Our Values

In line with our One Coventry Values we strive to have a workforce that reflects our local communities and welcome applicants from all sections of the community. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic backgrounds, applicants who have a disability and applicants who are from the LGBTQ+ community to apply for our senior leadership roles. 

Our Values are:

About the team we are recruiting to

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

We are a public sector legal service providing in-house legal support to Coventry City Council. The team offers a professional, comprehensive, tailor-made service to address legal issues of every description, is highly motivated, eager to develop and faces challenges head on. 

Now is an exciting time to join Coventry; a lively, multicultural city, which embraces both old and new. We are firmly focused on the needs of our citizens, regeneration with major developments and new projects taking place across the city, and proud to have been City of Culture 2021.   

What is the job role?

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a talented advocate within the Advocacy team. We are looking for an enthusiastic and able lawyer to join our service and to represent the Council as our in-house advocate.

This is a full - time position fixed for 18 months  

You must be self-motivated and able to provide a high quality, client-focused legal service, as well as to work effectively as part of a team and to establish good relations with client departments and outside agencies.

Who are we looking for?

As an experienced qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive (Fellow) with rights of audience qualification, you will require experience to handle Local Authority Children and Adoption cases in all tiers of court. Although this role is primarily to cover Children and Adoption cases, there will be the opportunity to carry out and develop in other areas of advocacy, including the Court of Protection, Education Tribunals, and Inquests, as well as in Adult Matters.

You will need a good knowledge and experience of children and adoption law, and have an appreciation of adult work, SEN Tribunal work and Court of Protection cases.

You will have strong advocacy skills and be able to give sound, pragmatic legal advice on complex matters to various professional clients, including officers and Members within the Council. 

Applicants representing parents, children and other family members, where advocacy has been conducted are also invited to apply, as well as applicants who may seek a secondment opportunity in an advocacy role.   

You will have the opportunity to work with other members across the team and to be able to apply and develop your advocacy skills across the various tiers of court.

Good organisational, communication and IT skills will be required, as well as the ability to work to tight deadlines and give sound, practical advice.  You need to be able to draft legal correspondence and documentation, and carry out legal research, as well as provide support to junior members of staff.

You will also have the opportunity to assist in other teams, when possible, which will involve including pre- proceedings work, duty and case management. Opportunities will be available to assist in these other areas when you are not preparing for court or covering court hearings.

For more information on this role, please contact at safda.mahmood@coventry.gov.uk 

If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'

Interview date: 29 February 2024 (in person) 

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.

At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package - to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies

Coventry City Council