your field.
2. To draft, negotiate and conclude contracts for works, services and supplies, grant agreements and other legal documentation so as to protect effectively the Council’s interests. To investigate and advise on contract claims by or against the Council including those arising out of building contracts.
3. Stay current with developments in relevant areas of law and inform the Principal Lawyer about any implications for the team's work.
4. Advise on the Council's powers and decision-making processes, ensuring the legality of its decisions and risk mitigation.
5. Act as an advocate for the Council in relevant courts, tribunals, and inquiries, and instruct Counsel to represent the Council when necessary.
6. Responsive to client needs and ensures that work reflects best practices and meets performance targets outlined in Service Level Agreements.
7. Input data and utilise the case management system for reporting purposes. Provide regular updates on caseload status to clients, internal partners, colleagues, and management.
8. Achieve the chargeable hours target for the position and meet the performance and quality standards set by the Legal Service Management Team.
9. Draft reports, comment on, and prepare legal implications for reports to the Council, its committees and subcommittees, the Executive, and other member and officer-level meetings, and attend these meetings as a representative of Legal Services as needed.
10. Handle corporate complaints and respond to enquiries from Members, ensuring timely and effective resolution.
11. Contribute to developing policy and good practice within the postholder's area of responsibility and assist with developing template agreements.
12. To assist with client liaison including being proactive in forward planning for service requirements and facilitate with training needs.
13. To manage a substantial high value and complex caseload and offer proactive advice in Contract Law.
14. Assist the Principal Contracts Lawyer in managing the Planning, Property and Contracts Team acting as a deputy as and when required.
15. Assist with the management of junior members of the Planning, Property and Contracts Team.
16. In dealing with the most high-risk or sensitive cases, you will make sound judgments on case progression based on all the evidence and identify areas of risk to client officers and the Legal Senior Management Team and to personally ensure that high risk cases are entered into the Legal Services Risk Register.
17. To draft complex instructions to counsel on the most high-risk or sensitive cases.