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Advocacy Lawyer

Employer
Coventry City Council
Location
One Friargate, Coventry, CV1 2GN
Salary
£36,876 -£43,662 per annum
Closing date
5 Jun 2019
Reference
COVCC000375

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Sector
Local Councils
Job Type
Legal
Contract Type
Permanent
Working Pattern
Standard
Hours
Full-Time

Job Details

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a talented advocate within the Legal Services Advocacy team. We are looking for an enthusiastic and able lawyer to join our service and to represent the Council as our in-house advocate. As a qualified solicitor, barrister or chartered legal executive (fellow), you will require experience to handle Local Authority hearings, in principally children and adoption cases, across all levels of court. There will also be the opportunity to carry out hearings in the Court of Protection, Education Tribunals, and Inquests, as well as in Adult Matters. 

The advocacy team at Coventry have grown from strength to strength over the last few years, with the current advocates have not only developed their expertise, but have increased their confidence and ability to handle varied type of hearings. The advocacy team is expanding and the successful candidate will be given the opportunity both develop their skills and grow within the team. Advocacy is an essential role in litigation, and this post will enable you not only to enhance your skills, but to develop, learn and apply these to varied forms of matters. 

You will be given the opportunity to carry out advocacy in a range of matters, right from case management, interim and contested matters, as well as FDAC, Court of Protection matters, Inquests, Education and various type of Adult Hearings. Training will be provided on matters as necessary and given the varied type of cases, you will be able to adapt your interchangeable skills in different settings. 

You will require excellent advocacy skills, and the ability to communicate effectively at all levels, both orally and in writing.

You must be self-motivated and able to provide a high quality, client-focused legal service, as well as to work effectively as part of a team and to establish good relations with client departments and outside agencies, including the police.

You must be able to give good, sound, pragmatic, concise and clear advice to clients, members and colleagues in Legal Services, and have developed interpersonal skills. 
You will need to be able to work under pressure and the ability to work under strict timescales. 
You will need to have a good, broad, general working knowledge of all areas of law applicable to local government and be able to learn and adapt to new areas of work, and take on tasks and duties outside your field of expertise, competently, recognising when you lack the requisite knowledge and require professional support and supervision. You will need to be able to organise, prioritise and take responsibility for a demanding and complex workload, and to work enthusiastically as a member of a team, covering a wide range of subject areas. 
As an advocate, you will need to have a commitment to effective use of IT resources and customer care principles.

Coventry City Council can offer you working arrangements that will enhance your work-life balance. These include working in a new purpose built modern office environment, within 1 minute walk from Coventry train Station. This will also include working from home (subject to project/service area requirements) and a generous holiday allowance (starting at 35 days including bank holidays).

Working Hours:  37.0 Hours per Week

Interview Date:  20/06/2019

Benefits

In return, we can offer you an excellent pension scheme, 'MyCar' scheme, flexible working, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts at a number of city centre restaurants, shops and other establishments.

Coventry City Council is committed to delivering the best possible services and improving the quality of life for Coventry people. In order to do this effectively we aim to have a workforce that represents the diverse communities we serve, embracing and utilising the broad range of skills, experiences and perspectives this brings.

We are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for all. This includes making adjustments or changes for people who have a disability or long-term health condition.

Key Requirements

This Authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

This post is covered by the Code of Practice on the English language fluency for public sector workers.

Please note we will communicate any interview arrangements with you via email, so please check your email and WMJobs account on a regular basis after submitting your application.

This vacancy and advert will be closed as soon as sufficient applications are received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible.

When recruiting, we review candidates against our Behaviour Framework . To find out more information about the Behaviour Framework please click here.

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Need help with your application?

If you would like support in completing your application, then help is available at the Job Shop. 

Coventry City Council’s Job Shop is a free service for all Coventry residents. Come in and see one of our dedicated advisers and receive 1 to 1 support.

We are open Monday-Friday 9.15-4.30pm (Thursday 10.30)

Address: 1 Bull Yard, Coventry, CV1 1LH

Phone: 024 7678 5740

Email: jobshop@coventry.gov.uk  

Website: http://www.coventry.gov.uk/jobshop

Supporting documents
Job Description and Person Specification.pdf

Company

About Coventry City Council

Coventry

At Coventry City Council we never want to hear the words – ‘but that’s the way we’ve always done it!” We are a Council that’s looking for new ways of working to tackle new – and old – challenges. We have had great success already and made great strides in changing the way we deliver services and in the way we work with colleagues. We have brought in a new flexible approach to working – giving staff the power, skills and tools to work from the best place at the best time to get the job done. We have a new Customer Service Centre, more online services for residents, a new Council office building, and a city that is changing to meet a new age of driverless cars and superfast broadband. There’s never been a more exciting time to be a part of Coventry.

The City

Coventry

Coventry is a city that is changing fast – and we are looking for candidates with the right skills and personality to join our team and help take us into a bright new future. We are a city that is going places - with an inspiring, world-famous history and exciting times ahead. We are UK City of Culture 2021; home to award-winning universities, top level sport and concerts and famous brands such as Jaguar Land Rover and Severn Trent. We are a part of the ‘Midlands-Engine’, the home of the UK motor industry and a proud multicultural city. Major developments are taking shape around the city, including a new-look shopping centre, a water park, new business quarter, restaurants and a modernised rail station. More and more firms and families are relocating to our city as they see what we have to offer. Coventry is a great place to live and work, and it’s getting even better!

The Council

Coventry

Our city is changing – and the Council is changing too. Headed by Chief Executive, Martin Reeves – who has assisted in bringing in the new WMCA - the Council is committed to improving the quality of life for residents – and its workforce. The Council is bringing in new, streamlined ways of working and making more use of technology to deliver services in new ways – helping residents to do more for themselves online and to do business with us when and how they want.

Coventry City Council is a modern council for a new age, embracing technology and flexible working to continue to rise to new challenges. It’s a council that’s not afraid to try something new!

Company info
Website
Telephone
02476 97 5500
Location
One Friargate, Coventry
Coventry
West Midlands
CV1 2GN
United Kingdom

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