Are you looking to drive your career forward by working as part of a dynamic and rewarding team?

Here at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council we are seeking a talented and enthusiastic individual to join our Legal Services team as Principal Lawyer – Property and Contracts.  

We are a large, in-house legal team consisting of lawyers, paralegals and support staff providing legal advice to two local authorities (Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hart District Council). As a shared legal service, we advise across a range of areas of law including property, contracts, procurement, planning, litigation (civil and criminal), housing, licensing and governance.

What we’re looking for
We are looking for individuals who:

• Are a qualified, practicing Solicitor/Barrister/CILEX and have a proven track record of delivering high quality legal advice within, and a sound knowledge of both property and contract and procurement law;
• Are able to work as part of a team, be flexible and enthusiastic;
• Can demonstrate excellent communication skills and have the ability to prioritise workloads and meet deadlines; and
• Can demonstrate experience of dealing with high profile and/or complex property and contract matters.

General local government and/or public law experience gained through working in a local authority would also be beneficial, although not essential.

What you will do
As a Principal Lawyer – Property and Contracts, you will:

• manage a caseload of complex property, contract and procurement matters, including high value and complex acquisitions and disposals, regeneration schemes, compulsory purchase orders, leases and licences, high value and complex contracts, contracts for the provision of shared services and other commercialisation arrangements and advice work to elected members, committees and staff;
• provide high-quality professional legal services on property and contract matters, carry out legal appraisals and assessments of development proposals, support the partner councils’ procurement and contracts team on any procedures and activities governed by the Council’s Contract Standing Orders, draft and review critical documents including development agreements, transfers, commercial leases, licences, easements, memoranda of understanding, funding/grant agreements and all forms of contracts;
• support the development and training of the Paralegals in the team which might involve line management and/or responsibility for developing their training programme;
• stay informed of legal developments in property, landlord and tenant, contract and procurement legislation, case law and policy, ensuring that your advice remains up to date.

About Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council
Covering an area of over 245 square miles in northern Hampshire and within a short distance to London Waterloo and the south coast, Basingstoke and Deane offers a real blend of rural and urban living.  With a population of 185,200 people, Basingstoke is a fast paced, vibrant, and modern town with many successful businesses, surrounded by pretty villages and set in the stunning Hampshire countryside. 

We are extremely lucky to be in a position that few other councils are in, as we continue to deliver our key front-line services and are going a step further by investing a significant amount of money each year to improve these services for our residents. Our 2022 resident satisfaction survey rate was an impressive 93% - a figure that has remained consistently high in recent years and well above the South East’s 74% average and the national 80% average.

Application
We are excited to learn more about you and what you can bring to our team.  If you have any questions about the role, feel free to email our Property, Contracts and Practice Support Team Manager at maria.bundy@basingstoke.gov.uk

Please apply today.

Closing date: 13 March 2025

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