Senior Civil Lawyer

The Insolvency Service is a leading government agency which plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the public and to business. The work we do is important to the proper functioning of markets, the economy in general and support for thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty.

Inclusive and diverse teams are important to us. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups underrepresented in our workforce. The Insolvency Service strives to ensure that the agency is a safe, inclusive, and welcoming place for everybody to bring their true self to work and to help the agency to achieve its diversity objectives. We have 9 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability network group, Employee Assistance, Representatives, FACES Network Group, LGBT+, Mind Matters, Part Time Workers, The Shed - Mens Network Group and Womens Network Group.

We offer full-time, part-time, job share and flexible ways of working. We value capability, technical skills and experience and we place great emphasis on lifetime development to support our people. We encourage our employees to become more involved in areas they feel strongly about, whether it be for the benefit of the agency, through our Engagement network or in their own local communities via volunteering opportunities.

The Insolvency Service is a great place to work, learn and grow your career!

The Insolvency Service is a leading Government agency which plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the public and to business. The work we do is important to the proper functioning of financial markets, the economy in general, and to support thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty.

Insolvency Enforcement Group Legal Services

Legal Services, which sits within the Agency's Enforcement Group, delivers a range of enforcement activities, both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes, and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community.

This is a high-impact senior legal role supporting the Agency's civil enforcement capability. As a Senior Civil Lawyer, you will play a key role in delivering the Agencys strategic investigation and enforcement objectives, ensuring the effective conduct of complex litigation and maximising the deterrent effect of our civil enforcement powers. You will work at the forefront of public interest litigation, helping to uphold confidence in company and insolvency regimes while protecting the public and wider business community from misconduct.

We are recruiting a Grade 6 Senior Civil Lawyer to join our in-house civil enforcement litigation function.

The Civil Team undertakes litigation relating to director disqualification proceedings and petitions to wind up live companies in the public interest. The team also provides advice to our Investigation Services team on statutory investigations and investigations conducted under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.

As a Senior Civil Lawyer, you will manage a complex and often high-profile caseload, working alongside investigators, examination teams and external legal providers. You will be a senior leader within the Agency, contributing to the wider strategic direction of Legal Services, and may be required to provide line management to Grade 7 Civil Lawyers.

The role combines legal expertise, leadership, operational delivery and professional influence. You will be expected to exercise sound judgement on complex legal matters, provide authoritative advice and support the development of effective enforcement strategies across the Agency.

Responsibilities

• manage a portfolio of complex and substantial civil litigation matters from investigation through to enforcement proceedings
• provide clear, accurate and timely advice on the conduct of investigations and enforcement action
• conduct litigation fairly, efficiently and effectively, instructing Counsel or external solicitors where appropriate
• build and maintain strong working relationships with investigators, examiners and other stakeholders to develop and pursue effective case strategies
• undertake advocacy where required
• provide advice on statutory investigations, director disqualification matters and wider enforcement issues
• contribute to the development of insolvency legislation and enforcement strategies where required
• act as a senior member of Legal Services by role-modelling high professional standards and supporting colleagues across the Directorate
• contribute positively to the Government Legal Profession and wider Agency objectives
• support the leadership, development and management of Grade 7 Civil Lawyers and their teams
• attend senior leadership events, meetings and other regional locations when required

We are looking for a highly motivated lawyer with substantial post-qualification experience (PQE) in Civil Litigation or regulatory enforcement work, with strong interpersonal skills who can operate effectively in a complex and fast-paced enforcement environment.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• strong legal technical skills and legal judgement, and an ability to assess and manage legal risk
• excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• the ability to manage complex litigation and competing priorities with minimal supervision
• strong communication and influencing skills
• the ability to build productive relationships across the Agency and with a wide range of stakeholders
• leadership capability and a commitment to developing others
• a proactive, collaborative and professional approach to delivering outcomes

Professional Qualifications:

Applicants must be qualified to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales. You must have completed a training contract/pupillage/qualifying employment or have been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx. Barristers and Solicitors qualified in a jurisdiction outside of England and Wales will be subject to the rules of the professional bodies and must have completed the Bar Transfer Test or Qualified Lawyer Transfer Scheme.

Chartered Legal Executives are eligible to apply where (i) a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) is held; or (ii) the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE has been completed; or (iii) where exams have been passed and a score of 50% or above achieved, at CILEx Level 6*, in all the following foundation subjects:

1. Contract Law
2. Criminal Law
3. Equity and Trusts Law
4. European Union Law
5. Land Law
6. Public Law
7. Law of Tort

* Note: There are specific requirements relating to academic achievement in the CILEx Level 6 exams where these are being used to demonstrate 2.1-degree equivalence as set out below.

Academic qualifications:

Applicants should have a minimum of a 2:1 degree in their first degree (in any subject). Where an applicant holds an overseas degree qualification this should be equivalent to a 2.1 degree.

However, the Insolvency Service will consider applicants who do not have a 2.1 degree (or above) (e.g. where a lower degree classification is held, or, where applicants have (under the rules of the professional bodies) qualified as a Solicitor/Barrister/ Chartered Legal Executives without a degree) but only where satisfactory evidence of equivalent high level academic and/or professional achievement can be provided (e.g. via relevant experience and results achieved for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE, Legal Practice Course (LPC), Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC)).

Chartered Legal Executives should note that the department will be willing to accept an, overall, average score of 65% or above across exams passed in the seven foundation subjects in law (where studied at CILEx Level 6) as demonstrating 2.1-degree equivalence (where a 2.1 degree is not held).

Essential Criteria

• substantial post-qualification experience (PQE) in civil litigation or regulatory enforcement work
• detailed understanding and knowledge of the Civil Procedure Rules, particularly Part 8
• reliable legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk
• strong legal research and analytical skills
• good understanding of public law
• professionally qualified as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales and eligible to practise in accordance with the requirements of the relevant professional body

Desirable Criteria

• knowledge and experience of regulatory enforcement work, particularly director disqualification and public interest winding-up proceedings
• experience of insolvency law and ...