Are you a qualified legal professional ready to provide expert advice across a diverse local government caseload? East Cambridgeshire District Council has an exciting Senior Lawyer opportunity!
Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 4EE
Salary: £47,665 to £51,928 per annum
Job Type: Permanent, full time
Closing Date: Monday 16 November 2026
About Us:
East Cambridgeshire District Council serves the local community across Cambridgeshire. The council is committed to environmental sustainability and has achieved silver accreditation from the Investors in the Environment scheme, ranking 43rd out of 164 councils on the national climate scorecard. We prioritise responsible and sustainable operations across all our services.
Senior Lawyer - The Role:
You will join our Legal Services team providing high quality, practical and timely legal advice to officers, elected members and senior leaders. This role offers excellent variety and responsibility, spanning conveyancing and leases, planning obligations, civil and criminal litigation, contracts and wider local government matters. You will work closely with the Director of Legal Services and support the delivery of a comprehensive legal service for the council.
Senior Lawyer - Key Responsibilities:
- Provide accurate, timely and solution-focused legal advice to officers, Members, Committees and the Corporate Management Team
- Draft, negotiate and complete legal documentation, correspondence, reports, contracts and property-related documents
- Advise on and draft planning obligations under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
- Prepare and conduct civil and criminal litigation, including drafting pleadings and instructing barristers where required
- Represent the council at inquiries, tribunals, meetings and other forums as required
- Manage a varied workload independently, prioritising competing deadlines and adapting to changing service needs
- Contribute to the development and implementation of Legal Services policies, procedures and service improvements
Senior Lawyer - You:
- Admitted Solicitor or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives with good understanding of local government law and practice
- Complex legal knowledge in conveyancing and leases, planning obligations, litigation and contracts, with ability to advise a wide range of internal clients
- Organised, accurate and able to work independently with excellent communication skills and confidence to provide clear, pragmatic advice
- Customer focused, flexible and committed to delivering high quality legal service in a busy local authority environment
Benefits:
- Flexible working arrangements considered subject to service needs
- Childcare scheme in approved cases
- Training and development opportunities
- Occupational health programme
- Holiday and sickness scheme entitlements
- Local government pension scheme
Closing Date: Monday 16 November 2026
To submit your CV for this exciting Senior Lawyer opportunity, click Apply today