Job reference: 001670
Salary: £45,091 – £51,356
Closing date: 04/12/2025
Department: Corporate and Support Services
Location: Stockport Town Hall
Division: Legal
Hours Per Week: 37
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Job Details
Education Lawyer
MB4 (£45,091 – £51,356)
37 hours, Full-Time
Permanent
Hybrid: Stockport Town Hall and homeworking

Application Deadline: 11:59pm 4 December 2025

Please be aware that we may close this vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

While we embrace the use of AI as an innovative tool to maximise our services at Stockport Council, we are looking for authenticity in applications we receive. We therefore ask you to think carefully if choosing to use AI when completing your application and ask that you ensure you read all instructions carefully and that your application is written by you and reflects your skills, knowledge and enthusiasm.

Join us at Stockport Council – MJ Local Authority of the Year 2025

Your Role

We are looking for a highly motivated Education lawyer who is a confident team player, with a problem-solving approach. You will work closely with the Education and Special Educational Needs teams, providing expert legal and strategic advice and support in all areas, including SEN related advice and Tribunal claims, general Education law advice, complaints and judicial review. You will offer clear, strategic guidance to a diverse range of stakeholders, including schools.

About You

You will have a strong working knowledge and practical application of key education legislation, with experience in handling special education needs appeals and conducting advocacy at SEND Tribunals. You will be able to support Education Welfare in respect of non-attendance at school, albeit the bulk of cases are dealt with by the client team.

You will be able to perform effectively under pressure, meeting tight deadlines while maintaining high-quality legal support with minimal supervision. You will have strong advocacy skills and the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders.

You should hold a current practising certificate, qualifying you to practice in England as a Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.

About Us

We are a friendly, supportive team that values collaboration and positivity. We pride ourselves on having a strong commitment to wellbeing and investing in our people. The team has grown in recent years which reflects our ambition and the demand for our services.

At Stockport Council we are one ambitious team on a mission to create opportunities for everyone who lives, works and spends time in the borough. Working at Stockport Council means contributing to one of the most thriving towns in the North. We’re keen to recruit people with the right values and behaviours that can help us ensure our workplace values are at the heart of everything we do.

We are proud to be recognised under the Good Employment Charter as an organisation committed to the wellbeing of our colleagues. As members of the charter, we have been recognised as a great place to work for all colleagues and pledge to pay the real living wage, engage staff in key decisions and endorse fair and flexible working conditions.

If you would like to find out more about the role please Michelle Dodds on michelle.dodds@stockport.gov.uk or 0161 4743257 for an informal discussion about the role

This post is politically restricted under the terms of the 1989 Local Government and Housing Act. This dictates that you must seek the council’s permission before taking up any additional appointments or positions.

Stockport Council holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not currently qualify.

Please note that we have made a commitment to improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers and ex-military personnel. As part of the Guaranteed Assessment Scheme you will therefore be guaranteed to be shortlisted for Assessment if you meet both the criteria for the scheme and the essential job role criteria.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application. Please also email recruitment@stockport.gov.uk .

Stockport Council is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce culture – a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities to join our workforce.

We want our employees to have a good work life balance and in many job roles we can offer a range of flexible/hybrid working arrangements. We also have inclusive employment policies and staff engagement forums to support our diverse workforce. We will listen to, learn from, and develop our workforce.