Senior Children & Families Lawyer

Your new company
A highly regarded local authority legal team is seeking an experienced Senior Lawyer to join its Children & Families practice on an initial 6-month contract. This is an opportunity to work within a well-established public law team supporting critical safeguarding and children's services functions.
You'll benefit from a strong support structure, including dedicated Legal Officers and specialist business support teams, allowing you to focus on delivering high-quality legal advice, advocacy and case management.
The organisation offers flexibility around working arrangements, with fully remote working considered for the right candidate.

Some office attendance is preferred, but remote working can be considered.

Your new role
As a Senior Lawyer, you will manage a complex caseload of children and family matters, with a particular focus on:

Public law children's proceedings, including Section 31 matters
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and related Court of Protection work
Providing strategic legal advice to Children's Services
Advocacy and representation in contested proceedings where appropriate
Drafting legal documentation, applications and pleadings
Advising on safeguarding responsibilities, legislation and statutory guidanceThis is a full-time position working 35 hours per week on an initial 6-month contract, with a likelihood of extension.

What you'll need to succeed
To be successful in this role, you will be:

A qualified Solicitor, Barrister or FCILEX with Advocacy Certificate
Experienced in handling complex children and families matters within a local government or public sector setting
Knowledgeable in public law children's proceedings, safeguarding and related legislation
Comfortable managing a busy caseload with minimal supervision
A confident advocate with strong negotiation and communication skills
An accomplished legal drafter with excellent analytical abilities
Able to provide practical, solution-focused advice to a range of stakeholders
What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now on (phone number removed).
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.

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Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed