£52,138 plus £5,398 market enhancement progressing to £57,652 plus £5,424 market enhancement plus a one-off Welcome Payment of £4000

LGPS pension Employer Contribution 19.6%

About Herts Legal
With more than 100 colleagues in the team Herts Legal is one of the largest and most successful legal teams in local government and offers a complete legal service to clients across the County Council, District Councils and other public sector bodies.

Our lawyers are crucial to the County Council's continued success. We have high standards for our services and we are pleased to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the Law Society's Lexcel quality standard assessor.

Herts Legal provides a fantastic opportunity for ambitious, passionate and organised Lawyers who want to join a supportive and flourishing public sector legal team.

We offer flexible hybrid working and have recently moved to newly refurbished modern offices in Stevenage.

The Role
The role will be a client facing role providing high quality legal services to the County Council’s Members, Schools that subscribe to an Education Helpline and the Children’s Services Directorate, specifically Education and Early Years Departments.

This role will primarily focus on the  provision of  Education advice and to ensure that the decisions made by the client department and Schools that subscribe to an Education Helpline are within legal boundaries and achieve their aims and objectives and accord with applicable legislation and County Council policy.

You will also contribute to the maintenance of Legal Services’ Lexcel accreditation.

Criteria for the Role

• A solicitor, barrister or legal executive
• Comprehensive understanding of the legal framework and case law relating to Education
• Demonstrate an understanding of the issues facing local authorities, legal service departments and lawyers
• Experience of providing legal advice to local authority clients on complex matters relating to Education.
• Demonstrate that you are able to work collaboratively, manage and prioritise workloads to achieve Client outcomes to timescale and within budget
• Demonstrate excellent client care skills and a flair for developing relationships with Client Officers and colleagues at all levels
• Excellent inter-personal, written and oral communication and negotiation skills  and  self-sufficient in the production of all documents and correspondence without the need to rely on secretarial staff
• Ideally you will have some experience of conducting your own advocacy, and knowledge and experience of Education matters

Role Responsibilities

• Provide Education related advice on matters relating but not limited to SEN, Admissions,  Exclusions, Attendance and Educational Welfare, School governance and organisation,   School Place planning and complaints
• Be the principal contact for the Schools Helpline
• To represent the County Council and other clients of Legal Services at hearings within Tribunals, Courts and Panels
• To investigate and advise on implications of changing legislation, case law and code of practice and policy
• Conduct advocacy before the Court and instruct counsel where appropriate, in matters before the High Court, County Court, Magistrates Court and First Tier Tribunal as well as preparation of these cases in order to see the outcomes required by the client departments
• Ensure that the decisions made by the client departments are within legal boundaries; accord with County Council policy; and achieve their aims and objectives efficiently
• Maintain an awareness of all relevant legislation, policy and regulations, investigate and advise on implications of changing legislation, case law and codes of practice and policy and provide training where necessary
• Provide training as required.

This job role is within the Corporate Services, level 13 job profile. Please locate this via:
Job profiles - Corporate services
Benefits of working for us

Your Application
If you think you have the knowledge, experience and skills to make a success of this dynamic and exciting role at Herts Legal, we look forward to receiving your application and meeting you.

If you would like to discuss the role further, please contact luis.andrade@hertfordshire.gov.uk  or telephone 01992 555504 initially.
 
Additional information

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required).

For further information or to apply, please click on the 'Enquire/Apply' button below.