Interim Lawyer Education/Legal Services

Reference no:  Bradford 5258862

Pay Rate: 24.13 per hour PAYE 

Hours per week: 37 Monday Friday, normal working hours

Role Length: This opening assignment is for 1-2 months

City: Bradford, Yorkshire

The purpose of the role is to assist the Team Leader and the Deputy Team Leader in the provision of high quality professional legal services in the areas of Education, Employment and Litigation Law for the Council.

Undertaking all aspects of SEN Tribunal work including advocacy work, drafting responses, consent orders and liaising with the SEN Tribunal, Local Authority, schools, experts and private practice solicitors. To conduct advisory work to the LA, members and council committees on all aspects of SEN Tribunal matters

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as a senior case holder and, where appropriate, advocate, specifically in providing professional legal services in relation to Education Law to the Children s Services Department but also in providing professional legal services on matters of Employment and Litigation Law to the Council s Departments as may be required.
• Carry out the working practices, procedures and operations across the specialist areas of Education, Employment and Litigation.
• Deal with SEN tribunals.
• Give legal advice and guidance to the Council s officers and to Committees and Sub-Committees of the Council.
• Provide supervision and support to more junior staff.
• Act under pressure in the face of competing demands arising from emergency and urgent situations.
• Deliver training to colleagues, clients and elected members.
• Co-ordinate the work of the team, to ensure that matters are prepared to professional standards and in compliance with relevant legislation, Regulations, Statutory Guidance and Practice Directions and to ensure that Court commitments and other deadlines are properly met.
• Undertake such duties as may be allocated by the Team Leader or Deputy Team Leader, to include the preparation of reports, advice and guidance.
• Advise Committees, Sub-Committees, Members, Officers and any organisation with which the Council has a formal arrangement for the giving of advice.
• Provide professional legal services to the Council s Departments, including the Children s Services and Adults and Community Services Departments as may be required from time to time.
• Assist other public authorities within the West Yorkshire area on legal matters as may be required from time to time.

Qualifications:

1. A Solicitor, Barrister, Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives.

Skills & Experience:

1. Minimum of 12 months recent experience in a similar role, or context and ideally within a public sector organisation.
2. Understanding of and ability to manage risk in the public sector
3. Experience of conducting a mixed caseload of complex employment law and Education matters and providing advice to clients.
4. Experience of advocacy in the Employment Tribunal.
5. Experience of or ability to supervise staff.
6. Experience of working in legal services, preferably within a public sector setting.
7. Experience of delivering legal advice in a partnering environment.
8. Ability to deliver excellent specialist advice in an accessible way to a variety of stakeholders and clients.
9. Ability to work on own initiative, with minimum supervision.
10. Strong IT skills including Microsoft packages or equivalent (e.g. G Suite).