About The Service
As the capital of Wales, Cardiff offers the experience of working in one of the fastest growing and most highly skilled cities in Britain but also offers easy access to the fabulous South Wales region’s coastline and countryside with worldwide standing.
Cardiff Council has a Lexcel accredited in house Legal Service with excellent opportunities for a hardworking, motivated and adaptable legal practitioner. Currently based at County Hall in the heart of Cardiff Bay with good transport links and parking facilities. We have specialist lawyers carrying out procurement, litigation, property, planning, governance, childcare and adult social services work, and aim to provide our clients with an excellent and comprehensive service.
Legal Services operates a hybrid working model which enables employees to work flexibly from home or from an office base, depending upon service requirements. We have a modern case management system, an online legal library, and a small business support team. We also have 3 trainee solicitor posts which we use to help grow our own workforce. Upon qualification some trainees have continued to work with our area and many of our lawyers have long service with us.
About the job
We are keen to recruit a high calibre, experienced Solicitor or Barrister (or equivalent) to be responsible for complex legal work associated with litigation, undertaking the day-to-day supervision, management and monitoring of solicitors of the Litigation Team dealing with criminal and civil litigation (excluding social services litigation); legal work associated with the Council’s regulatory, housing, employment, education, debt recovery, governance legal work and quasi-judicial functions; advice to the Council, Cabinet, Committees, and Directorates on related legal matters; representation of the Council in Court and at Tribunals, hearings, and inquiries.
The postholder will also be a member of the Directorate Management Team, supporting the Monitoring Officer as one of her Deputy Monitoring Officers including working with other Deputy Monitoring Officers in the absence of the Monitoring Officer and may deputise for the Director and Monitoring Officer on occasions including on politically sensitive matters.
What We Are Looking For From You
We seek high calibre candidates who must have experience of local government law and employment work, and the ability to motivate and manage staff and develop work systems and processes with the team and advise senior officers and politicians and who are able to deal with a varied and demanding workload.
We expect the individuals appointed to take personal responsibility for delivering excellence, to work with others to achieve the best possible outcomes, to embrace change and new opportunities, to make the most of the resources available and to think and act in the best interests of the Council.
Additional information
We have a modern case management system, an online legal library and a small business support team.
The Council’s Flexi Time policy does not apply however, the post is open to individuals who wish to have flexible working patterns, subject to meeting the needs of our clients and having mutual regard to the working arrangements of existing team members.
This vacancy is suitable for post share subject to there being another suitably qualified and experienced employee/candidate who wishes to post share.
This is a politically restricted post.
For an informal discussion about this post, please contact Debbie Marles, Director Governance and Legal Services via email debbie.marles@cardiff.gov.uk with any queries, giving your phone number and availability.
Those applicants successful at application form stage may be invited for an interview/test and this interview will be face to face. If you have any concerns regarding this, please contact Debbie Marles for a discussion.
This vacancy is suitable for post share.
We welcome applications in both English and Welsh. Applications received in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than English applications.
Due to the current interim working arrangements, we are unable to provide recruitment packs or accept application forms via the post.
We understand you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, original and does not include ideas or work that is not your own.
Please note the Council does not accept CV’s. When completing the supporting information section of your application, please ensure you refer to the below located on our website:
Important information you need read in order to complete your application:-
• Application Guidance
• Applying for jobs with us
• Behavioural Competency Framework
Additional Information:-
• Employee Charter
• Recruitment of Ex-Offenders
• Privacy Notice
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