A bit about us:

Liverpool is home to vibrant, energetic, and engaged communities, people who take real ownership of their local area and are passionate about making our city a better place. We've got ambitious targets to meet and we need people who are driven, dynamic and ready to deliver the very best for our communities. Public service is more important than ever, and this role represents a real opportunity to make a difference to our communities by transforming the way we work and placing our residents at the heart of everything we do. 

Working at Liverpool City Council provides an opportunity to contribute to your community and make a positive impact on the lives of residents. Our values shape how we work to deliver public services, and how we communicate with the residents we serve. We care about the best outcomes for local people, through our public services.

We are proud of our world-famous thriving city with its rich culture, as well as affordable housing, good schools, beautiful green spaces – there’s really something for everyone!

A fixed term contract has become available for a Lawyer in the Child Protection Team to cover a period of maternity leave for upto 12 months.

The role:

• To have personal responsibility for a caseload of complex and non-complex legal work, and act as a subject expert, with appropriate support and supervision from a Senior Lawyer or Head of Law
• To carry out own advocacy, when necessary, on own caseload and not to instruct external counsel/legal support except in accordance with agreed procedures
• To draft legal documents to a high standard
• To notify all high-risk matters to the Senior Lawyer
• To pick up casework arising in their respective teams as required including where additional resources are required to meet demand in the service as a whole
•  To provide support to other teams if requested to do so by the Senior Lawyer or Head of Law
• To work flexibly and collaboratively with their own team and across the wider legal service and with client services, as required
• To supervise the work of working in the team or on the lawyer’s caseload
• To attend meetings of the council as required to provide legal and governance advice and support
• To provide legal input into reports for various council meetings or decision-making processes in accordance with Council’s standards and processes
• To proactively maintain and improve client relationships
• To provide training and awareness to clients and other stakeholders on legal matters proactively or as required
• To act in accordance with and promote the Nolan Principles in the Council and your work and to escalate concerns when identified
• To externally commission legal work for the Council where required and on client instructions, ensuring value for money and high-quality advice and representation is received
• To keep up to date with current and future law and practice affecting the Council
• To support the Director, Deputy Director, Head of Law and Senior Lawyers in the delivery of projects and programmes in the Legal Service and / or corporately
• To support the Head of Law and Senior Lawyers with the development of legal procedures and policies
•  To support the Head of Law and Senior Lawyers in the delivery of value for money and income generation in the work of the team
• To deputise for the Senior Lawyer in their absence or as requested
• To be flexible with regards to working hours to ensure that service needs and client requirements are met
• To maximise the use of information technology and systems to provide more effective, efficient and economical legal services
• The job holder will carry out such other tasks as may reasonably be required

This role is fixed term for upto 12 months to cover for maternity leave. 

Our offer to you:

• At least 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays rising to 32 after 5 years’ service (pro rata if part time) - option to purchase further days
• Agile working (role dependent) - a “Flexibility First” approach to agile working, where flexibility is the norm rather than the exception
• Part of the Local Government Pension Scheme – option to join the AVC Scheme
• Progression - opportunities and training through a wide range of high quality learning
• Health and Wellbeing - offer including Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work and Travel Pass Schemes 
• Drive Time – a salary sacrifice car lease scheme
• Family friendly policies with enhanced leave  
• Discounted Gym Memberships 
• Employee Volunteering Scheme 
• Medicash 

Next steps:

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early. Once the role has closed, you will not be able to submit an application, and we are unable to reopen the vacancy for you to complete it. We strongly recommend submitting your application well in advance of the closing date to avoid disappointment.