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, and influencing services that impact 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. The work is complex and career-defining, involving high-profile multi-party proceedings, drafting complex legal documents, and driving innovation in public childcare law.

Key responsibilities include delivering expert legal advice on complex childcare law, managing your own advocacy diary, leading on legal issue identification and strategy development, collaborating on borough-wide initiatives, drafting reports and legal comments for Cabinet and Council committees, advising on governance and risk, acting as the in-house technical expert, representing Southwark in court and external networks, and delivering training both 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

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