Trainee Solicitor

We have embraced new ways of working and hybrid working will be a feature of this role. You will be given a nominated contractual work base and you will be required to commute to this work base when necessary. Working arrangements regarding hybrid working will be discussed as part of the appointment process.

Our technology platform and equipment is very good enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely. We require that you have in place good connectivity, and we will discuss during the recruitment process if support with this is needed.

Our values - collaborative, adaptable, eco-conscious, supportive, and responsible - guide everything we do. We're looking for candidates who share these values and bring them to life in their work, helping us build strong teams and make a real difference in the communities we serve.

As part of this process we are looking for two Trainee Solicitors who have a keen interest in these dynamic and fascinating areas of legal practice and someone who is interested in practising in these areas of law in the future.

You will be working within a friendly and supportive team environment where your professional development will be nurtured and appreciated.

For the SEN Trainee role, you will be involved with appeals to the SEN Tribunal, including advice and preparation of the appeals along with advocacy at the Tribunal itself. The role will also provide an opportunity to be involved in wider advice to the SEND Team, including training of caseworkers.

Within the Childcare Trainee role, you will be involved with advising Children's Services across the County on all aspects of Child Safeguarding, both pre-proceedings and within Court Proceedings. You will also have the opportunity to develop your skills in other aspects of Children law, such as Adoption, some elements of Private Law Children Proceedings (where there is the involvement of Children's Services) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards for under 18's.

Accordingly, we are looking to primarily grow our own Special Educational Needs and Childcare lawyer, so a significant part of the training contract will be within those areas of practice. The successful candidate will therefore be required to demonstrate advocacy skills and a willingness to undertake advocacy.

However, in order to comply with the Law Society requirements, the successful candidate will not be based exclusively in the Education, Employment & Prosecutions or Childcare teams and will have an opportunity to gain substantial pre-qualification experience in other areas of contentious and non-contentious Local Government legal practice with the aim of developing public sector lawyers with a strong working knowledge of the practice of law in local government.

About You

We are looking for candidates who will have commenced or completed their LPC at the time of commencing the training contract or are eligible and committed to qualifying via the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route.

From the commencement of your training contract you will be a fee earner within our practice. You will have a strong academic record, be organised and committed, with good communication and inter-personal skills with an interest in pursuing a career in local government.

We will provide you with excellent training and support, the opportunity to take on responsibility from an early stage (including advocacy) and strong foundations for your future career.

Legal Services Lincolnshire is a local authority shared legal practice providing a full range of legal services to local authorities and public bodies. The main areas of our work include public law, property, highways and planning, commercial, adult care, prosecutions, civil litigation and childcare.

As well as the satisfaction of helping improve thousands of lives across Lincolnshire, you can look forward to an environment that encourages a healthy balance between your work life and your personal life. You will also enjoy a generous annual leave entitlement and membership of the excellent Local Government Pension Scheme. In addition, you can choose from a number of staff benefits and discount schemes.