Job Description
Principal Lawyer – Education
Salary: £67,401 + £7222 market supplement
£8000 Relocation Support: Relocation allowance available for eligible posts, administered under DCC guidance (HMRC rules apply)
About the role
Are you an experienced education lawyer looking for an opportunity to influence strategic decision-making and improve outcomes for children and young people?
Our long-standing local authority client is seeking an exceptional Principal Lawyer to lead its Education Law function within Legal and Democratic Services. This is a senior leadership position offering the opportunity to manage a specialist legal team, advise on complex and high-profile matters, and play a key role in supporting some of the authority's most important services.
Working closely with senior leaders, elected Members, schools and partner organisations, you will provide authoritative legal advice across a broad range of education matters, including:
- School governance
- SEND
- Admissions and exclusions
- Safeguarding
You will lead on complex cases, advise on legal risk and contribute to the development of policies and decisions that positively impact children, families and education providers across the authority.
As a key member of the Legal Services Management Team, you will contribute to the strategic direction of the service while leading, developing and supporting a highly skilled team of legal professionals.
You will have significant autonomy and responsibility for managing sensitive and challenging matters, influencing senior stakeholders and delivering pragmatic, high-quality legal solutions within a complex public sector environment.
What we are looking for
We are looking for a qualified solicitor, barrister or legal executive with relevant litigation rights and substantial experience in education law, together with strong leadership, communication and influencing skills.
You will be confident advising at senior level, managing complex legal risk and building effective relationships across a diverse range of stakeholders.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced education lawyer who is looking to take the next step in their career and make a genuine contribution to the delivery of public services for children, young people and families.
Benefits
The successful candidate will benefit from a comprehensive public sector benefits package, including:
- Flexible working: Hybrid working options, flexitime and compressed hours to support work-life balance.
- Generous annual leave: 34 days plus bank holidays.
- Excellent pension scheme: Access to a highly competitive public sector pension.
- Continuous development: Training, professional qualifications and career progression opportunities.
- Employee wellbeing: Mental health support, staff networks and a range of wellbeing initiatives.
- Discounts and perks: Access to a range of leisure, retail and lifestyle discounts, as well as cycle-to-work schemes.
How to apply
If you are an accomplished education lawyer who is motivated by public service and wants to make a meaningful difference to children and young people, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Apply now or contact Natalie Ferguson in our Manchester office for further information.
Sellick Partnership is proud to be an inclusive and accessible recruitment business and we support applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances. Please note, our advertisements use years' experience, hourly rates, and salary levels purely as a guide and we assess applications based on the experience and skills evidenced on the CV. For information on how your personal details may be used by Sellick Partnership, please review our data processing notice on our website.
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