Lawyer/Solicitor

Job Summary by the careerbalance.co.uk Team:

55Job Description:

Baker Recruitment Group are now recruiting for a Lawyer/Solicitor to assist a busy department within the North Yorkshire Council. 

The role of the Legal Service is to support the provision by providing a comprehensive and efficient legal service to the Directorates, the Council’s Executive, full Council, Committees and Members, and external clients. The nature of the work requires a flexible and versatile approach as it will change from time to time in response to the changing needs of the Council, and its developing initiatives. The post is required to work with colleagues and members at every level within the organisation, with external clients and partners, and to manage the performance of staff within its responsibility. The budget of the service is in part dependent on income from external sources and the post must play its part in ensuring successful income generation, including working for First North Law (NYC’s wholly owned company) as appropriate and in ensuring compliance with Law Society Professional Standards.

 You will be expected to provide legal advice, support and representation working within one of the teams shown below:

• Adult Social Care
• Information Law
• Education and Employment
• Children Social Care
• Employment
• Litigation and Debt Recovery
• Environment
• Property
• Contracts and Procurement
• Regulatory
• Licensing

Occupational Skills for this role include:

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing to produce documents in a range of formats and style to suit a range of audiences and produce a representative record of meeting discussion and actions.
• An ability to interact positively with colleagues, clients and elected Members.
• Good presentation and interpersonal skills.
• To critically analyse diverse information presented in a variety of formats.
• Good ICT skills to use case management system and online research.
• Ability to analyse legal risks under the supervision of the Senior Lawyer in the team
• To work productively under pressure to achieve deadlines and targets, and help others to do so, and effectively cope with conflicting demands despite setbacks and challenges.
• Negotiation skills
• Ability to be a team player
• Ability to organise own workload and caseload with minimal supervision and guidance

Please note, the postholder must have a qualification as a Lawyer, Barrister or CILEX or a licensed conveyancer (where appropriate).

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for assisting the Head(s) of Legal and/or Assistant Director and the other members of the Legal Team under supervision where appropriate in ensuring that Legal and Democratic Services provides a comprehensive legal service.
• General assistance to the Heads of Legal relating to legal matters
• To play an active part in ensuring that Legal and Democratic Services and First North Law provide a quality service to clients. This responsibility includes:
• Compliance with:
  • Law Society Practice Management Standards and other professional requirements including the Law Society Professional Conduct Rules.
  • Legal and Democratic Services quality standards.
• Participation in quality standard audits.
• Compliance with and operation of Legal and Democratic Services Risk Management Policy. This obligation applies to postholder’s duties generally but with particular relevance to risk assessment being undertaken on each item of casework.
• Assist the Heads of Legal and/or Assistant Director under the supervision of the Senior Lawyer within the Team in ensuring the legality of the Council’s operation
• Participate in corporate groups as necessary
• Supervision/mentoring of Litigation Executive/Legal Assistant/Apprentice/Trainee/Paralegal and support staff when assisting the Legal Team
• Provision of advice and support to Members and officers of the Council and external clients of Legal and Democratic Services and First North Law including the undertaking of research in respect of legal matters generally in the relevant portfolio.
• Prepare and present cases in Court and other cases commensurate with the grade of the post.
• To contribute to the development and management of Legal and Democratic Services by
• Participation in team meetings
• Attendance at training courses.
• Participation in staff development process.
• Contribution to LDS Service Plan.
• Contribution to the development of LDS Practice Manual.
• Assistance to the Heads of Legal and/or Assistant Director and other members of the Legal Team in preparing briefing papers, newsletters and training sessions for Directorates and other Legal and Democratic Services clients.
• Communication (in person, email and correspondence) with:
• • NYC professional staff.
  • NYC consultants and contractors engaged on property valuation work.
  • Legal advisers to third parties.
  • Client representatives within and outside NYC
• To assist LDS and First North Law in the achievement of all e-Government policies and practices and, in particular, is required to use ICT systems including:
• Legal and Democratic Services time costing and case management system.
• Outlook
• Legal research tools e.g. PLC

Please note, the postholder must have a practising certificate.

If this is job role is suitable for you, please don’t hesitate to give Charlotte a call on , or drop her an email:  

Location: Northallerton, North Yorkshire