Legal Assistant (Corporate Governance) - in-house - Trafford Council

Application deadline 2 March 2025

Location Trafford Town Hall, Talbot Road, Manchester, M32 0TH

Salary range £27,711 - £35,325 (Band 4/5/6) dependent upon experience

Trafford Council is a Living Wage Employer.

Working hours 36.25 hours per week, Monday - Friday

We will offer flexibility where we can if you are interested in a role, please speak to the recruiting manager about what flexibility they might consider.

Many of our colleagues can work from home for one or more days a week and/or they flex the hours they work. We call this SMART working, and it gives you the option to flex your days and hours so you can fit your work around your life and life around your work.

About the Role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Legal Assistant to join the Council’s Corporate Governance Legal Team. The Corporate Governance Team cover wide and vast areas of law, providing the postholder an opportunity to learn and develop new skills and expertise.

Some of the areas covered by the team include:

• Local Government Law
• Data Protection
• Contracts and Public Procurement Law and application 
• Contract management and commercial disputes
• Criminal and Civil Litigation
• Licensing Law and public protection
• Employment Law
• Regulatory enforcement, including prosecutions in relation to Environmental Health, Health and Safety at Work, Licensing, Planning and Trading Standards
• Anti-social behaviour and community safety
• Debt recovery
• Inquests

As a Legal Assistant you will be involved in providing support to lawyers to enable them to provide comprehensive, cost effective, responsive and quality legal work as part of the Council’s in-house legal team.

You will also lead on your own case load of non-complex matters. This may include drafting court and other documents, liaising with professionals, advising clients and members, undertaking research and undertaking your own advocacy, for which training will be provided.

You will join a strong team that deals with issues in a pragmatic manner, within a supportive environment.

About you

Your style and approach will reflect our values and behaviours. You will be committed to continually learning and improving the way you do things to ensure effective outcomes; valuing and respecting others’ contribution, you will work together to deliver service; you will take ownership of your actions and strive to getting things right first time and learn from when things do go wrong; you will enjoy taking personal responsibility to resolve issues and change what you do and how you do it to make a difference.

You will work closely with client departments across the whole of the Council. You will be involved in working with clients, elected members and various committees as well as the Legal and Governance team more widely and you will therefore have good customer care and interpersonal skills, good communication and problem solving skills. You will work well as part of a team and be flexible, enthusiastic and committed.

Qualifications and Professional Development

• Minimum of four GCSE grades C or above, including English Language/Literature, or qualifications at an equivalent level
• Relevant legal qualifications will also be taken in account in determining level of knowledge and expertise

For a full role description, please click Apply and download the role profile in the advert.

About us

Trafford Council and its partners in the public, private and third sectors have a Vision which sees us working together to close inequality gaps and maximise Trafford’s huge potential.

Our vision: Trafford where all our residents, businesses and communities thrive.

Trafford is a lively, prosperous place to put down roots and build a career. The council and Trafford schools employ around 8,000 people, who are central to making the area great. In return for their commitment, the council offers its employees development opportunities, as well as a fair and flexible workplace. The council is a Living Wage Employer.

Additional Information

Flexibility will be required to work outside core hours as the post holder will provide advice and guidance to elected members and will attend a range of committees and boards on a rota basis. This will require some attendances in the evenings.

You will have flexibility in terms of hybrid working at home and in the office.

About the benefits

You will be welcomed into a friendly environment where your personal and professional development will be encouraged. You will have the opportunity to work and grow in a people-centered and values-based organisation that promotes a positive permission culture. Your opinions matter so you will have the opportunity to shape how we do things here at Trafford.