Job Description Summary

This is a Part Time Fixed Term Position

This post is fixed term until 31 July 2027 to cover for maternity leave

Interviews will take place on 9 & 10 November 2026

An opportunity has arisen for a candidate to join the Social Care Legal team as a part-time Legal Officer to cover a period of maternity leave. The Social Care team provides legal advice and support to Children, Young People & Family Services.

The successful candidate will support and advise where appropriate on a range of matters relating to children inclusive of, but not limited to, care proceedings, private law proceedings, adoption proceedings and pre-proceedings work.

You will have the opportunity to work alongside a large team, dealing with preparing cases for court and running your own caseload of pre-proceedings work, which will include advising social workers and undertaking Public Law Outline meetings. Ideally you will have experience of the public law outline and a sound knowledge of children law.

The successful candidate must be a team player with a proactive approach to their work, have excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a busy environment. The successful candidate will be based at the Guildhall offices in Hull City Centre but will be expected to travel to social work offices located in Hull to conduct PLO meetings.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Louise Garner on 01482 613 218 or e-mail Louise.garner2@hullcc.gov.uk.

Please ensure your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria against the person specification as set out in the job description.

Role and Purpose

To carry a complex caseload and give assistance to Lawyers dealing with property, planning, regeneration projects, debt collection, employment law, licensing and prosecutions e.g. for non-payment of council tax and parking fines, housing landlord, anti-social behaviour, education, civil litigation and associated litigation, child protection matters, vulnerable adults and Trading Standards, highways and transportation, food hygiene and other public protection matters.

To ensure that a high quality legal service is provided to support the Council that ensures sound risk assessment of the legal issues, high standards of health and safety for the community and best value for the Council.

Principal Accountabilities

• Independently manage and effectively organise a legal caseload, sometimes complex, in order to meet client, Court or Tribunal timescales. To provide oral and written legal advice to officers seeking professional guidance in contentious and very possibly complex cases, working under pressure to strict deadlines. Undertakes legal research to ensure correct advice is given and procedures followed.
• Receive instructions, sometimes on an emergency basis, request supporting information and/or evidence from the relevant Council departments and consider the appropriate course of action to be taken. Deal with claims by or against the Council and conduct and assist Lawyers in the conduct of County and High Court claims.
• Use own initiative when drafting, preparing, reviewing, and completing various legal documents. This documentation could comprise of routine and detailed letters. The documentation will also comprise Planning agreements and notices; traffic regulation orders; highways notices relating to creation, diversion or closure, whether permanent or temporarily, of highways; licenses and leases and property related documents which contribute to the management of the Council’s property portfolio; contracts to undertake works or provide services or supplies; licences for marriage ceremonies, tree preservation orders. Particulars of Claim or defences in respect of civil litigation matters; prepare complex statements for witnesses in respect of matters pertaining to civil litigation. The post holder will also need to examine and review expert medical evidence or reports.
• To contribute to committee reports, officer authorisations, decision records; briefings for Members and Officers. Provide advice and comment on prepared committee reports and decision records in relation to own area of expertise in liaison with lawyers or the team leader.
• Supervise work carried out by Assistant Legal Officers, provide guidance and assistance on various administrative and computerised systems to these staff and other colleagues. Ensure all documentation is accurate and filed in accordance with the Court timetable and at appropriate time arrange for witnesses to attend Court/Tribunal.
• To support and assist senior colleagues in complex and highly sensitive cases by providing organised methodical and current research. Support and work alongside them/deputise at necessary stages or independently, interview witnesses, draft documents, prepare court/tribunal bundles, attend on Counsel and attend court or enquiries to support witnesses and provide advocacy in less complex cases, attend meetings with the public and other professionals whether internal or external.
• Decision making - To independently evaluate, draft and prepare all documents and to present cases in the court as required to do so. To appear in cases where the post holder has rights of audience or has been authorised to do so. This includes conducting interlocutory applications in the County Court and discharge orders in respect of child care matters in the Magistrates’ Court and County Court. Draft instructions to Counsel when external Barristers are brought in to represent the Council and instruct solicitors to act as agents on behalf of the Council in civil proceedings to achieve the best outcome for the clients and negotiate their fees.
• Decision making - To negotiate, liaise and assess proposed settlements in order to resolve disputes to the satisfaction of the Council and achieve the best outcome for the client.
• Decision making - Provide an advisory service to witnesses including professional witnesses in the preparation of witness statements to be placed before the court or tribunal and file these in accordance with the court or tribunal timetable. To liaise with the court or tribunal to ensure the cases are heard without undue delay and that emergency hearings are catered for.
• Use various Council record systems to research cases – for example use the Council’s housing database to prepare repossession proceedings. Examine legal documents to ensure accuracy of claims made against the Council. Examine legal records to check medical histories of children or vulnerable adults. Use the Council’s IT systems to research case law e.g. Lawtel and examine Government websites for legislation, guidance documents etc e.g. where there are emerging new arrangements such as Sure Start, Supporting People, Childrens Centres.
• The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated legislation places responsibilities for health and safety on Hull City Council, as your employer and you as an employee of the council. In addition to the Councils overall duties, the post holder has personal responsibility for their own health & safety and that of other employees; additional and more specific responsibilities are identified in the Council’s Corporate H&S policy.