Solicitor - Childcare

Cardiff Council; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - GBP 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization in Cardiff seeks a highly capable Solicitor/Barrister to join their Legal Services team. This position focuses on Children Services legal work, providing legal advice and managing case applications. The ideal candidate will possess a law degree and a solicitor qualification, with strong advocacy experience. This role offers a hybrid working environment, manageable caseloads, and opportunities for professional development, while ensuring work-life balance through flexible working patterns.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Supportive team environment

Modern case management system

Qualifications

• Admitted as a Solicitor or called to the bar.
• Experience in Children Services legal work.
• Proven track record in advocacy for contested matters.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on public law aspects.
• Manage applications before the Court.
• Engage in advocacy for in-person hearings.

Skills

Advocacy

Team collaboration

Public law

Education

Degree in Law

Solicitor qualification or equivalent

Job description

As the capital of Wales, Cardiff offers the experience of working in one of the fastest growing and most highly skilled cities in Britain while also providing easy access to the fabulous South Wales region’s coastline and countryside with worldwide standing.

Cardiff Council has a Lexcel accredited in‑house Legal Service with excellent opportunities for a hardworking, motivated and adaptable legal practitioner. Currently based at County Hall in the heart of Cardiff Bay with good transport links and parking facilities.

We have specialist lawyers carrying out procurement, litigation, property, planning, governance, childcare and adult social services work, and aim to provide our clients with an excellent and comprehensive service.

Legal Services operates a hybrid working model which enables employees to work flexibly from home or from an office base, depending upon service requirements. We have a modern case management system, an online legal library, and a small business support team. We also have three trainee solicitor posts which we use to help grow our own workforce. Upon qualification some trainees have continued to work with our area and many of our lawyers have long service with us.

About the job

A vacancy has arisen where we are keen to recruit a high calibre, dynamic and qualified Solicitor/Barrister with relevant experience to undertake a wide range of Children Services legal work. The workload is incredibly varied to include providing legal advice to our client department on many different aspects of public law, preparation and case management of applications before the Court and advocacy for in‑person hearings.

We offer a supportive team with a collaborative work ethic. Your managers will always make themselves available for you and will support and guide you whenever the need arises. Caseloads are manageable, and you will be able to work your cases efficiently and effectively whilst building positive relationships with professional clients. All your allocated work will be genuinely interesting and challenging, encouraging you to develop professionally and learn new skills.

While the role is demanding our flexible working policies ensure a healthy work‑life balance. The Council’s Flexi Time policy applies to the post and flexible working patterns are available, subject to meeting the needs of our clients and having mutual regard to the working arrangements of existing team members. The successful applicant would need to be able to travel at short notice in line with the demands of this post.

What We Are Looking For From You

The successful applicant will need to have the relevant qualification of degree status, be admitted as a Solicitor or called to the bar and must be able to work as part of a team.

The successful applicant will also have the skills and experience within this area of law and a proven track record of advocacy to include contested matters.

We expect the individual appointed to take personal responsibility for delivering excellence, to work with others to achieve the best possible outcomes, to embrace change and new opportunities, to make the most of the resources available and to think and act in the best interests of the Council.

Additional information

We have a modern case management system, an online legal library, and a small business support team.

While the role is demanding our flexible working policies ensure a healthy work‑life balance. The Council’s Flexi Time policy applies to the post and flexible working patterns are available, subject to meeting the needs of our clients and having mutual regard to the working arrangements of existing team members. The successful applicant would need to be able to travel at short notice in line with the demands of this post.

This vacancy is suitable for post share subject to there being another suitably qualified and experienced employee/candidate who wishes to post share.

For an informal conversation, please contact the Community Operational Manager Leanne Weston at 07583102886 or [e-mail]. Or Principal Solicitor Emma Morgan at 07970406406 or [e-mail].

Those applicants successful at application form stage will be invited for an interview/test and this interview will be face to face. If you have any concerns regarding this, please contact Leanne Weston for a discussion.

We welcome applications in both English and Welsh. Applications received in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than English applications.

We understand you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, original and does not include ideas or work that is not your own.

We do not accept CVs. When completing the supporting information section of your application, please refer to the following located on our website:

• Application Guidance
• Applying for jobs with us
• Behavioural Competency Framework
• Recruitment Pack
• Employee Charter
• Recruitment of Ex‑Offenders
• Privacy Notice

Job Category Legal

Department Legal and Governance

Working Pattern/Contract Type Full Time Permanent