Principal Lawyer – Litigation

Eastleigh Borough Council
is committed to making a positive difference for all the residents, businesses and visitors to Eastleigh and is now seeking a
Principal Lawyer – Litigation
to join the team and provide robust due diligence, legal support and advice.

Key Responsibilities

• Supporting in legal matters arising from the exercise of Council functions across a broad range of specialist areas, including those relating to regulatory, criminal litigation, civil litigation (including debt recovery functions) and planning enforcement.
• Conducting proceedings in the Courts, including evaluation of evidence, strategic case management advice, case preparation and advocacy.
• Advising client departments on the risks of legal challenge and how to mitigate risk.
• Leading on all contentious work.
• Attending strategic development boards and supporting and advising on complex legal matters and committee work.
• Managing legal projects that deliver organisational and corporate objectives.
• Supporting the Council in ensuring compliance with governance arrangements and mitigation of risk.
• Ensuring accurate, compliant and timely legal support and complex specialist legal advice is provided to internal customers that supports the Council's business needs.
• Supervising, developing and supporting a team of legal specialists, assistants and trainees.

Skills and Experience

• Qualified solicitor, barrister or chartered legal executive with extensive post-qualification experience and a full, up-to-date practising certificate.
• Current membership of the Law Society or the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives or registered to practice with the Bar Standards Board.
• Extensive working knowledge of legal practices/methodologies and a solid understanding of statutory and regulatory compliance, in particular, planning and litigation.
• Proven ability to undertake complex legal cases and provide expert advice on a range of matters within local government.
• Experience in undertaking local government work and making legal representations.
• Experience conducting proceedings in court.
• Dynamic, innovative, confident, able to challenge others, open, perceptive and a strong communicator.
• A high level of resilience and a strong background in delivery.
• Extremely capable in managing multiple competing priorities without slippage.
• Experience supervising and developing a team of specialists.

Benefits

• Hybrid working with an average of 2 days working in the office.
• 31 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Flexible working arrangements and the ability to accrue up to 2 days' additional leave per month (subject to operational requirements – pro rata for part-time staff).
• Defined benefit pension scheme.
• Places Leisure, Eastleigh – 30% off full membership.
• Confidential employee advice and support programme.
• Car and season ticket loans.
• Excellent working environment.
• Support for continuous professional development.

Salary:
£54,617 – £58,269 (Band 11) plus competitive market supplement available, depending on experience.

Hours:
Full-time, 37 hours per week, permanent.

Closing date:
7 November 2025.