An exciting opportunity has arisen for a junior solicitor (NQ–3 PQE) to join a leading national public law and commercial advisory team based in Manchester. This role offers excellent exposure to high-profile, complex work advising central and local government bodies, NHS trusts, arm’s-length bodies, and other public and third sector clients.
You will play a key role in supporting the team on a broad range of matters, including public procurement, commercial contracts, outsourcing arrangements, and governance issues. The role combines high-quality contractual and advisory work with opportunities to contribute to policy-shaping projects and transformational public sector initiatives.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide range of commercial contracts, including services agreements, outsourcing arrangements, framework agreements, and collaboration agreements.
2. Advising public sector clients on procurement strategy and compliance with UK procurement regulations, including the new Procurement Act .
3. Providing legal support governance, and public law issues relevant to contractual arrangements.
4. Working closely with senior lawyers to deliver practical, commercially sound advice to public and quasi-public bodies.
5. Conducting legal research and helping prepare client training, briefing notes, and thought leadership.
6. Participating in client development initiatives, including contributing to tenders, events, and webinars.
About You:
7. Qualified solicitor (or soon to qualify) in England and Wales with 0–3 years’ PQE.
8. Demonstrable interest in public sector commercial work—whether from private practice, in-house, or public authority experience. Commercial contracts experience is essential.
9. A sound understanding of public procurement, or a strong interest and willingness to develop specialist expertise in this area.
10. Strong drafting and analytical skills with good commercial awareness.
11. A collaborative team player with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
12. Able to manage deadlines, prioritise workload, and adapt to client needs in a fast-moving environment.
What’s on Offer:
13. Competitive salary with comprehensive benefits.
14. A strong commitment to training and development, including structured learning around public procurement and public sector commercial advisory work.
15. Hybrid working and genuine flexibility to support work-life balance.
16. A collegiate, inclusive team with a reputation for delivering high-quality, impactful work in the public sector.
17. The opportunity to advise on contracts and projects that make a real difference to public services and communities.
If you’re a junior solicitor looking to build a career in complex, meaningful commercial work within the public sector, this is a fantastic opportunity to join a specialist team operating at the forefront of the field.