We are seeking an enthusiastic and skilled Prosecutions Lawyer to join our busy Litigation Team.
The Role
You will run your own caseload related to all areas of criminal and civil litigation work which will primarily focus on prosecutions and may also include housing, education, debt recovery, property and construction disputes.
Work will be allocated by the Principal Solicitor- Litigation and as required by the City Solicitor and his Deputy when required.
You will be required to progress cases through Court and Tribunal on behalf of the Council (Magistrates', County Court and First Tier Tribunal) and will be dealing with general queries across a wide range of issues.
This role will involve advocacy in the Magistrates' Court and County Court. The role will require an ability and desire to " mentor" junior lawyers with respect to Court /advocacy practice, Court processes, tactics and commerciality/risk.
The role is very much one that will allow a candidate when in post to scope as he or she sees under the guidance of more senior colleagues.
The ideal candidate
We are looking for someone who has:
* A Qualifying Practising Certificate (solicitor or barrister).
* Experience in criminal litigation, or a strong willingness to develop in this area.
* Ability to manage a varied caseload in a fast-paced environment.
* Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to present cases professionally in court.
* Excellent attention to detail and the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
* Strong relationship‑building skills and the ability to work across all council levels.
* Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ability to record time in a case management system.
* A proactive, flexible and positive attitude.
* Advocacy experience in court or tribunal settings.
* Experience within local government.
* Knowledge of working in a politically sensitive environment.
Please note : You will be responsible for paying for your own practise certificate.
Please ensure that you download and read the full job profile attached for the details and expectations of this role, paying particular attention the section 'Who is the person' as you will need to refer to this when completing your Personal statement.
Attendance requirements to the designated workplace
Minimum attendance is 2 days per week and expectation that you will attend to suit the needs of the client
About Portsmouth City Council
Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.
We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals. Learn more about our values and behaviours.
Application process
We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.
As part of your application, we ask that you complete apersonal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person'points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills.This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience.
We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal. We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under one of our commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however for roles that receive a large number of applications, this is not always possible, and we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria
You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.
Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact or call the recruitment team on