Company: Staffline

Apply for the Principal Legal Officer

Location: Belfast

Job Description:

Principal Legal Officer

Location: Lanyon Place Belfast Salary: £61,673 Contract: Temporary ongoing Hours: 37 hours per week

Staffline Recruitment Ireland is currently recruiting a Principal Legal Officer on behalf of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS), based in Belfast.

The Role

The Departmental Solicitor’s Office (DSO) Litigation Division represents the NI Departments in a wide range of litigation including Judicial Review, employer’s liability and personal injury matters.

The team is responsible for representing various NI Departments in Judicial Review and other varied litigation including personal injury actions in the County Court and High Court. Team 4 has carriage of litigation for the Department of Education, Parole Commissioner cases for the Department of Justice for NI, the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland and conducts insolvency proceedings in respect of Director’s Disqualification and Official Receiver cases.

To provide advice and representation to client departments, in particular the Department of Education, the Department of Justice, and the Health and Safety Executive NI in litigation in the High Court and County Court, Judicial Review Court and Court of Appeal.

To provide advice and representation in Insolvency proceedings before the Bankruptcy Master or Chancery Court.

To work collaboratively with clients and Counsel to draft pleadings, compile affidavits and exhibit bundles, attend client consultations, advocacy as required, and generally provide a high-quality litigation service to clients in line with Service Level Agreement requirements.

To support the work of the Assistant Director as part of an agile and responsive legal team.

The above list is not exhaustive but gives a good indication of the demands of the role.

Qualifications Required

The successful candidate must:

Be a qualified solicitor or barrister at substantive Principal Legal Officer or Deputy Principal Legal Officer level employed in a permanent legal post in NICS and with not less than three years’ Post Qualification Experience (PQE)

Have three year’s professional experience of delivering a litigation service to clients

Preferable 1. Experience of conducting insolvency proceedings

Benefits

Hybrid working available.
Flexitime arrangements.
37-hour working week.
Monday to Friday working pattern.
Supportive team environment with opportunities for professional development.

Additional Information

Applicants must meet the essential criteria to be shortlisted for this role.

Please note that vacancies may be filled quickly. However, your CV may be retained for consideration for future similar opportunities.

Successful candidates may be required to undergo the appropriate security clearance process and must therefore have resided in the UK for at least three years.

How to Apply

If you are interested in and available for this position, please upload your CV via the application link or contact Charlene Quinn for further information.

Email:

Skills:legal Judicial Review employer’s liability

WHJS1_NI

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Posted: October 20th, 2026