Education Lawyer

Hackney is one of the most dynamic and progressive local authorities in the UK. We are a resilient, vibrant, and creative borough in the heart of London, with strong, diverse communities and a powerful set of shared values.

Over the past twenty years, the Council has built up first-class services, outstanding public infrastructure, and a reputation for excellence, innovation, and ambition. We are leading the way on essential work such as our fight for equity in Hackney with a particular focus on becoming an actively anti-racist borough. But the work doesn’t stop there, we are proactive in our approach to bringing fairness to all aspects of life including gender, neurodiversity and across the poverty divide.

The London Borough of Hackney is one of the most vibrant and diverse communities in London. We are dedicated to  providing high quality services that meet the needs of our residents. We are currently seeking motivated individuals to join our Legal Team and contribute to the mission of making Hackney a better place for everyone.

We are currently looking to recruit a Lawyer with a focus on Education. 

In all cases we are looking for practising lawyers (i.e. a qualified solicitor, a barrister who has completed pupillage or a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives) who are solutions focused and driven to achieve successful outcomes for our clients.

You will be responsible for a mixed caseload and must be proactive in dealing with both contentious and non-contentious matters. Excellent communication skills are essential, but you will also exemplify the tact and discretion needed to handle sometimes highly confidential and sensitive matters.

Forming part of the group with Children’s Services, the education lawyer will be expected to provide high quality and responsive legal advice in relation to any education matters within the authority, including SENDIST, school exclusions and admissions and Judicial Reviews. Advocacy skills is also a requirement for this role as you will be required to represent the local authority.

This is an exciting time to join the London Borough of Hackney, a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. If you are a person who will truly live our organisational values: being open, ambitious, pioneering, inclusive, proactive and proud – proud of Hackney, of the Council, and of the work we do – then we would love to hear from you.

If you would like to have an informal chat about any of these roles please contact Juliet Babb Assistant Director of Legal and Governance Services on 0208 356 6183       

As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation.

If you want to work in a place where you can represent our values so we achieve the best for our residents, please click on the apply button below.

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CV’s.

To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application.

As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency based questions. These questions allow you to demonstrate your suitability for the role and provide examples of your skills, knowledge and experience outlined in the job description.

We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace. However, if you are thinking of using this tool to submit your application, we ask you to think about what value it will add. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.

Closing date for applications: 20 April 2025 (22.59)

Interview date: W/c 28 April 2025

We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.

Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.

The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: hackneyworks@hackney.gov.uk