Location
London

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£44,430 - £51,663

About the Role
Step into a role where your expertise can help shape the future of Adult Social Care. Southwark Council’s Safeguarding and Community Services Legal Team is hiring an ambitious Assistant Adult Social Care Lawyer. You will be at the heart of legal decisions that protect the most vulnerable and be part of life-changing litigation, steering the direction of services that impact many adult lives every day.

Your legal expertise won’t just resolve cases; it will help drive meaningful change within a council committed to excellence, collaboration, and bold ambition for Adult Social Services.

Key responsibilities include:
- Delivering a high-quality, sustainable legal service in line with statutory and contractual obligations.
- Managing your own caseload of less complex adult social care matters under minimal supervision, drafting documents, responding to correspondence, and advising at meetings.
- Preparing cases for courts, tribunals, and inquests, with the possibility of undertaking advocacy where appropriate.
- Supporting senior lawyers with initial case reviews, investigations, research, and case preparation.
- Researching legal questions and providing clear, practical briefings to clients, colleagues, and counsel.
- Driving continuous improvement in your area of expertise to ensure the service remains responsive in a changing environment.

About Southwark Council
Southwark Council is the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes inhabited by 40% of Southwark’s residents. The borough is home to over 18,300 businesses, including iconic London venues such as The Shard, The Tate Modern, and Borough Market, alongside many social enterprises. Southwark has a young, diverse, and growing population.

The council is committed to making the borough just and fair, taking positive action to tackle inequalities. The refreshed borough plan and the Southwark Stands Together initiative underpin all efforts to address racism, injustice, and inequality within the community and workforce.

Experience
- Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of CILEx with a current (or eligible) practising certificate.
- Knowledge of law relating to vulnerable adults, including community care, mental health, Court of Protection, no recourse to public funds, and children leaving care services.
- Experience working in a legal service or practice, confident with legal research tools and case management systems.
- Track record of proactive case management with the ability to deliver solutions under pressure and work collaboratively.
- Experience drafting legal documents and responding to pre-action correspondence.

About you
- Practical and proactive approach to legal work.
- Clear commitment to continuing professional development and staying at the leading edge of your field.
- Understanding of good governance, local government, human rights, and equalities legislation.

Qualifications
- Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of CILEx with a current (or eligible) practising certificate.