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 developing 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 Commercial and Property Litigation Solicitor, you can make your own powerful contribution to people across Westminster. Joining our specialist Employment, Criminal and Commercial Litigation team, you’ll provide legal and procedural advice on all matters relating to litigation — with a focus on commercial and property litigation.

Your day-to-day will be varied and dynamic — including everything from offering robust, risk-assessed advice, to drafting, preparing and collating reports and legal documentation in support of a busy team. This will include providing specialist advice on a range of matters, including prescriptive rights, rights of way, adverse possession, extension of leases, and appeals against improvement notices.

Acting as an advocate for the Council, you’ll attend meetings with Government Departments and other Local Authorities, responsible for negotiating the most advantageous terms with external parties. You’ll be expected to lead your cases effectively and efficiently, and to support and mentor junior members of the team. 

About You:

A qualified Solicitor, Barrister or CILEx fellow (or equivalent), with at least two years of post qualification experience, you’ll bring specialist knowledge of property litigation and commercial litigation. With demonstrable experience of conducting complex cases, including in the Civil Courts, High Court and Property Tribunals, you’ll have an understanding of local authority’s duties and powers in relation to the conduct of civil litigation. Experience of working in local government would be useful, but isn’t essential.

You’ll bring expertise across a range of contention property matters — including disputes concerning development land, property contracts, and landlord and tenant matters. Diplomatic, enterprising and a skilled drafter, you’ll be a strong communicator capable of explaining complex legal issues to non-specialist colleagues.

On a personal level, you’ll have a keen eye for detail and a solutions focused-mindset, capable of working with a high-degree of political sensitivity. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a dynamic and high performing team with a strong community focus, and to develop your skillset within a fast-moving and challenging political environment.

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.

The Council is committed to achieving diverse shortlists to support our desire to increase the number of staff from underrepresented groups in our workforce. We especially encourage applications from a Global Majority (GM), people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or have been racialised as 'ethnic minorities' (formally known as B.A.M.E, Black, Asian and multiple ethnic) background and, while the role is open to all applicants, we will utilise the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to appoint a candidate from a global majority background where there is a choice between two candidates of equal merit. If you are from a Global Majority background you can self-declare this to the hiring manager as part of our positive action commitments.

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 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 Our Westminster Way.

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.

Closing date: 7 June 2026

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