The role
The Role:
The General Litigation Lawyer will join a collaborative and supportive team, providing legal advice and litigation services to officers across council departments and members on all aspects of the Council’s work. The work within the team is diverse and engaging. The role offers an excellent opportunity to build on knowledge and skills and develop in local government work.
The successful General Litigation Lawyer will advise on matters including, but not limited to:
- Landlord and tenant disputes (commercial and residential),
- Commercial debt recovery,
- Contractual disputes,
- Inquests,
- Injunctions,
- Authorised traveller sites,
- National Non-Domestic Rates and Council tax disputes and issues,
- Judicial review claims and,
- Building safety.
You will be required to have a good understanding of court rules regarding such matters and will take conduct of your own caseload from the outset. Whilst the role will require you to pick up a caseload with minimal day - to - day supervision, you will be supported by the Senior Litigation Lawyer and the broader Litigation Management Team.
Candidates with relevant experience from both the public and private sector are encouraged to apply. Candidates with private sector experience must have a solid understanding of how local authorities operate and demonstrate their ability to transfer knowledge and skills to successfully deliver a service within a local government context.
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.
The team are collaborative, supportive, and friendly. You will benefit from working alongside experienced colleagues who are generous with sharing their knowledge.
The council operate a hybrid working policy. Full- time staff work 3 days in the office and 2 days from home.
The vision for Southwark Council Legal Services is: “To be the council’s first choice provider of legal services, offering a sustainable, high-quality, responsive & efficient value for money service to the council and to the communities of Southwark.”
About You:
The successful General Litigation Lawyer will be an admitted Solicitor, Barrister or a professionally qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives of England and Wales with a current practising certificate, and a minimum of 3 years post qualification experience.
You will be a team player, generous in sharing your knowledge, thrive in a collegiate workplace, be a critical thinker, problem solver, able to recognise risk, exercise sound judgement and have a good positive attitude. You will need to show knowledge of local government law, how it affects the work of the team and be able to get up to speed quickly with new law and policy.
Experience of working closely with clients at all levels is essential as is the ability to give clear, understandable legally sound advice orally and in writing.
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: 31st October and 1st November 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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