Overview

Lawyer (Civil Litigation)

Grade B - £39,784 (National) or £45,456 (London – for London office-based or home-based workers within the boundary of the M25). There is also a recruitment & retention allowance of £3,000 per annum.

Location: Office-based at London or Leeds Office (Lawyers in the Civil Litigation Team are office-based to support learning and development. Reasonable adjustments will be considered). We can also offer hybrid working (working 2 days a week from home).

Make a difference

Every role at CQC contributes to our mission. If you’re looking for a new role in Legal Services that gives a true sense of meaning and purpose, then you’ve found it! As a Lawyer, you’ll help ensure our decisions are legally sound and support our work to improve health and social care across England.

Picture this

Imagine being part of a team that helps shape how health and care services are held to account, offering legal advice that directly influences national policy and enforcement decisions.

At CQC, as a Lawyer in the civil litigation team within the Legal Services Directorate, you might get the chance to:

• Lead on complex legal casework that supports regulatory enforcement and protects public safety.
• Support Senior Lawyers on complex Judicial Review claims.
• Deliver training and legal awareness sessions that empower teams across CQC to make informed, lawful decisions.

The role

You’ll be key in helping us deliver our work. In this role, you’ll:

• Provide expert legal advice: Support teams across CQC with clear, solutions-focused guidance that helps manage legal risks.
• Support and develop others: Coach and supervise Trainees, and Paralegals to build capability within the team.
• Collaborate and influence: Build strong relationships across CQC to embed legal thinking into everyday decision-making.

Show us

We’ll be looking for the following skills, knowledge and experience in your application form:

• Legal qualification and experience: You’ll be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, with either 2 years’ post-qualification experience or substantial relevant experience in health and social care regulation.
• Casework and enforcement expertise: Experience managing legal caseloads, advising on enforcement activity, and presenting complex legal information in a clear, accessible way. Experience of First-tier Tribunal appeals, Judicial Review claims, and other relevant litigation experience will be beneficial.
• Collaborative working: Proven ability to build relationships, support colleagues, and contribute to shared goals in a fast-paced environment.

The team

As part of the Legal Services Directorate, you will work with colleagues across the whole directorate. The team has a varied remit and predominantly deals with appeals to the First-tier Tribunal (varying between 60 – 100 live appeals at any one time), Upper Tribunal appeals, private law claims, litigated public law challenges and employment.

The Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including:

• Annual leave starting at 27 days per year, rising to 32.5 days with service, plus bank holidays (usually 8 days per year).
• Training and development opportunities.
• Wellbeing initiatives, such as gym discounts and meditation.
• NHS pension scheme, with around 14% employer contribution.
• Discount schemes (including eligibility for a Blue Light card, at a cost of £4.99 and valid for 2 years), reward vouchers, car leasing and more!

Closing date: Sunday 5 October 2025 at 11.59pm

Next steps

For further information and to apply for this Lawyer role, please click the apply button.