A great opportunity has arisen in our head office in the beautiful market town of Kendal in Cumbria and within our Legal Team for a Senior Lawyer to assist with the Council’s corporate and governance legal work.

Who we are looking for…

To be a success in our Legal Team you will have experience and knowledge in:

• Providing legal advice in relation to local government law, constitutional matters, scheme of delegation, and decision-making including the preparation of reports and legal advice to the Council, the Executive and committees and officer delegated decision reports
• Providing legal and local authority governance advice in relation to strategic projects
• Members' Standards matters including complaints alleging breaches of the Council’s Code of Conduct for Members
• Local Government Ombudsman matters and complaints

You will be a strong team player with a proven track record of delivering to deadlines, have effective communication skills and be able to use sound judgement to solve problems. You will be used to working in a busy pressurised environment and will enjoy a challenge. You will have experience of working in a local authority and/or knowledge of local authority governance.  A commitment to delivering the best possible service for the benefit of our residents and clients, is required. You must have good IT literacy skills and an ability to use electronic publications for the purpose of legal work and research are critical.

Other duties will include attending Council Committees and working groups as required.

What can we offer you!

Working at Westmorland and Furness Council you will receive a variety of benefits, including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave allowance and other various perks and discounts schemes. For more information about life at Westmorland and Furness Council and what we can offer you, please visit our Careers site 

Application and Interview information

We are currently operating both in-person and virtual interviews. Options will be discussed with candidates once they have been invited to the interview stage of the process for this specific position, and if you have any concerns or adjustments are needed, we are happy to discuss this with you.

Westmorland and Furness Council are now able to offer sponsorship for Skilled Worker Visa applications for eligible roles. Please note, we cannot guarantee the eligibility of all of our roles, therefore, if you would like more information on roles that may be eligible please visit the government website.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Leader, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

We also offer guaranteed interviews to Armed Forces personnel and veterans and those in care or care experienced and under 24 years old (someone who has been looked after by a local authority at any point, for any length of time, e.g. foster care, residential care, or under the guardianship of a local authority) that meet the essential criteria for the role.

Closing date: 24 September 2025
Interview date: W/c 6 October 2025

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