NQ Solicitor +

NQ - 2

Permanent

Full-time

Administrative and Public Law Disputes with focus on Student Issues and Education Disputes

Cambridge or London

The firm

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.

We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.

Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do.  RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 5th best law firm to work at in 2024.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.

The department

The Administrative and Public Law Disputes Team advice regarding disputes and claims involving public bodies.

Areas that we advise on and litigate in are:

Education Disputes acting for Universities, Oxbridge Colleges, FE, State Schools, Academies/Academy Trusts, Independent Schools and Local Authorities

• Disability/SEN advice including SEND Tribunal cases and advocacy
• Advising on parental complaints including handling persistent and vexatious complainants
• Safeguarding issues, advice and investigations
• Advising on matters including the handling of rape and sexual misconduct allegations including peer on peer. Associated Investigation and Disciplinary procedures. Dealing with Social Services/LADO and the Police and their investigations.
• Student Mental Health Issues
• Advising on complaints to the Office of Independent Adjudicator
• Disciplinary Issues including suspensions and exclusions
• Discrimination advice
• Advice on/Review of Policies and Procedures

Judicial Review/Disputes / Advising in Planning Matters

• Acting for Developers and Local Authorities
• Litigation support to planning team

Commercial

• Acting for clients challenging Government decisions eg HMRC Policies and Procedures
• Advising on Disputes with Rural Payment Agency

Procurement

• Acting for private providers, corporates, individuals against public bodies
• Advising public bodies on challenges to their procurements.

Charities Disputes

• Board Disputes and Breakdowns
• General Disputes
• Procurement Disputes
• Merger Disputes
• Charity Commission Investigations
• Serious Incident Reports
• Safeguarding

Local Authority Disputes/Parish Council Disputes

• Investigations
• Standards and Conduct Complaints
• Handling Persistent and Vexatious Complainants
• FOIA Disputes

Civil Regulatory Disputes

• Care Home Disputes – fee/authorisation disputes
• CQC Issues

Equality Act Claims

Generally defending claims across all sectors including Education, Local Government, Retail, Leisure and Hospitality

General Public Law Disputes

• Advising on State Aid applications/Subsidy Control and permissibility issues
• Advice on Cemetery Regulations
• Advice on Byelaws at an Airport
• Advice on FOIA claims.

Purpose of job

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a dynamic market leading and growing team dealing with prestigious clients and high quality work.

We are looking for an NQ - 2 PQE Solicitor to support the team regarding Student Issues and Education Disputes work, especially in the area of Disability, SEN and SEND Tribunal work.

Whilst this will be the main focus they should ideally cover a broad range of work across the Administrative and Public Law Disputes team contributing and supervising in their own right and providing assistance to the entire team.

Accountabilities

• SEN advice and SEND Tribunal cases including advocacy where appropriate.
• High Court Litigation as well as Mediation. Advocacy, where appropriate.
• Providing strategic advice.
• Supporting the Team on larger and more complex matters.
• Interacting directly with clients and managing their expectations.
• Developing within business development, marketing and networking.

Qualifications/Experience

• Excellent client service delivery skills needed.
• A high attention to detail to produce work/ documentation which is consistently of a high standard.
• Excellent communication skills – written and oral.
• Ideally experience of SEND work and Tribunals, High Court Litigation, and any of the above legal areas or a keen interest 
• To have a flexible approach to work to ensure client deadlines are always met and clients are communicated with on a consistent, clear and regular basis.

Equal opportunities

At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth. Alongside a flexible and inclusive work environment, we offer the following core benefits:

• 25 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays (rising to 30 days)
• Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
• Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme 
• Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Paid CSR Day
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership
• Electric car scheme
• Agile/Hybrid Working Policy
• Dress for your Day Policy

https://www.birketts.co.uk/recognition-reward-benefits/

Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application. 

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.