Independent Office for Police Conduct
Lawyer - Welsh Desirable
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Birmingham, Canary Wharf, Croydon, Cardiff, Sale or Wakefield (Please note that depending on levels of interest, preference may be given to locations outside of Canary Wharf)
Job Summary
As a Lawyer, you will be welcomed into a dynamic and inclusive Legal Services team working closely with clients across the IOPC including senior clients such as the Director General, Deputy Director General Strategy, Engagement & Communications, Deputy Director General Investigations, Oversight & Casework and the General Counsel & Chief Information Security Officer.
The IOPC is on a journey to develop its culture, perspectives and ethos to support the organisation’s core outcomes, and this is your opportunity to enter into the varied world of IOPC Legal Services, allowing you to develop your mindset and approaches to contribute to improving the police complaints system in England and Wales.
As a completely independent organisation, the IOPC seeks to uphold the rights of the public and investigate the most serious matters, including deaths following police contact, to promote learning and influence change in policing. The IOPC is an organisation steeped in history, influenced by significant figures such as Stephen Lawrence and Sir William Macpherson. We are looking for people to uphold our core values, and in return we will give you a supportive and inclusive work environment to flourish in.
The IOPC’s Legal Services is headed by IOPC General Counsel & Chief Information Security Officer and reports to the Director General. Our lawyers play an active and important role in all of the organisation’s work. They advise colleagues in our Investigations, Oversight and Casework Directorate in relation to the exercise of their powers and police misconduct decision-making. They also represent the IOPC in legal proceedings (e.g. judicial review, inquests and police misconduct proceedings). They advise colleagues in the Strategy, Engagement and Communications Directorate contributing to the development of organisational policy. Much of our work is high profile and lawyers are often called upon for advice on extremely sensitive matters which are subject to intense media scrutiny.
As a Lawyer, you will be expected to develop professional working relationships with solicitors acting for complainants, police forces, hearing units, misconduct panel chairs, police federation representatives, individual officers, members of police staff, witnesses and internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
Job Description
- To provide advice to organisation staff on all areas of the organisation’s work including casework, investigations and policy.
- Providing in depth and specialist advice and assistance in relation to decision making and the preparation and presenting of cases for misconduct hearings.
- To handle a caseload of matters including litigation cases, inquests, judicial review cases and misconduct hearings.
- To ensure value for money in the commission of external legal providers and accurate forecasting and recovery of costs for both business as usual matters and cases the IOPC are presenting at misconduct hearings.
- To advise and manage legal risk.
Please refer to the Job Description for full role responsibilities.
Person specification
Essential Technical
- By the first day of employment you will need to be a qualified solicitor or barrister entitled to practice in England and Wales. A current practising certificate will need to be provided prior to the start of your employment.
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We welcome applications from applicants that expect to receive their first practising certificate within 6 months of the closing date of this advert – 26.06.2026. If successful, then any job offer would be conditional on obtaining and submitting their practising certificate before the start of their employment.
Experience
- Experience in at least one relevant area of law – this includes criminal law, police law, coronial law, professional disciplinary and regulatory law, public and administrative law and human rights law.
- Experience of advising on complex issues.
- Experience of handling substantial and complex cases.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to master new material rapidly.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Problem solving skills.
- Approachable and constructive.
- A good team worker but also able to work independently.
This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, therefore a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out for the successful candidate during the pre-employment process. Once in role, the postholder will ideally undertake and obtain Home Office SC clearance.
Desirable
- Experience of litigation
- Knowledge of FoI/DPA/GDPR matters
- Knowledge of complaints systems and handling
Qualifications
- By the first day of employment you will need to be a qualified solicitor or barrister entitled to practice in England and Wales. A current practising certificate will need to be provided prior to the start of your employment.
We welcome applications from applicants that expect to receive their first practising certificate within 6 months of the closing date of this advert – 26.06.2026. If successful, then any job offer would be conditional on obtaining and submitting their practising certificate before the start of their employment.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £52,499, Independent Office for Police Conduct contributes £15,208 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- 27.5 days paid annual leave (increasing with service to 32.5 days)
- The option to buy, sell, or carry over annual leave is reviewed each year and offered when possible.
- Voluntary Health Cash Plan provided by BHSF
- Civil Service pension
- Civil Service maternity leave package
- PAM employee assistance programme
- Access to Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) membership
- Cycle to work scheme
- Opportunity to enjoy the latest home and electronics in a more affordable way provided by Vivup
- Car Leasing Scheme
- Staff Networks focussed on each of the protected characteristics - run for staff, by staff: Enable Network, Age Network, Welsh Network, Pride and LGBTQ+ Network, Sex and Family Network, Race, Religion and Belief Network
- Learning and development tailored to your role.
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
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Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
We'll assess you against these Grade 7 Level behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, to find out more, please click here.
Throughout the recruitment process we will also assess your Experience, Strengths, Technical Skills and Values.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete 4 Sift Questions based on the essential criteria.
If successful at sift, you will be invited to complete a legal written test, followed by a Success Profiles interview.
Anticipated assessment dates are estimate to take place W/C 24 + W/C 31 August.
Anticipated interview dates are estimated to take place W/C 14 + W/C 21 Sept.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window). See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Medical
Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about
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