Location
London (Southwark Council offices, with predominantly court-based work and monthly office attendance subject to court commitments)

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£57,678 - £71,742 per annum plus an additional benefit of £2,724 per annum which can be taken as cash or used for benefits

About the Role
Southwark Council’s Safeguarding and Community Services Legal team is seeking an exceptional Childcare Advocate on a 12 month fixed term basis. This role offers the opportunity to do more than advise; you will directly shape the futures of children and young people across the borough. You will be at the heart of legal decisions protecting the most vulnerable, involved in life-changing litigation that influences services impacting many young lives daily.

This role involves specialist advocacy representing one of London’s busiest Children’s Services teams in the Central Family Court, High Court and Court of Appeal on cases that shape young lives. You will work strategically with senior leaders, Cabinet and committees to influence governance, policy, and future service delivery across Southwark.

You will handle complex, high-profile multi-party proceedings, draft complex legal documents, and drive innovation in public childcare law. Your legal expertise will set precedents, inspire innovation, and drive meaningful change within a council committed to excellence, collaboration, and bold ambition for Children’s Services.

Key responsibilities include delivering expert legal advice on complex childcare law to senior management and elected officials, managing your own advocacy diary, leading on legal issue identification and strategy development, drafting reports and legal comments for Cabinet and Council committees, advising on governance and risk, and acting as the in-house technical expert representing Southwark in court and external networks. You will also deliver training in-house and to London boroughs involved in the South London Care Proceedings Project.

Experience
- Current practising certificate as a Solicitor, Barrister, or CILEX Fellow
- In-depth knowledge of public and private childcare law, child protection, adoption, and fostering
- Proven track record handling complex cases and proactive case management
- Significant experience conducting advocacy in contested hearings, fact-finding, and final hearings over multiple days
- Skilled in drafting pleadings and other complex legal documents
- Experience working collaboratively with in-house clients and lawyers, providing excellent client care

About you
- Practical, proactive, and results-driven approach
- Integrity with strong negotiation, mediation, and listening skills
- Ability to advise and influence at senior levels and within multi-agency settings
- Aptitude for developing networks with judiciary, external agencies, and legal professionals to raise Southwark’s profile
- Willingness and ability to attend the office monthly, subject to court commitments
- Commitment to Southwark’s values of tackling racial inequality and fostering diversity and inclusion

Qualifications
- Current practising certificate as a Solicitor, Barrister, or CILEX Fellow is essential