Job info	Job info details
Job title	Lawyer (Property)
Strategic team/Directorate	Corporate Services
Service	Service Property, Planning and Environment Legal Team
Business unit	Legal Services
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Senior Solicitor
Accountable to (line manager)	Team Leader (Property, Planning and Environment Team)
Salary grade	I
JE ref	LEG31e

1. Key purpose of job

• To assist the Senior Solicitor in the day-to-day operation of the Property, Planning and Environment Team within the Council’s Legal Department.
• To provide efficient and effective legal advice and services to the Council.
• To handle a case load primarily of property/highway related matters centred upon the management / leasing and general disposal of the Council’s estate plus work relating to Deferred Payment Agreements (‘DPAs’) and Highways Agreements.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• The delivery of efficient and effective legal advice and services, in a way that furthers and promotes good customer care within Legal Services.
• To ensure the efficient and effective provision in the handling of the Council’s highways, property and conveyancing work.
• To undertake all legal services work as required, with appropriate supervision and professional support.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• To undertake case work and provide advice within the specialist areas of law.
• To provide legal advice and services in relation to other areas of local government law as required by the Senior Solicitor.
• To assist the Senior Solicitor in highways and conveyancing matters, and specifically the preparation of agreements, leases, licences, sales and DPAs.
• Attend civil courts and tribunals commensurate to the grade and level of the post.
• To report, liaise and update the Senior Solicitor with regard to complex highways and property matters.
• To provide training within the specialist areas of law as required to client departments.
• To have a developing knowledge of the law, practice and current issues within the specialist areas of law upon which the post holder advises on.
• To undertake administrative duties as and when required by the Senior Solicitor.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• The post holder requires the ability to apply established legal principles and approaches to legal and factual problems of a moderately complex nature.  They must be able to extrapolate from statutory law, established guidance and case law to inform advice given on moderately complex matters and advise upon steps to be taken.  The post holder must be able to identify and interpret relevant evidence, understand the implications of solutions and draw sound conclusions, advising and acting accordingly.
  Examples:  Identifying and employing correct conveyancing and property practice in matters passed to the legal department.
• Preparation of legal documentation and to follow through matters to completion.
• Advising and negotiate on any contractual terms in relation to highways and property matters.
• Advising on the development and implementation of policy, practice and procedures.
• Examples:
  • To deal with all aspects of general commercial property transactions e.g. leases, licences, transfers, covenants, break notices.
  • To deal with all aspects of highway matters.
  • To undertake research for client departments and provide practical, commercial, and timely advice.
  • To provide legal advice and assistance to all relevant departments of the Council, including the Council’s wholly owned companies.
  • To undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may be from time to time required across the department by the Team Leader and Head of Legal.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• The post-holder is required to provide informal support and supervision to junior members of the team and its Business Support Officers.

7. Physical demands of the post

• The post holder operates in an environment governed by the need to meet deadlines (including those externally imposed) in a context of continually changing priorities.
• The post holder is required to be able to travel to site visits, Court hearings and meetings and record data as required.
• The post holder may occasionally experience verbal abuse and aggression during the course of their duties. Policies are in place to mitigate the frequency and extent to which these will affect the post holder.

8. Specific resources used by the post

• The post holder may occasionally be required to handle heavy documentation, e.g., deed parcels, Court bundles and public enquiry files offsite with appropriate manual handling equipment provided to enable safe working.
• The post holder will have access to a laptop computer and other agile working equipment. 
• The post holder is required to ensure the security of confidential and sensitive information when transporting and using files and laptops when home-working, travelling and working away from the office.

9. Key contacts and relationships

External

• Contact with service users, other local authorities, partners and external bodies, Government Departments, other professionals (legal and others), courts and tribunals.
• Contact with members of the public.

Internal

• Contact with officers at all levels within the Council. Occasional contacts with Senior Officers. Contact with Members on specific case matters, including giving advice on courses of action and their legal risks and ramifications.
• The post holder will represent the Council and be responsible for influencing and negotiating with others on contentious matters in circumstances when the matter in question will be of a moderate complexity.  The situation may require tact and sensitivity. The post holder will be responsible on behalf of the Council in routine matters.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children's Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council. 
• The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
• You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Lawyer (Property)
Strategic team/Directorate	Corporate Services
Service	Service Property, Planning and Environment Legal Team
Business unit	Legal Services

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to give clear and accurate legal advice.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Effective presentation skills.
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships.
• Able to influence and persuade others in a sensitive, professional way, both inside and outside of the Council.
• Effective negotiating skills.
• Ability to manage a full workload.
• Effective time management and ability to cope with competing demands.
• Effective I.T. skills and experience with various software packages.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Ability to command respect and authority with those persons the post holder is required to work with, influence and support, advise.
• Ability to adapt to new areas of work.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• A developing knowledge of the law and procedures within the specialist discipline.
• A general awareness of the policies, aims and objectives of the Council.

Desirable knowledge

• A good knowledge of the law applicable to Local Government.
• Knowledge of Data Protection Act 1998, Freedom of Information Act 2000.
• Understanding of the nature of a Local Government in-house legal service.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Suitable training as a legal advisor.
• Experience of working within a legal environment.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of working in an in-house local government Legal Service.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Admitted and practising Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives (or equivalent).

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Relevant training in the specialist area.

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the role (i.e., manual handling).
• Ability to travel efficiently around the South West in order to carry out duties.
• Ability to accommodate home-working.