This is an exciting opportunity with growth in abundance at Thurrock it is the perfect time to develop and progress in this vibrant and dynamic team.

We are looking for someone with a passion for prosecution law, a proactive mindset, and a desire to grow professionally in a supportive and experienced environment.

We welcome applications from candidates at all stages of their legal career provided they demonstrate strong legal aptitude, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to public service.

About the Role 

As a Litigation Lawyer, you will be responsible for: 

• Legal Advice and Case Management. Provide legal advice and support on a wide range of issues varying in complexity but not limited to:
  • Provide legal advice on prosecutions under:
  • Education Act 1996
  • Environmental Protection Act 1990; littering, fly tipping, and statutory nuisance
  • Consumer Rights Act 2015 (Trading Standards)
  • Licencing Act 2003
  • Planning Law
  • Food safety and underage sales offences
  • Fraud Act, Social Housing Fraud
  • Disabled blue badge prosecutions
  • Other local authority prosecutions
  • Advice on litigation, including
  • Debt Recovery (e.g. Adult Social Care fees under the Care Act 2014)
  • Judicial Review proceedings
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, case law, and best practice.
• Advocacy and Representation. You will be expected to:
  • Provide legal advice on prosecutions under:
  • Education Act 1996; 
  • Environmental Protection Act 1990; littering, fly tipping and statutory nuisance
  • Consumer Rights Act 2015 (Trading Standards)
  • Licensing Act 2003
  • Planning law
  • Food safety and underage sales offences
  • Fraud Act, Social Housing Fraud
  • Disabled blue badge prosecutions
  • Other local authority prosecutions
  • Advise on civil litigation, including:
  • Debt recovery (e.g., Adult Social Care fees under the Care Act 2014)
  • Judicial Review proceedings
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, case law, and best practice.
  • Provide advice to councillors, stakeholders and senior officers and to liaise with external bodies and legal advisers
  • To attend decision making meetings including Committee Meetings remotely or in person if required.
  • Undertake advocacy on contentious planning and highway matters, draft documents and review Cabinet and Planning Committee Reports.
  • Contribute to the improvement of the Legal Services Team
  • Support junior members of the team, including the Legal Apprentice, in Legal practice and procedure contributing towards their professional development.
• Contribute to governance processes, ensuring legal compliance and sound decision-making. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, case law, and best practice. To carry out research and provide legal advice to Client Departments on all related legal transactions.
• Engage with senior officers and Members to offer high-quality legal services, with a focus on social justice. Collaborate closely with directorates to ensure efficient delivery of Council priorities. Become a trusted advisor, advocate and problem solver as you contribute to Thurrock’s vision of client focused and innovative service delivery.
• Personally manage a caseload and be able to work unsupervised. To prepare, negotiate, draft, agree and process legal documents. To record all key actions and ensure data is regularly updated. To collate and send or check supporting legal and financial documents. To seek to always protect the Council's interests, while taking precautions against potential fraud and money laundering. To review and update as appropriate all templates and procedures.
• To notify and advise on any instructions or events that would result in a breach by the Council or an individual of any legislation, common law, standing order or rule or propriety or would constitute a course of action amounting to maladministration.
• To attend and participate in meetings with Officers of the Council and to provide legal advice when required.
• To be willing and able to work in a flexible and agile way with regards to both hours and location of work, including remote and home working, as required, subject to service needs and requirements. Two days minimum attendance in the office

What We’re Looking For 

We’re looking for someone who has: 

Essential:

• Excellent demonstrable knowledge of the ability to lead on complex and high-profile local government prosecutions cases when which may include Health and Safety at work, Trading Standards, Environmental Protection Act, Fraud Act and more.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to explain complex legal issues clearly and confidently.  Ability to work collaboratively and build partnerships with experienced clients and colleagues. High emotional intelligence (EQ), with the ability to build positive working relationships and navigate sensitive issues professionally.
• Excellent organisational skills able to manage a complex and varied workload with a flexible and innovative approach to work, ensuring that deadlines and court directed deadlines are adhered to.
• You will be an effective leader acting as an ambassador for legal services across the council, sharing good practice and encouraging innovation amongst colleagues, to include training/mentoring junior members of the team.  Attend and advise in Committee Meetings.
• Proactive and self-motivated, with a growth mindset and a willingness to learn. Ability to work on own initiative and with minimal supervision, to undertake research and be able to make accurate, considered judgements and decisions.
• Ability to assist on the implementation of best value, quality initiatives and improvements to client care.
• Ability to relate the Council’s key policy objectives to the provision of the legal service.
• Qualified Solicitor/Barrister or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives
• Advocacy skills.
• Good general level of understanding of IT systems, especially case management/time recording packages.
• Excellent numeracy and literacy skills.
• Understanding of Local Government structures and legal frameworks.
• Understanding of Law Society practice management standards
• Experience as a paralegal within a legal services team in a Local Authority or law firm
• Experience of working towards achieving/monitoring quality initiatives
• Experience in a performance management culture
• To behave in accordance with our values
• Commitment to the principles of agile working including the ability to work flexibly with regards to both hours of work and location of work including remote and home working as required with 2 days in the office
• Understanding of and commitment to principles of equality and diversity and compliance with Thurrock Council policies