Legal Officer (9514)

Overview

Legal Officer 9514 Permanent Contract 37 hours per week £31,537 - £33,699 per annum Scale G Norwich

We are looking for Legal Officers to join nplaw's Child Protection Team and provide expert legal advice and support to local authority clients in all areas of child protection law. The team is friendly and supportive with a focus on nurturing and advancing professional development.

The Child Protection Team is part of nplaw, a public sector shared legal service with extensive experience advising local government, the public sector, charities and schools. We deliver a wide range of legal services through specialist lawyers who understand the local government context.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and support on a broad range of child protection matters, ensuring stakeholder and client expectations are met.
• Understand, or develop an understanding of, the legal procedures, resources and systems to undertake straightforward legal transactions and casework.
• Work closely with Solicitors and Senior Legal Officers.
• Obtain and draft basic pleadings, including consent orders and statements of facts.
• Prepare and draft basic legal documents and upload to the family platform.
• Ensure that Court Bundles are compliant with PD27A and updated for courts and other relevant parties; receive documentation and add to the bundle where relevant.
• Attend meetings and court hearings when requested to take notes.
• Ensure deadlines and order time limits are complied with by chasing and reminding clients and third parties.
• Progress court directions for disclosure and information from third parties.

Qualifications and Skills

• A law degree or CILEx Level 3 qualification (or working towards CILEx Level 3), or an equivalent qualification or experience.
• Good knowledge of the law or a willingness to learn a new subject area.
• First-class communication and organisational skills and excellent client care.

Development and Opportunities

There is a strong opportunity to learn and develop skills with support from a talented team and a structured approach to long-term career development, including the possibility of qualifying as a solicitor if desired.

Applications are welcome from candidates at any stage of their career, including those returning after a career break or seeking to transition to this area of law.

Working Arrangements

Open to part-time, full-time and flexible working. We operate in a hybrid model with some home/remote work and some time at our base at County Hall, Norwich, as well as attendance at court where appropriate. None of these roles are fully remote.

We offer variety, challenging and high-impact cases, and opportunities to progress within an award-winning legal service. We emphasise work-life balance and flexible, smarter working arrangements supported by leading-edge technology. We provide wellbeing support, including a buddy system for new starters, trained mental health first aiders and an employee helpline and counselling service. We strive for a diverse workforce where everyone can bring their whole self to work.

Benefits

These are some benefits you can enjoy by working for Norfolk County Council:

• Competitive salary
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Health and wellbeing services including fast-track physiotherapy and free counselling
• Flexible working opportunities including flexi-time, part-time, remote and hybrid working (depending on role and business needs)
• Financial benefits such as Norfolk Rewards discounts, Blue Light card for Fire Service and Social Care Workers, relocation expenses (where applicable), travel expense advances, Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution, life assurance, death in service and dependants' pensions
• Tax-efficient options for extras such as pension enhancements and bike schemes
• Access to a tax-efficient car lease scheme for greener travel (subject to eligibility)

How to Apply

Before you apply, read the full Job Description and Person Specification to help demonstrate you meet the criteria. You can also find information on Terms and Conditions here.

Existing Norfolk County Council employees can view internal and external vacancies in myOracle using email.

We would like to note that priority consideration may be given to current employees at risk due to restructure or in a redeployment position.

Redeployment closing date: 02 February :59

All other applicants closing date: 09 February :59