Principal Lawyer - Community Services Team

Job Title: Principal Lawyer - Community Services Team
Pay Details: £51,356 - £54,495 (plus market forces supplement of £8,000)
Hours of Work: 37 Hours per week
Main Place of Work: Civic Offices, Barry and Hybrid Working, (to agree days on site)

Why this role matters

The Vale of Glamorgan is a place with a strong sense of identity, ambition and purpose. Our Vale 2030 plan is more than a strategy, it's a commitment to creating thriving communities, protecting the most vulnerable, strengthening resilience and ensuring that every child and family has the opportunity to flourish.

Safeguarding sits at the heart of that ambition. The decisions we make in Social Services are some of the most sensitive and consequential taken by the Council. They shape lives, protect futures and require the highest standards of professionalism, judgement and integrity.

Legal Services is deeply embedded in this responsibility. We are trusted partners to social workers, senior leaders and Members, providing clear, steady and risk-aware advice in complex and often time-critical situations. Our work spans care proceedings, adoption, fostering, education and public law, offering a depth of experience and courtroom advocacy that rivals specialist private practice.

This Principal Lawyer / Team Leader role sits at the centre of that safeguarding framework. You will lead a specialist legal team, personally manage complex proceedings and act as a trusted adviser on high-risk decisions that directly impact vulnerable children and families. The connection between your advice and real outcomes is immediate and meaningful.

You will join a professional, supportive and collaborative team that values composure, clarity and collective responsibility. We are committed to maintaining high professional standards while supporting wellbeing and flexible working.

About the role:

As Principal Lawyer you will have real influence, helping to shape decisions that affect the safety, stability and futures of vulnerable children and families across the Vale. You will:

• Lead, mentor and support a team of specialist lawyers and support staff within the Community Services Legal Team.
• Manage a complex caseload including children's public law proceedings, child protection, adoption, fostering and related education matters.
• Provide confident and risk-aware legal advice to officers, senior managers and Members in sensitive and time-critical situations.
• Represent the Council in Family Court proceedings and manage contested and high-risk litigation.
• Strengthen early legal engagement in safeguarding decisions, promoting proportionate and well-evidenced practice.
• Promote strong governance, excellent client care and modern legal practice.

About you

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in complex, high-stakes environments and values professional purpose as much as technical excellence. We're looking for a calm, solutions-focused leader: someone who can set clear expectations, unite a team and provide steady guidance in emotionally demanding situations.

You'll bring:

• Professional qualification as a Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of CILEX with a current practising certificate.
• Strong experience in children's public law, care proceedings or related safeguarding litigation.
• Confidence managing complex and contested cases, including advocacy or instructing Counsel.
• Leadership, people management or supervisory experience, or a commitment to developing these skills.
• A sound understanding of public law principles, human rights and governance within a local authority context (or the ability to develop this quickly).
• Excellent drafting, analytical and negotiation skills.
• The ability to manage urgent matters while maintaining composure and sound judgement.
• Clear communication skills, including translating complex legal concepts into practical advice for non-lawyers.
• A collaborative, inclusive and values-led approach.

You don't need to have worked in local government before. Depth in safeguarding or children's litigation is more important to us.

What we offer:

• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
• Relocation support (where applicable)
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Generous annual leave
• Family-friendly policies
• Wellbeing support and employee assistance programmes
• Ongoing professional development and advocacy opportunities

How to apply

If you would like an informal and confidential conversation about the role, please contact:

Justine Cass Operational Manager - Legal Services
Email: jcass@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

We welcome conversations before application and encourage candidates who are unsure whether they meet every requirement to get in touch. Please note that information can be provided in Welsh. Please contact Natalie Delaney at Sellick Partnership for more information.

Sellick Partnership is proud to be an inclusive and accessible recruitment business and we support applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances. Please note, our advertisements use years' experience, hourly rates, and salary levels purely as a guide and we assess applications based on the experience and skills evidenced on the CV. For information on how your personal details may be used by Sellick Partnership, please review our data processing notice on our website.