Senior HealthCare Lawyer

The closing date is 30 November 2025

In this client-facing role, the Senior Healthcare Lawyer will provide personalised, professional legal support across the Trust. As a key member of KingsLegal, the Senior Healthcare Lawyer will deliver expert legal advice and representation on complex healthcare law matters. This includes advocacy, handling sensitive and complex inquests, Court proceedings (particularly Court of Protection), the interface with NHSR and multi-faceted clinical negligence claims. The Senior Healthcare Lawyer will manage a wide range of healthcare advisory work, including supporting specialist teams with mental capacity, mental health, safeguarding, and consent issues. The role involves hands on casework, oral representation both at Court and with official bodies as well as the in person development and supervision of junior legal staff. The post holder will work closely with the General Counsel (Healthcare) and Head of Legal Services to deliver a premium, proficient legal service that aligns with the Trust's strategic goals.

Main duties of the job

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Legal Case Management:

• LTPS
• Inquest matters
• Court of Protection cases (and other Court matters)
• Conduct detailed investigations, gather and analyse evidence, and prepare legal reports and advice.
• Undertake advocacy in various settings, including:
  • Inquests
  • Court of Protection hearings
  • Magistrates Court
  • County Court
  • Public Inquiries
• Ensure compliance with NHS Resolution and statutory protocols.
• Represent the Trust in sensitive and complex legal matters, maintaining professionalism and protecting the Trust's reputation.
• Provide client facing advice in various settings:
  • On the ward
  • In the boardroom
  • Off site

Healthcare Advisory Work:

• Provide practical and timely legal advice on complex healthcare related issues, including:
  • Consent
  • Mental Capacity
  • Mental health
  • Safeguarding
  • Best Interests
• Early identification and management of potential legal proceedings.
• Advise on the Trust's policies and regulatory obligations, recommending improvements.

Governance and Risk Management:

• Analyse claims, inquests, and advisory data to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Support governance processes and contribute legal input to Trust committees and working groups.

Leadership and Management:

• Supervise, train, and mentor junior members of KingsLegal with strong in person attention.
• Support the recruitment, induction, and ongoing training within KingsLegal.
• Contribute to the strategic development of KingsLegal.
• Deliver Trust wide legal training for clinical and management staff.

About us

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person centred, digitally enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Person Specification Education and Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor, legal executive or barrister of England and Wales or equivalent experience and training.
• Evidence of significant post graduate diploma level or equivalent experience of claims and / or inquest management, in the NHS or similar environment.
• Extensive Inquest and/ or other Court advocacy competence
• Member of relevant Professional Body / Practicing Certificate (e.g. Solicitors Regulation Authority; Bar Council).
• Higher rights of audience

Knowledge and Experience

• Significant experience of NHS Claims management, including high value clinical negligence claims and complex Coroner's Inquests or significant experience in a similar setting.
• Extensive experience of appearing in court and representing clients in contentious, high profile or high risk matters.
• An understanding of the importance of good file management, use of attendance notes and maintaining electronic records where required.
• Extensive experience in managing Court of Protection matters / Court applications.
• Strong knowledge and ability to provide prompt, accurate and consistent legal advice on healthcare regulatory matters.
• Strong track record of supervising and training junior legal staff.

Skills and Competencies

• Able to represent the Trust at inquests and other Court matters and support non legal staff accordingly.
• Able to effectively and efficiently elevate to senior management for guidance and support on more complex matters.
• Strong strategic thinking - ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise.
• Excellent use of available information sources to enable efficient and effective planning.
• Proven ability to work under pressure and to tight and often changing deadlines.
• Proven ability to prepare comprehensive reports on claims and inquests for various committees, often at short notice.
• Proven ability to work on own initiative and organise workload, allocating work as necessary.
• Strong experience of working on internal and external committees in order to raise Trust profile and bring learning and key development knowledge to the Trust.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Address

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, King's College Hospital, London, UK

Salary

£64,156 to £71,148 a year, including high cost allowance

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full time

Reference number

213-CORP-

Job locations

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust