Solicitor - Children & Families Social Care

Join Essex County Council's Legal Team - Make a Real Impact in Public Law

A role as a lawyer in the Children Social Care legal team at Essex County Council is unique due to the diverse legal work ensuring that professionals are constantly engaged with interesting and complex cases.

It is an opportunity to develop in-house expertise, providing solicitors and barristers with a rich and varied experience.

This allows for a deeper understanding of the council's operations and the ability to provide tailored legal advice and influence practice.

New joiners often praise the supportive team environment.

The council is dedicated to making a difference, and this is reflected in the collaborative and encouraging atmosphere among the legal team.

The legal team offers opportunities for professional growth and development.

You will be encouraged to build strong working relationships across the council, schools, other local authorities, the Judiciary and the private sector.

This is a hybrid-working role contractually based in Chelmsford.

You will work from the Chelmsford office at least one day per week, depending on business need.

Whilst travel is not usually expected there may occasionally be a need to be off site.

Why Essex County Council?

• Diverse and Impactful Work: We serve 1.5 million people, a £1.7 billion estate and tackle a wide range of interesting and complex legal challenges and projects.
• Supportive Team Environment: Join a brilliant team of lawyers who are dedicated to making a difference. New joiners rave about the interesting work and the support they receive.
• In-House Expertise: Most of our work is done in-house, providing you with a rich and varied experience.
• Opportunity

Essex Legal Services provide high quality, professional, legal advice across the council and to increasing numbers of external clients.

Providing a client facing legal service which proactively embraces change and delights the customer.

Part of a specialist legal team providing high quality advice in the area of Children social care to underpin effective decision making, meaningful performance management and meet statutory requirements.

Achieving good customer service and making a real and demonstrable difference to the delivery of Essex Legal Services' business and the business of our clients.

We’re looking for a qualified solicitor or legal executive primarily with a strong interest in working in‑house to contribute to the ongoing development of the business and with the ability to build excellent working relationships.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for providing timely and accurate legal advice across the Council and to external customers, including constructively challenging where appropriate to produce the best possible outcomes.
• Accountable for delivering outcomes against the business plan for legal services which supports and drives the Council's wider Organisation Strategy and vision.
• Act as a legal practitioner and advocate providing specialist advice, professional consultation and support to colleagues (where appropriate) within your team.
• To understand client needs and provide them with a service they value; driving the delivery of productivity and efficiency improvement.
• Build strong working relationships across the Council, external stakeholders and other local authorities to ensure a quality advice service is provided to the customer.
• Delegated functions as detailed in the council's constitution (and as amended from time to time).
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Requirements

• Qualified solicitor with a current Practising Certificate or legal executive (with litigation rights)
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in the area of Children social care law.
• Experience of working within a legal setting in a politically sensitive environment, providing high-quality advice to a wide range of clients.
• Proven track record of building strong working relationships across a large, complex organisation and with internal and external partners/stakeholders and clients.
• Ability to provide clear advice on complex matters to both the client base and other colleagues.
• A strong focus on outcomes to achieve strategic objectives.
• Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must therefore have current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.
• Location and Access

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment.

Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost.

Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in .

With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

Future

In March 2026, the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028.

In addition to this, Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority.

You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our .

Equality and Diversity

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader.

We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you've secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour.

We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the , including throughout the recruitment process.

Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check, you will be required to register with the DBS update service.

The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate.

This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.

For further information on the DBS update service please go to .

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

• Why You'll Love Working with Us
• Flexible
• Work

Arrangements: Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements.

Enjoy the freedom to work from home while still benefiting from in-person collaboration in our Chelmsford offices.

• Generous Time Off: Start with 27 days of holiday, increasing with service, plus 8 bank holidays and up to 4 paid volunteer days each year.
• Secure Your Future: Enjoy peace of mind with enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Professional Growth: We cover professional fees for approved professions, supporting your career development.
• Once you've secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.
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