Solicitor - Childcare

Solicitor / Barrister - Childcare

Full time - 37 hours per week

£54,143 - £58,602 Plus 10% market forces payment until 31 May 2028

Sellick Partnership is delighted to be working in conjunction with The City of Wolverhampton Council to recruit an experienced Solicitor to join their dynamic Social Care and Education Legal Team.

You'll have the opportunity to work alongside experienced colleagues, advise senior stakeholders and make a tangible contribution to services affecting children, young people and families across Wolverhampton.

Whether you are looking to develop your local government career or bring your private practice experience into a new environment, we would love to hear from you!

About the role

As part of the Social Care and Education Legal Team, you will provide high-quality legal advice and representation to the Council's Children's Services and Education functions.

You will manage your own varied and interesting caseload, which will include:

• Public law children matters, including care and placement order proceedings, fostering, and adoption matters.
• Providing clear and pragmatic legal advice to senior officers and colleagues across the Council.
• Contributing to effective client care and developing strong professional relationships.
• Supporting the continued development of the Legal Service and contributing to business development activity.
• Non-school education prosecutions.
• General education matters.

This is a role where your legal expertise will have a direct and meaningful impact on the lives of children and families.

About you

We are looking for a Solicitor (or equivalent) who has demonstrable experience in children's social care / childcare law.

You will ideally have:

• A strong knowledge and experience of childcare and public law.
• Experience managing a varied caseload with a high degree of autonomy.
• Excellent advocacy, drafting and legal advisory skills.
• The ability to provide clear, practical advice to clients and senior officers.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to work effectively as part of a busy, supportive team.
• A commitment to delivering high-quality legal services.

Local government experience would be an advantage but is not essential. We particularly welcome applications from candidates currently working in private practice who are interested in bringing their expertise into a local authority environment.

What we can offer you

You'll be joining a supportive, forward-thinking legal service at an exciting time of transformation for both the organisation and the City.

The Legal Services team is Lexcel accredited, reflecting their commitment to high standards of legal practice and professional development.

Wolverhampton is committed to their people. They are proud of the opportunities they provide for development and career progression, recognising that their people are their greatest asset.

As an employer of choice, they offer a range of benefits designed to support your career, wellbeing and work-life balance, including:

• Competitive salary of £54,143 - £58,602.
• 10% market forces payment in place until 31 May 2028.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Hybrid and flexible working opportunities.
• Modern, dedicated office accommodation.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• The opportunity to work within a Lexcel-accredited legal service.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment.

To apply, or for an informal conversation, please contact Kate Jasper in our Manchester office today.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Sellick Partnership is proud to be an inclusive and accessible recruitment business and we support applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances. Please note, our advertisements use years' experience, hourly rates, and salary levels purely as a guide and we assess applications based on the experience and skills evidenced on the CV. For information on how your personal details may be used by Sellick Partnership, please review our data processing notice on our website.