AMAYA’S EXTRAORDINARY STORY

Legal Services at Westminster is made up of a dedicated and diverse team of legal professionals committed to improving outcomes for families in the local community. Amaya, a Senior Solicitor, is part of the team that focuses on child protection, adult social care and education. After starting in private practice, she transitioned to public law, working other local authorities for over 20 years, before joining the bi-borough Legal Services seven years ago. Her caseload is very wide-ranging, challenging and stimulating and she has dealt with cases that have involved Hague proceedings, as well as a case before the Supreme Court.

As part of a close-knit and supportive team, Amaya and her colleagues have worked hard for years, and they have built a very good reputation with the local Court (Central Family Court) and the judges. The team is keen to develop the next generation of social care lawyers to continue this important work.

Westminster staff are encouraged to participate and contribute to more than just their day-to-day role and volunteering opportunities are available. Amaya has contributed to training for Children’s Services and has collaborated with the Family Rights Group. She also actively supports wider council initiatives, including volunteering with the Climate Team, the Language Café, and mentoring care-experienced young people through summer placement schemes.

The Role:

As a Solicitor, you can make your own powerful contribution. Your main role will be to provide professional, procedural and technical legal guidance, including routine advocacy on tenancy management, temporary accommodation and other local government housing, civil litigation, commercial and regulatory matters.

Working alongside the Social Care Team, you’ll undertake routine legal cases, deal with more complex cases, and assist more experienced Solicitors on high profile, politically sensitive and financially weighted cases. You’ll be committed to delivering cost effective, customer focused services, all within a culture of continuous improvement. 

About You:

A qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of CILEx with demonstratable knowledge of childcare law and related legislation and case law, you’ll have experience dealing with and advising on local authority’s duties and powers in relation to children and young adults. With a broad knowledge of Local Government law, or a willingness to learn, you’ll be committed to your continuous professional and personal development. 

On a personal level, you’ll be a natural communicator with excellent negotiating and influencing skills. You’ll be diplomatic, enterprising and detail focused, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. This is a fantastic opportunity to put people across Westminster first, and to supercharge your career in the process.

Westminster City Council is committed to supporting Care Leavers into the workplace. Care Leavers seeking their first job and who wish to be considered under our scheme, will automatically be invited to interview should they meet the essential criteria for the role.  

What We Offer:

Westminster is an amazing place. We are home to more than 200,000 residents from all backgrounds, over 50,000 vibrant and vital businesses and three-quarters-of-a-million people work in Westminster. Westminster City Council’s strategy is to work towards a Fairer Westminster. A Fairer Westminster is one in which our communities are at the heart of our decision-making and help to determine the city’s future. By working directly with our communities and other partners, we can build a more inclusive city that celebrates our diverse communities, and where residents, workers and visitors from all backgrounds will feel welcome and safe.   
 
At Westminster City Council, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive workplace and employer of choice. We encourage and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that, at all levels, represents the communities we serve. We champion equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, has a sense of belonging and is empowered to be their best, that is the Westminster Way. To find out more about how we do this visit https://www.westminster.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health-strategy-policies-and-reports/equality-duties  
 
As a forward-thinking Council we appreciate that people work in different ways, therefore our staff benefit from working a range of flexible working patterns as well as Agile working.  
 
The Council is a Disability Confident Employer. If you have declared a disability in your application, we guarantee an interview if you meet the essential criteria of the job. If you are invited for interview, you will be asked if you need any reasonable adjustments in order to attend, and we will make these wherever possible.   

We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants.