Senior Lawyer (Adults)

The Service

Join our Adult Social Care legal team and play a vital role in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. Working at the heart of local government, you'll provide specialist legal advice that enables the Council to meet its statutory responsibilities and deliver high-quality services to adults with care and support needs.

Our team works closely with Adult Social Care professionals, senior leaders, health partners and external agencies to provide practical, solution-focused legal support across a wide range of matters. These include safeguarding, Mental Capacity Act matters, Court of Protection proceedings, deprivation of liberty, community care law and other complex issues affecting adults who require support and protection.

This is an opportunity to join a collaborative and highly regarded legal service where your expertise will directly contribute to positive outcomes for residents while helping to manage legal risk and promote best practice across the organisation.

The Role:

Lead on Complex Legal Matters That Change Lives

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Senior Adult Social Care Lawyer to join our Legal Services team.

This is an exciting opportunity for a specialist lawyer to take a leading role in delivering high-quality legal advice across a broad range of adult social care matters. You will work at the heart of public service, supporting the Council to meet its statutory duties while safeguarding the rights, wellbeing and independence of vulnerable adults.

As a senior member of the team, you will manage complex and high-profile cases, provide strategic legal advice to senior officers and elected members, and support the development of colleagues across Legal Services.

This position will be subject to a criminal record disclosure check. 

You will:

• Manage a varied and complex caseload of adult social care matters.
• Advise on responsibilities arising under the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and related legislation.
• Conduct and oversee Court of Protection proceedings.
• Advise on Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), safeguarding enquiries and best interests decisions.
• Represent the Council in courts, tribunals and hearings as appropriate.
• Support strategic decision-making by providing clear, pragmatic legal advice to senior managers and members.
• Supervise and mentor junior lawyers and legal support staff.
• Contribute to service improvement, policy development and corporate projects.

We're looking for a qualified legal professional with experience of adult social care law and a strong understanding of the legislative framework governing local authorities. You'll be confident managing complex cases, providing expert legal advice and building trusted relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.

In return, you'll have the opportunity to work on meaningful and rewarding cases that make a real difference to people's lives, while developing your career within a supportive and forward-thinking legal service.

Working Pattern:

37 hours a week, Permanent, Full Time. Office based in Truro but remore UK working can be considered for the right candidate. 

What you’ll need to succeed:

You will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive with substantial experience in adult social care law and a strong commitment to public service.

You will be able to demonstrate:

• Significant post-qualification experience in adult social care law.
• Excellent knowledge of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Human Rights Act 1998 and related legislation.
• Experience of handling complex Court of Protection matters.
• Strong advocacy, drafting and negotiation skills.
• The ability to provide clear, practical advice on complex and sensitive issues.
• Experience of supervising, mentoring or supporting colleagues.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Local government experience is desirable, although applications from candidates with relevant specialist experience from other sectors are welcomed.

Please read the role profile for the full details of this role

 What you’ll get in return:

Cornwall Council’s ambition is to be an employer of choice, a high performing Council and a learning organisation. We commit to providing a reward and benefits package to attract, motivate and reward our employees. We offer a range of flexible working options to our staff. This helps provide our employees with a greater work/life balance. Whilst still ensuring that service needs are met.

Our core employee rewards and benefits include:

·             a competitive salary.

·             a defined benefit pension scheme, based on your career average earnings. This includes the option for extra voluntary contributions

·             a generous annual leave entitlement with the potential to purchase additional leave.

·             A national award-winning employee health and wellbeing programme

·             Employee benefits scheme giving employees access to a wide range of discounts to local and national goods and services.

Additional Information:

Cornwall Council is unable to offer sponsorship or transfer existing sponsorship for this role.

The full role profile is attached here.

We recommend saving a copy of this to refer to if you are invited to interview.

For more information or an informal chat about the role please contact Nancy Steer at Nancy Steer Nancy.Steer@cornwall.gov.uk

Application Process

Please attach a supporting statement to your application, you can add your Education & Qualifications details manually using the application form timeline or you can upload your CV.

Remember to demonstrate why you are suitable against each of the points marked as ‘Application’ on the Role Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience, which clearly illustrates what you did and the effect it had.

Guidance on how to complete your application can be found here – The application process.

We recognise that you may choose to use AI tools when preparing your application. We ask that any information you include is an accurate reflection of your own skills, knowledge, experience and achievements. You may be asked to discuss the examples and evidence you provide during the selection process.

We may adapt our shortlisting approach where we receive a high volume of applications. Any shortlisting decisions will be based on the information provided in your application and the essential requirements of the role.

Please note that applications cannot be edited after they have been submitted, please contact careers@cornwall.gov.uk if you have any queries or require assistance with your application.

Existing employees must apply using their Cornwall Council email address through the Opportunity Marketplace on Oracle.