Principal Lawyer - Property

Are you passionate about making a difference in people’s lives through legal expertise and do you thrive in a committed, friendly and supportive team?

We are looking for a senior legal professional who will provide expert legal advice, represent clients, and can teach, cascade and mentor staff in the Legal Services Unit (LSU). You will be responsible for ensuring compliance with legal standards and may also be involved in developing legal strategies.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work with a Local Authority committed to high legal standards and to making a difference for the benefit of our community. If you are passionate about Property and have a proven track record of success, we encourage you to apply now.

Responsibilities will include:

• Developing and putting in place programmes of development which are informed by national best practice up to date law and developments in law.
• Developing and supporting the growth of consistent subject matter expertise within LSU. Undertaking highly complex, high risk legal cases and complex advocacy. Coaching and mentorship within LSU to develop others through training and sharing of expert knowledge.
• Developing and delivering a selling services strategy within your subject area.
  

We are looking for you to,

• Be a subject matter expert with the ability to interpret complex legislation and provide high-quality legal advice to a range of stakeholders

• Demonstrate excellent communication skills to train, mentor, and support the development of legal colleagues
• Show commercial awareness and contribute to the marketing and growth of legal services
• Possess strong prioritisation and organisational skills, with the ability to manage complex legal casework and competing pressures

If you are unsure if your skills and experience are suitable for this role or you have any queries, please contact Robin Longhurst, Deputy Legal Services Manager at robin.longhurst@staffordshire.gov.uk or Imran Razaq, Deputy Legal Services Manager at imran.razaq@staffordshire.gov.uk .

We’re happy to talk flexible working”

Interview date: 21 August 2025

Our Recruitment Process: We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.