The role
The Role:
Caseloads in Southwark are much more manageable compared to neighbouring boroughs and so you will be able to hold varied and challenging cases, whilst still working within office hours.
In your role as a childcare lawyer in Southwark, you will have the benefit of working within a team where there is excellent business admin and legal assistant support and collaboration.
Southwark’s Children Services has been consistently rated as “Good” by Ofsted and has an experienced social care workforce, who enjoy a trusting and effective close working relationship with Legal Services.
Childcare Lawyers at Southwark Council are expected to undertake the following duties:
- Provide advice, representation and undertake research relating to childcare matters, including public law care proceedings, adoption, and child protection and fostering.
- Carry a caseload of matters in proceedings and pre – proceeding.
- An option to undertake advocacy on your own cases, if you choose to do so, in the relevant courts and tribunals to include, CMC’s, IRH’s, PLO’s and Directions Hearings. This is not essential to the role as Southwark has in house counsel and does instruct external Chambers too.
- Prepare briefs to Counsel.
- Attend legal planning meetings when required.
- There is also the opportunity to develop your practice by taking on education advisory work
The successful candidate will be required to pick up a caseload from the outset. It is important you have previous experience carrying a full and varied childcare caseload. Candidates from both the public and private sector with relevant experience are encouraged to apply.
About Southwark:
We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse, and growing population.
At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.
About You:
The successful Childcare Lawyer will be an admitted Solicitor, Barrister or CILEX of England and Wales with a current practising certificate. Commonwealth candidates with the requisite experience and the right to work in the UK without the need for sponsorship, are also encouraged to apply.
You will possess a minimum of 3 years post qualification experience.
You will be ambitious, a team player, driven by delivering a high-quality service, and have a positive attitude towards building relationships with social workers and your wider team. It is important that anyone joining the council is committed to this area of law and has a genuine enthusiasm for the work. The council is committed to delivering excellence.
The ability to work under pressure is imperative and be self-motivated and able to work to deadlines.
Have significant experience of and ability to operate IT systems.
Additional salary details
Please be advised that LAW Absolute Recruitment Agency are managing the recruitment of this role.
To register your interest, please send your updated CV to zalex@lawabsolute.com
Benefits and more information:
https://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/why-us/
This post is classified as ‘Hard to Fill’ and attracts the following remuneration package;
• A hard to fill benefit payment of £2,327 which can be redeemed against gym membership, health insurance, season ticket purchase, bicycle purchase, additional voluntary contribution to pension, subscription and professional fees.
• 5% Market factor supplement in addition to the annual salary.
Recruitment timetable
Application Closing Date: 11.59pm on 3rd October 2023
Interview: WC 16th & 23rd 2023
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
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