University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Head of Legal Services
The closing date is 01 April 2026
For this senior role reporting to the Director of Corporate and Legal Affairs, we are seeking an experienced legal professional to lead a dedicated, high‑performing legal service, inquests, and claims management function for the Trust.
The postholder will provide strategic and operational management for the UHL Legal Services Team. The post holder will ensure that expert, highly‑specialised legal advice is available to Trust clinicians and senior managers as required on a range of complex and sensitive legal issues. They will identify trends for Trust‑wide learning from claims and inquests and requirements for improvement, working closely with other senior Trust leaders. The post holder will also be involved in Freedom of Information Act work.
Main duties of the job
To be responsible for leading and managing all aspects of the Legal Services function, ensuring that there is a dedicated, high‑performing, effective legal service that delivers best practice Trust‑wide and when engaging with external organisations.
To provide strategic leadership and direction for the team to maximise learning and quality improvement, and have overarching responsibility and accountability for all work carried out in the Legal Services Department.
To ensure that expert, highly specialist legal advice is available to clinicians, senior managers and members of the Trust Board on a broad range of highly complex, confidential and sensitive legal matters, including the provision of general advice relating to healthcare matters, and the application of legal services legislation and regulation Trust‑wide.
To manage and monitor all claims and inquests, and identify any trends for Trust‑wide learning. To provide detailed reports on legal services trends and performance.
To undertake internal reviews of FOI responses when requested in line with the Trust's FOI Policy, providing an independent judgement on legal and procedural FOIA compliance and reviewing any relevant judgements or regulatory decisions from the Information Commissioner's Office.
About us
Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023‑2030).
We have four primary goals:
* high‑quality care for all,
* being a great place to work,
* partnerships for impact,
* research and education excellence
And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.
Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:
* we are compassionate,
* we are proud,
* we are inclusive,
* we are one team
This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.
About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust: https://www.uhleicester.nhs.uk
Job responsibilities
To establish, develop, review and maintain appropriate claims handling procedures and policies on behalf of the Trust.
To establish systems whereby all reported claims are systematically analysed and interrogated to identify trends and produce information for regular feedback to frontline staff and management for review and action.
To ensure the on‑going development and training of Litigation, Claims and Inquests staff.
To be part of the senior leadership team for the Directorate of Corporate and Legal Affairs.
To work appropriately with Group colleagues.
To have excellent keyboard and information management skills.
To manage budgets in accordance with authority delegated by the Director of Corporate and Legal Affairs and in compliance with the Trusts corporate governance policies including Standing Orders and Standing Financial instructions, and contribute to the Directorates annual financial and operational planning cycle.
To undertake the management of specific projects contributing to the corporate objectives of the Trust as directed by the Director of Corporate and Legal Affairs.
please see job description/person specification for full details on the role
Person Specification
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
* Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's Values and Behaviours
Training & Qualifications
* Educated to Masters/LPC Level.
* A qualified and practising solicitor or barrister, significant post qualification experience successfully managing a substantial case load, advance specialist knowledge, expertise and experience in the healthcare field (work experience equivalent of doctorate level education)
* Significant additional role related and personal development training and evidence of the SRA‑required ongoing continued professional development.
* Awareness of national and local policy, legislation and regulations and the latest developments in healthcare law.
* Legal knowledge to include clinical negligence, Coroner's inquests, employers' and public liability, statutory /regulatory law and general healthcare advisory.
* Higher Rights of Audience
Experience
* Experience of managing, leading and building teams, and delivering across an organisation.
* Significant experience advising at a senior level on the full range of health and/or regulatory law issues.
* Specialist legal knowledge across a wide range of legal disciplines.
* Appreciation of the context of in house NHS legal services regulation and legislation and the context of how they apply within organisations.
* Awareness of the FOI Act 2000 and the EIR 2004.
* Be a registered Law Society Training Principal and be responsible for the training
* Experience of working in an in‑house legal team in an Acute NHS Trust
* Experience of working in a complex healthcare/NHS environment
* Experience of undertaking advocacy in court and/or at inquests, with rights of audience to allow them to appear before Coroners and Judges
Communication and relationship skills
* Ability to communicate confidently and effectively on complex legal issues and processes at all levels including to senior clinical and operational staff, handling highly complex, sensitive, emotionally charged and contentious information
* Extensive experience of managing sensitive issues within sometimes hostile or emotional situations.
* Highly effective written communication skills, including excellent report writing skills, policy design and development and executive and board briefings.
* Experience of creating and giving presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders
* Evidence of resilience and diplomacy to lead and support change within a service.
* Ability to give constructive feedback to support the development of others.
* Ability to apply appropriate judgement when considering options where all the information may not be immediately available
Analytical and Judgement skills
* Ability to provide clear, concise and informative reporting information in relation to the Trust's legal position, cases and risks, for both internal and external audiences.
* Extensive experience of analysing highly complex information and producing reports to tight deadlines. Experience presenting this information within a large, complex organisation.
* Ability to demonstrate strategic vision and awareness.
* Ability to make difficult decisions autonomously when required, with appropriate sensitivity and awareness.
Skills
* Experience developing and delivering training on a variety of legal topics to a wide range of recipients
* Ability to negotiate on difficult and highly complex and detailed issues, including the handling of challenging court cases or inquests.
* Excellent attention to detail including in terms of procedural requirements and when presenting information internally and externally.
* Proactive, enthusiastic, well‑motivated and conscientious. Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service.
* Excellent IT and keyboard skills
Planning and organisation skills
* Demonstrated capabilities to work under pressure, manage own workload and make informed decisions, working to tight timescales.
* Demonstrable skills in planning over the short, medium and long term, with the ability to constantly assess, adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
* Ability to manage numerous complex and challenging work streams, whilst still delivering on performance and hitting deadlines.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
* Able to demonstrate a commitment to and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs.
* All staff are expected to engage in compassionate and inclusive leadership in the provision of high quality care and interactions with others
Other requirements specific to the role
* Awareness of the need for discretion and high levels of confidentiality.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
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