Trainee Solicitor

• Employer: Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
• Salary: £27,852 to £31,099 + Benefits
• Location: Wirral, Hybrid Working, Cheshire Lines Building
• Contract: Temporary
• Working Pattern: Flexible Hours/Full Time
• Hours: 36 hours per week.
• DBS Check: No
• Closing Date: 13/06/2023 at 23:59
• Reference: L&G/23/238100

There has never been a more exciting time to join Wirral Council. We’ve got ambitious targets to meet and to achieve everything we have promised to our residents, we need people who are ready to deliver the very best for our communities and show how they can #BeTheDifference. Our vision is to secure the best possible future for our residents, defined by the community prosperity we create and supported by our excellent people and services. If you strive to #BeTheDifference and want to be at the heart of our change and improvement journey, then this could be the perfect job for you.

This is an exciting opportunity to gain an understanding of local government law across all disciplines under the supervision of experienced professionals. This is a fixed term appointment for two years.

A key focus of the role will be to provide advice to Members and officers of the council, including constitutional, procedural and administrative advice, ensuring the Councils objectives are at the heart of the service. Day to day duties will involve drafting appropriate legal documents, notices, forms, memoranda as required which protect the interests, income and reputation of Wirral Council. You will also undertake advocacy, attend upon Counsel and attend court as directed.

Above all we are looking for individuals who can provide pragmatic and customer-focused advice on current legislation in relation to contracts and commercial, including statutory interpretation, for internal and external contacts as required. Whilst at the same time working towards the Professional Skills Course (PSC) final professional qualification.

The successful candidate will work on their own initiative, be solution focused, pragmatic and escalate matters where appropriate. They will further show tact, diplomacy, empathy and political awareness with resilience, especially in dealing with competing and demanding pressures and potentially emotionally difficult situations and information. Ultimately, you will demonstrate a commitment and enthusiasm to making a difference for residents, you will role model our values and will be an ambassador for the Council.

As a Trainee Solicitor, you will have completed the Legal Practice Course and be available to undertake formal training and qualify as a solicitor in accordance with the Law Society training standards.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Vicki Shaw on 0151 691 8481 or email vickishaw@wirral.gov.uk

Working at Wirral

You’ll also want to know what it’s like to work here so, as a start:

Our values are more than just pieces of paper on our walls! We’ve all played a role in developing these, so they reflect the immense pride we have in what we do, what matters to us, what inspires us and inform how we think, approach things and behave.

We believe in ensuring staff are well looked after, staff wellbeing is a priority for us. We’re serious about recognising and rewarding people for the great things they do. You’ll benefit from our track record of developing, growing and investing in our people.

We have a range of staff benefits including staff discounts, an excellent pension scheme which includes a generous employer contribution rate, immediate life cover and ill-health protection. We have a strong flexible working approach, hybrid working, family-friendly employment initiatives and an annual leave package starting with 28 days leave plus public holidays.

We have an inclusive, engaged culture, everyone has a voice, everyone is valued for their contribution and understands the role they play in delivering our strategic priorities.

Each voice is heard, each contribution valued. We embrace diversity in our workforce and recognise it is critical to our success. We support an inclusive culture that champions differences and nurtures a sense of belonging. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds, who share our values and our commitment to inclusion to apply for roles with us.

We want you to be your best at work, we create the conditions to help you thrive and we mirror this in our recruitment process. If you’d like us to do anything differently during the recruitment process to make it barrier-free and as accessible as possible please contact recruitment@wirral.gov.uk

Assessments to take place virtually and in person on 13th & 14th July.

We've embraced new ways of working and hybrid working between home and office will be a feature of this role, working at the office 2-3 days per week, when necessary. Our technology platform and equipment allow you to connect and collaborate remotely which requires that you have in place good connectivity. This can be discussed more during the recruitment process.

You will find more details about the role in the job description and what we're looking for from you in the person specification. In return, we believe in ensuring staff are well looked after, staff well-being is a priority for us and regulary promoted, as are professional support and continuous professional development. You will have the chance to be mentored by skilled Local Government Legal professionals in order to support your continued development in the role and your career.

Please note that in accordance with the Council’s policy, employees who are in a formal redeployment situation will be considered in the first instance for all vacancies.

It is Council policy not to re-appoint any employee who has left under the terms of the Council's Early Voluntary Retirement (EVR) scheme or who have left with a voluntary severance (VS) package, unless in exceptional circumstances.

Applications will be accepted until midnight on the closing date.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications.

Applications can only be accepted through the Jobs page following registration. Forms received via the post will not be processed.

All applicants invited to interview must evidence their right to work in the UK.

The job description and other supporting documents will not be accessible once the vacancy closing date has passed so if a copy is required you should download it now.