At West Northants Council, we believe every child and young person should have the opportunity to achieve their potential. As a Senior Lawyer (SEND), you’ll play a key role in supporting the Council’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities services, helping to ensure children, young people and families receive fair, legally robust and high-quality support.
Working within our Law, Governance and Regulatory Services team, you’ll provide specialist legal advice on a broad range of SEND matters, supporting colleagues across the organisation while helping to shape policy, practice and decision-making. This is an exciting opportunity to join one of England’s newest and largest unitary councils and contribute to a modern, ambitious legal service where your expertise will make a meaningful difference to the lives of children and families across West Northamptonshire.
Whether you are already working in local government, looking to move from private practice or seeking a fresh challenge in a highly rewarding area of law, you’ll find a supportive environment where you can continue to develop your career and professional expertise.
What will you be doing?
You’ll manage a varied and complex caseload relating to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, providing expert legal advice and representation across a range of matters. Your work will include advising on SEND law, policy and procedure, conducting SEND Tribunal proceedings, supporting Judicial Review cases and providing guidance to officers, Members and services across the Council.
You’ll work closely with colleagues, external partners and professional experts to support the delivery of effective services and positive outcomes for children and young people. Alongside your casework, you’ll contribute to major projects, support the development of legal services and help ensure the organisation remains up to date with legislative and policy developments. As a senior member of the team, you’ll also provide supervision, training and guidance to junior colleagues, helping to develop capability and share best practice across the service.
It’s an exciting time to join our legal team as we continue to develop and strengthen our services.
About you
You’re a qualified Solicitor or legal professional with significant experience of providing legal advice and representation in complex matters. Ideally, you’ll have experience in SEND law or a closely related area and be passionate about supporting children, young people and families.
You bring excellent communication, advocacy and relationship-building skills, along with the ability to interpret complex legislation and provide practical, solution-focused advice. You’re confident managing a demanding caseload, working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders and supporting the development of colleagues within the team.
West Northants is a great place to build your career. We are committed to helping our people thrive through mentoring, coaching, development opportunities and a supportive culture that encourages innovation and continuous improvement. Above all, you’ll share our THRIVE values and our commitment to delivering high-quality legal services that make a positive difference to our communities.
