Trainee Solicitor (2 Posts)
Grade F, £23,836 – £26,999 per annum
2 posts, 2 year fixed term contract
37 hours per week
We are looking to recruit 2 Trainee Solicitors to work in Legal Services. You will spend 12 months in the Social Care Team and 12 months in the Corporate and Environment Team.
In this role you will undertake a 2 year legal training contract, providing a comprehensive legal service to the Council. The training contact will cover at least 4 areas of law and will meet the requirements of the Solicitors Regulation Authority. You will undertake a variety of work to include drafting, researching, advising, negotiating and acting as an advocate for the Council.
The successful candidate will have a law degree or equivalent qualification and be in receipt of a post graduate diploma with Commendation from the Legal Practice Course.
You must have a sound analytical approach, with strong organisational and research skills. You will have a positive attitude, excellent communication skills and have the ability to work as part of a team and on your own initiative. Common sense and good interpersonal skills are essential and knowledge of how local government operates would be an advantage.
You will also have strong IT skills and you will be able to work with Microsoft Office applications and an electronic case management system. Your skills will also enable you to work in different locations, including remotely.
As this is a Trainee Solicitor role you are required to demonstrate your ability to take responsibility for your own learning and development therefore we are asking that you submit a log of the training that you have undertaken within the last 12 months, with your application . Blank templates/logs to assist you in this task can be requested from hrchiefexecutives@bolton.gov.uk Once you have submitted your online application, please email your completed training record to hrchiefexecutives@bolton.gov.uk clearly stating your name, the job title and reference CE20-084 in the subject line.
You must be prepared to travel for business purposes and to work outside normal office hours if circumstances dictate.
Bolton is a great place to work. We have a strong team of lawyers and the environment is friendly and supportive. The office is open plan and we all use Iken as a case management system and have access to Lexis Nexis and PLC
Legal Services is made up of the Social Care Team and the Corporate & Environment Team.
Legal Services provides legal advice about Council functions and powers and it represents the Council in courts, tribunals and inquiries. Our main clients are officers in the council’s departments. In addition, we provide advice to members of the Council.
Over the years, we have developed specialist knowledge in many areas of law including those relating to employment, licensing, planning, housing, local government prosecutions, civil claims, judicial review, private and public Children Act proceedings, immigration, education, adult social care, property, regeneration, compulsory purchase, contracts, procurement and highways. We also deal with constitutional matters and ensure that administrative decisions are properly taken and implemented by advising on the council’s legal powers and duties. Our lawyers provide legal advice with regard to governance issues to include disclosure of information, complaints and Ombudsman work.
In addition to Principal and Senior Lawyers and an Advocate, there are two categories of Lawyer, being the Community & Litigation Lawyer and the Corporate Lawyer.
The Social Care team is made up of Community & Litigation Lawyers, Legal Assistants and Administrative Support.
The Corporate & Environment team is made up of Corporate Lawyers, Community & Litigation Lawyers, Legal Assistants and Administrative Support.
The work areas for each category of Lawyer are broad but some lawyers specialise more than others which is due to the business need; the Corporate Lawyer role covers corporate governance, highways, planning, housing, property, development and regeneration, commercial matters, construction, business models and procurement. The Community & Litigation Lawyer role covers employment law, local government prosecutions, civil claims, judicial review, private and public Children Act proceedings, education law and adult social care.
We are a flexible service and, therefore, you will have the opportunity to work from other offices within Bolton and to work from home on occasion, as directed by business need, which can reduce travelling time. Furthermore, we operate a flexitime system which allows flexibility in your working life. In return, we are looking for the same flexibility from you in relation to the role.
We are a modern and progressive employer, our Lawyers have access to technology that enables them to work flexibly and efficiently. You will have the latest software on your touch screen laptop, allowing you to work remotely and flexibly. We also have an excellent case management system and access to online research facilities. We are based in newly renovated premises in Bolton town centre, with nearby parking and access to rail and bus networks.
As an employer we want to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment, by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits, including discounts and exclusive gym membership prices and salary sacrifice schemes. In addition we offer a generous annual leave allowance, access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, as well as access to employee support services and assistance programmes.
For an informal discussion about the position please contact Sharon Hymes on 01204 331121 or Sarah Woodall 01204 331120
This post is a designated customer facing role under the fluency duty and requires a specified level of spoken English as per the person specification.
This organisation has signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment. That means we will recognise your continuous or ‘unbroken’ service in any Greater Manchester local authority or NHS organisation, Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service or Greater Manchester Combined Authority, giving you access to our service-related benefits.
For more information please see the Work with Us page on greater.jobs
Please see the job description, BN Privacy Notice.docx, BN DBS.pdf and BN Right to Work.docx for further details
