Senior Solicitor (Band 4) - Max Rate

Commercial & Property Litigation Solicitor Employment, Criminal and Commercial Litigation team  |  Legal Services, Westminster City Council Location:  Fully remote — you can be based anywhere in the UK Hours:  Full time, part time, job share and compressed hours all welcome Reports to:  Principal Solicitor (ECCL). No direct reports.

The role in short

This is a specialist civil litigation and commercial property litigation role. You will run your own caseload of complex contentious matters for one of the most active and high-profile local authorities in the country — development land and telecoms disputes, commercial landlord and tenant work, dilapidations, forfeiture, breach of covenant, possession claims and contractual disputes — in the County Court, the High Court and the Property Tribunals. The work is genuinely comparable to a good commercial property litigation seat in private practice, with the difference that you have a single, engaged client, a real say in how matters are run, and cases that shape a major central London estate.

Why this might suit you if you are in private practice

•    Work from anywhere in the UK. This role is remote by default — there is no requirement to attend the office on a regular basis, and no requirement to live in or near London. You will attend court, tribunal and occasional team or committee meetings as the work requires. •    Part time and flexible working from day one. We are happy to discuss reduced hours, compressed hours, term-time working, job shares and flexible start and finish times at application stage. •    Local Government Pension Scheme. You will be automatically enrolled in the LGPS, a defined benefit career average scheme with a substantial employer contribution and life cover — typically the single largest difference in total reward between in-house local government and private practice. •    31 days’ annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, plus an extra day off around your birthday. You can carry over up to 5 days and buy up to 10 additional days each year. All pro rata for part time staff. •    No business development, no origination targets and no client pitching. Your time is spent on the law and the cases. •    High quality, varied contentious work without the private practice hours culture.

What you will be doing •    Running a caseload of complex civil and commercial property litigation independently, from first instructions through to trial or settlement. •    Conducting proceedings at all levels of the civil courts and before the Property Tribunals, including the First-tier and Upper Tribunals. •    Drafting statements of case, witness statements and other litigation documents, advising on law and evidence, and instructing and working with counsel and experts. •    Advising council departments clearly and commercially, taking proper instructions and giving timely, practical advice. •    Handling matters that are high profile, politically sensitive or financially significant, with the judgement that requires. •    Drafting reports for Cabinet, Cabinet Members and committees, and attending meetings where needed — occasionally outside standard hours. •    Supporting and supervising junior colleagues, and keeping the team and its clients up to date on developments in the law. •    Recording time accurately against the team’s internal recharge and chargeable hours targets.

About you Essential

•     A solicitor or barrister qualified in England and Wales with a current practising certificate, or a Chartered Legal Executive with practice rights, with at least 2 years’ post-qualification experience. •    Demonstrable experience of running complex civil and property litigation independently, including in the County Court, High Court and Property Tribunals. •    Expertise across contentious property matters — development land (including telecoms) and property contracts, and commercial landlord and tenant work such as possession, dilapidations, break notices, forfeiture and breach of covenant. •    A working knowledge of local authority powers and duties in relation to civil litigation — or the appetite to pick it up quickly. •    Confident working in a fully remote and digital environment, with the self-direction that requires. •    Excellent drafting and advocacy, and the ability to explain legal issues clearly to non-lawyers. Desirable •    Insolvency law and/or construction litigation experience. •    Previous local government or other public sector experience