Eastleigh Borough Council is committed to making a positive difference for all residents, businesses and visitors to Eastleigh and is now seeking a Principal Lawyer – Litigation to join the team and provide robust due diligence, legal support and advice.
Key Responsibilities
* Supporting in legal matters arising from the exercise of Council functions across a broad range of specialist areas, including regulatory, criminal litigation, civil litigation (including debt recovery functions) and planning enforcement.
* Conducting proceedings in the courts, including evaluation of evidence, strategic case‑management advice, case preparation and advocacy.
* Advising client departments on the risks of legal challenge and how to mitigate risk.
* Leading all contentious work.
* Attending strategic development boards and supporting and advising on complex legal matters and committee work.
* Managing legal projects that deliver organisational and corporate objectives.
* Ensuring the Council’s governance arrangements are compliant and risk is mitigated.
* Providing accurate, compliant and timely legal support and specialist advice to internal customers that supports the Council’s business needs.
* Supervising, developing and supporting a team of legal specialists, assistants and trainees.
Skills and Experience
* Qualified solicitor, barrister or chartered legal executive with extensive post‑qualification experience and a fully updated practising certificate.
* Current membership of the Law Society, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives or registration to practice with the Bar Standards Board.
* Extensive working knowledge of legal practices/methodologies and a solid understanding of statutory and regulatory compliance, particularly planning and litigation.
* Proven ability to undertake complex legal cases and provide expert advice within local government.
* Experience in local government work and making legal representations.
* Experience conducting proceedings in court.
* Dynamic, innovative, confident, able to challenge others, open, perceptive and a strong communicator.
* High resilience and strong delivery background.
* Excellent capacity to manage multiple competing priorities without slippage.
* Experience supervising and developing a team of specialists.
* Hybrid working with an average of 2 days in the office.
Benefits
* 31 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
* Flexible working arrangements and opportunity to accrue up to 2 days additional leave per month (pro rata for part‑time staff).
* Defined benefit pension scheme.
* Places Leisure, Eastleigh – 30% off full membership.
* Confidential employee advice and support programme.
* Car and season ticket loans.
* Excellent working environment and support for continuous professional development.
Position Details
* Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level
* Employment type: Full‑time
* Job function: Legal, Management, Strategy/Planning
* Industries: Staffing and Recruiting, Legal Services, Civic and Social Organizations
Salary and Hours
Salary: £54,617 – £58,269 (Band 11) plus competitive market supplement available, depending on experience.
Hours: Full‑time, 37 hours per week, permanent.
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