Interim Environmental Lawyer – Legal Services

Reference no:  St Albans 5225539

Pay Rate: Up to £45.00 per hour PAYE depending on experience

This opening assignment is for 5-6 months

Basic DBS disclosure required for this role

Candidates must be able to work evenings and weekends.

The purpose of the role is to legal advice on Environmental law, Planning law and other contentious matters.  Conduct of court and other proceedings relating to these matters, including prosecutions, planning appeals and judicial reviews.

Key Responsibilities:

• To provide legal services to client departments on a wide range of specialisms – at least environmental.
• Prepare advice, reports, and briefings, together with suitable guidance and support to ensure clients’ requirements are met within legal constraints for all areas of work.
• Interpret and apply statute, case law and government guidance as appropriate to provide timely and appropriate advice.
• Prepare prosecutions relating to environmental health, food safety, planning and fraudulent benefit claim matters at the Magistrates’ Court. Providing advice, drafting documentation, instructing barristers and/or attending court to conduct advocacy as required, to ensure that cases are properly conducted and an appropriate outcome achieved.
• Conduct High Court litigation, including judicial review, including instructing barristers, in such a way as to protect the best interests of the Council.
• Provide advice to the fraud investigator or auditor on potential fraud prosecutions such as housing fraud and single persons discount fraud. To attend the Anti-Fraud Group meetings as required.
• Prepare a Corporate Prosecution Policy and attend the Prosecutions Special Interest Group when required.
• Prepare the RIPA policy; arrange regular training for staff on RIPA and make applications to the Magistrates’ Court as required.
• Provide the services above in the knowledge that the advice given or transaction involved will have substantial financial consequences for the Council – up to several £m.

“Role Requirements” – to give yourself the maximum chance of success please try and ensure your CV addresses the following essential criteria:

Qualifications:

1. Educated to degree or equivalent level.
2. Qualification as Solicitor, Legal Executive, Barrister.
3. Membership of appropriate professional body or equivalent experience.

Skills & Experience:

1. Minimum of 12 months recent experience in a similar role, or context and ideally within a public sector organisation.
2. Environmental law – Up to date and professional knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations, standards and core disciplines of work area.
3. Experience in undertaking and managing a caseload of legal work in the area of prosecutions from instigation to conclusion.
4. Experience of undertaking advocacy in the magistrates’ court and county court.
5. Experience of successfully achieving work area objectives in a relevant role.
6. Evidence of dealing effectively with change.
7. Experience of providing input into policy development and implementing policies, practices and service improvements.
8. Strong IT skills including Microsoft packages or equivalent (e.g. G Suite).

Knowledge:

1. Commitment to and clear understanding of equal opportunities.
2. Understanding of health and safety issues relevant to work area.
3. Knowledge of legislation, regulations and standards relating to Planning Law.
4. Food Safety and Health and Safety law – Up to date and professional knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations, standards, and core disciplines of work area.
5. Knowledge of legislation, regulations and standards relating to Private sector housing and caravan licensing.
6. Knowledge of legislation, regulations and standards relating to fraudulent benefit claim matters.

NB: Please feel free to apply to us direct via [email protected] by quoting the job reference and job title exactly. SEE DETAILS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS AD.

If you have previously applied to one of our vacancies and have already sent the required supporting documentation to us, please make this clear when you re-apply as this will help speed up your application.

To help speed up the process of uploading your CV to the client we would suggest that you send us your CV in Word format (or equivalent) if possible, rather than as a PDF

If you are successful in securing this role, please note that for the entire duration of this contract, regardless of extension you will be working this role at the PAYE rate that has been advertised. For absolute clarity, we only work on a PAYE basis, rather than entertaining umbrella pay terms, we do not offer Ltd/umbrella or outside IR35 rates. If you wish to understand PAYE vs Umbrella more, please let us know and we can send you some additional information for clarity.