Description
DACB’s Health, Care and Public Law Team provides legal advice and training to a very wide range of organisations operating across the health and social care sector, including NHS Trusts, independent sector providers, commissioners, and public bodies.
The team is highly rated in Legal 500 and Chambers and is recognised for having “a very broad range of specialists, all of whom are first class experts and great to work with”.
We currently have an opportunity for a Newly Qualified Solicitor (up to c.2 years PQE) to join the team. The role would be focused on regulatory and advisory support with a particular emphasis on Court of Protection and mental health matters.
The role sits within the regulatory arm of the Health, Care and Public Law team, and the chosen candidate will work alongside several senior solicitors across the team, gaining support and experience across a varied caseload.
The team plays an important role in DACB’s broader Health practice, which is widely recognised as a leading strategic, commercial, and regulatory adviser to the health and social care sector in the UK.
Key Responsibilities
* Handle a varied caseload of Court of Protection and mental health work with appropriate supervision
* Advise NHS clients including commissioners, ICBs, mental health trusts, and acute trusts, as well as some independent and private sector providers on a range of healthcare issues, relating to mental capacity, deprivation of liberty, care arrangements, contact disputes, and medical treatment decisions
* Act as a key point of contact for clients, communicating confidently and professionally with stakeholders including courts, clinicians, and NHS bodies
* Collaborate with senior lawyers including Legal Directors and Partners within the Healthcare Public Law team
* Work across a range of geographically diverse matters, including potential collaboration with colleagues in Newcastle and Bristol
* Support business development activity including client training sessions and sector-focused events
* Build strong internal networks across the wider Health practice
* Handle confidential information in line with firm protocols and ensure compliance with billing and matter management processes
Skills, Knowledge & Expertise
A qualified Solicitor (including Newly Qualified up to c.2 years PQE) with prior experience or a demonstrable interest in Court of Protection and/or Mental Health law.
We do not expect candidates to have experience across the full breadth of the team’s work; however, a clear commitment to developing expertise in this specialist area is essential.
* Prior experience in Court of Protection and/or mental health work (essential)
* Strong interest in healthcare law and the wider health and social care sector (essential)
* Experience gained through training contract seats or paralegal work in CoP/MH is highly desirable
* Experience advising NHS bodies or claimant/patient-focused work is advantageous
* Advocacy experience is beneficial but not essential, as training can be provided
* Excellent client handling and relationship management skills, with confidence engaging with NHS stakeholders and clinicians
* Strong communication skills with the ability to deal with sensitive and complex subject matter
* Commercial awareness and a practical, solutions-focused approach rather than a purely academic legal mindset
* Team-oriented with a collaborative approach and willingness to support colleagues across the wider group
This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly regarded and growing team within a leading national Health and Public Law practice, offering strong training, exposure to complex and meaningful work, and the chance to develop specialist expertise in a key area of healthcare law.
Additional Information
As a Disability Confident Scheme employer, we’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you need any reasonable adjustments at any stage (including the application, assessment or interview process), please contact recruitment@dacbeachcroft.com in confidence with the vacancy reference in the subject line, and we’ll be happy to help.
We are happy to talk flexible working with our Flex Forward scheme. We would encourage you to talk to us about our approach to flexible working during the hiring process if you would like to explore this further.
Note for Recruitment Agencies
DAC Beachcroft manages all vacancies via our in-house recruitment teams, prioritising direct sourcing and referrals. When external support is required, roles are released to selected agencies on our Preferred Supplier List (PSL).
Speculative CVs sent to any DAC Beachcroft employee without prior instruction from our recruitment teams (LLP and CSG) will not be accepted, and no fees will be payable.
For PSL queries, please contact: recruitment@dacbeachcroft.com or csgrecruitment@dacbeachcroft.com
We are a leading international legal business with over 3,000 colleagues and a diverse range of capabilities. We are market leaders in insurance, health and real estate but with a full-service offering, including growing Financial Services and Tech capabilities. We represent a wide range of clients – from household names to government departments and NHS bodies. We act for nearly all of the top-20 UK and global insurers, we're market leaders in the provision of strategic, commercial and regulatory advice to providers and commissioners in the health sector, and in real estate we advise all of the UK’s top-five housebuilders.
We are a fast-growing international business with offices around the globe. In addition to our 11 UK offices, we also have offices in Bogota, Buenos Aires, Dublin, Lima, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, New York, Paris, Rome, Santiago de Chile, and Singapore plus a representative office in Miami and broad network of affiliations across the globe.
At DAC Beachcroft we are committed to and recognise the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion across the board, including and beyond the protected characteristics. We take decisions based solely on merit. We value, welcome and seek out people with different backgrounds and life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, ways of thinking and identities.