About The Role
At West Northants Council, it’s about our people and the difference they make. This is an exciting time to join our growing Legal Services team as a Senior Lawyer (Child Care Advocate), supporting the delivery of high-quality legal services to Northamptonshire Children’s Trust and helping to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and families.
As part of our dedicated in‑house legal team, you’ll work closely with colleagues across Children’s Services, providing expert legal support on matters that have a direct impact on the lives of children and young people. You’ll be joining one of England’s newest and largest unitary authorities, with the opportunity to contribute to the continued development of a modern, ambitious and forward‑thinking legal service.
Working within our Law and Governance service, you’ll provide expert legal advice and advocacy across a broad range of child‑care matters, representing the Council in Family Court proceedings and supporting services to make informed, legally sound decisions. This is a rewarding opportunity for an experienced child‑care lawyer looking to further develop their career within a supportive and collaborative environment.
What you will be doing
- Manage a varied and complex child‑care caseload, providing legal advice and representation across the full range of care proceedings and related matters.
- Represent the Council at Family Court hearings, advise on urgent and emergency applications, and work closely with social work teams and other partners to support the protection and welfare of children and young people.
- Contribute to the ongoing development of the legal service by sharing knowledge, supporting colleagues, delivering training to client departments and embedding best practice across the team.
- Stay up to date with legislative and case law developments to ensure advice remains accurate, practical and responsive to service needs.
About You
- Admitted Solicitor, Barrister or Advocate with strong experience in child‑care law and proven advocacy skills.
- Strong understanding of the legislation and legal processes relating to the care and protection of children, and confidence managing complex cases and representing clients in court.
- Excellent communicator with the ability to build effective relationships, provide clear and practical advice and work successfully in a fast‑paced environment.
- Local government experience is welcome but not essential; what matters most is a passion for delivering an outstanding legal service and a commitment to making a positive difference for children and families.
Our benefits
You can see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site.
Job Details
- Salary: £55,041 inclusive of MFS
- Salary Frequency: Annual
- Working Hours: 37
- Contract Type: Full Time
- Closing Date: 2 August 2026
- Job Category: Legal Solicitor/Legal Executive
- Location: Northampton, United Kingdom
- Job Reference: Ref/162341/8854
- Job Posted Date: 6 July 2026
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