Senior Lawyer Employment

Job Introduction

The Team Senior Lawyer (TSL) plays a vital role in ensuring that the team that they have responsibility for delivers the optimum client service. They will do this by supporting team members and by working to develop an insightful knowledge about the client, which will place them in best position possible to allocate and manage work effectively. In addition, the TSL has responsibility for completing aspects of highly complex legal casework, to include the drafting and negotiating of complex legal documents, in order to achieve the optimum outcome for the client.

They will represent and advise the relevant client at all high-level case related meetings. Conduct complex advocacy on evidence. To include cross-examination of witnesses and experts at court hearings, contested advocacy at small claims case management hearings/ dispute resolution hearings/tribunals/mediation/public inquiries/panels/committees, as required by the relevant specialism area. The post holder will also have fee-earner responsibility on a small number of highly complex cases in order to achieve the optimum outcome for the client.

Further details can be found in the job description.

Main Responsibilities

The main responsibilities include:

• Completing aspects of highly complex legal casework, to include the drafting and negotiating of complex legal documents, in order to achieve the optimum outcome for the client.
• Represent the relevant client at all high-level case related meetings, Including conducting complex advocacy on evidence, to include cross-examination of witnesses and experts at court hearings.
• Management of junior members of the team and ensuring the appropriate professional development of team members as required.
• Working with senior colleagues to achieve the financial objectives of the LSU and presenting creative solutions to ensure that the LSU stay with budgetary restrictions.

Full details are contained on the attached job description.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for you to have the following essential criteria for this role,

• A Solicitor, Fellow of CILEX with litigation rights or a Barrister with practising certificateauthorised to conduct litigation with substantial experience in the relevant legal area.
• Extensive experience in the relevant field in a legal environment and an in-depth understanding of the laws relating to the role and demonstrable experience of completing all aspects of complex legal casework
• Experience of representing clients at high level case related meetings and conducting complex advocacy on evidence in the relevant tribunals.
• An ability to clearly and engagingly communicate in all media forms; verbally, digitally and in writing.
• An ability to draft complex legal documents.

Interviews will be held on the 8th July 2026 in Stafford.

For an informal chat about the role please contact Wendy Lofthouse, Deputy Legal Services Manager, wendy.lofthouse@staffordshire.gov.uk or Manisha Makwana, Principal Lawyer (Employment), manisha.makwana@staffordshire.gov.uk

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. Please note: The minimum essential criteria in the ideal candidate section detailed above will be used if you are applying under one of our Interview Guarantee Schemes.

About Staffordshire County Council

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.