Salary £51,356 – £55,612 per annum | Permanent, Full Time 37 hours per week | Preston (Hybrid)
We are looking for an exceptional Senior Employment Lawyer to join our Legal Services team and play a critical role in supporting managers across the organisation. This is an exciting opportunity to use your specialist expertise to influence fair, robust and legally sound employment decisions that directly support the Council's workforce and the communities we serve.
Working within a supportive and collaborative team, you'll lead on some of our most complex and high‑profile employment matters—helping to uphold high professional standards, drive service improvement, and ensure that managers across the Council have confidence in the advice and guidance they receive.
What You Will Be Doing;
* Managing a substantial and complex caseload covering Employment Tribunal litigation, disciplinary and grievance matters, restructures, TUPE, discrimination and industrial action.
* Providing specialist employment law advice to managers across the organisation, influencing decision‑making and ensuring fair, lawful and robust outcomes.
* Supporting the Principal Employment Lawyer with team oversight, case management, professional standards, and the development of policies and procedures.
* Representing Legal Services at internal and external meetings, drafting legal documents, undertaking advocacy and instructing counsel when required.
* Contributing to continuous improvement, service planning, training delivery and knowledge sharing across the Employment Team.
What We're Looking For;
* A qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive with a current practising certificate and substantial experience in employment law.
* Proven ability to manage complex employment cases independently, providing authoritative, balanced and solution‑focused legal advice.
* Strong analytical skills with experience assessing risk, interpreting legislation and influencing senior managers.
* Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills, with the confidence to advise, challenge and guide senior stakeholders.
Ready to Take the Lead?
If you're motivated by complex, meaningful work and want to play a key role in shaping fair and effective employment practice across Lancashire County Council, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today and take the next step in your legal career with a team that values expertise, collaboration, and professional growth.
For an informal discussion, contact
Closing Date: 22/03/
Why join us?
By joining Lancashire County Council, you can shape the career path that is right for you, with opportunities to gain personal and professional qualifications, coaching, and mentoring. Lancashire County Council truly is the place where you can have the career you've always wanted.
In return for your passion and expertise, we offer a generous benefits package, which includes:
* A competitive salary and Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions.
* A great holiday entitlement of 26 days annual leave, which increases with length of service. You will also be entitled to 8 Bank Holidays, 2 additional statutory Bank Holidays, and have the option to buy additional leave each year.
* Our staff discount scheme in partnership with Vivup, allowing you to access discounts with a range of UK retailers, saving on everything from weekly food shops to white goods and cars.
* Access to fantastic development and career opportunities.
Please ensure you upload a supporting statement demonstrating how you meet the criteria for the role.
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications.
Job Description & Person Specification