This is an exciting time to join the department: 2025 has seen the implementation of the Procurement Act 2023 which is a major area of change for our clients whose commissioning is subject to procurement rules, but also those that bid for public contracts. This represents both a change in law but also a shift in policy and strategy, with the introduction of the National Procurement Policy Statement, a new Social Value Model, and a number of ongoing Government consultations, including proposals which have the potential to shift the way in which social value is implemented through procurement.

In the local government sphere, the Government has started the process of major structural change and devolution for local government. Working with the local government governance team, you will have the opportunity to work on issues like this that have a major impact on people's lives and the delivery of public services - something that goes to the heart of improving lives, communities and society.

Your core role will be to advise on public procurement, commercial law and contracts for clients in the local government and social housing sectors, and on related areas of law. In relation to procurement, your role will include all aspects of procurement, from procurement strategy setting through to completion of contracts.

Responsibilities:

• advising at the early stages on approaches to project delivery and a client's powers to act;
• drafting and/or reviewing the full suite of procurement documents (often working alongside a client's in house procurement colleagues;
• representing the client in commercial dialogue and contract negotiations;
• providing legal project management overseeing the contributions of colleagues within the team and more widely;
• drafting and negotiating contractual documents, both as part of a procurement process and as stand alone instructions.

You will also have the opportunity to advise on procurement law and adjacent but related legal issues, including:

• the application of procurement rules within group structures, including vehicles created by local authorities and housing providers;
• grant funding and subsidy control;
• vires, governance and decision-making.

Requirements:

• excellent written communication skills, using plain English and identifying pragmatic legally sound solutions to clients;
• strong communication and interpersonal skills demonstrated when working with colleagues and clients;
• an ability to build rapport with client officers with varying levels of commercial and legal experience;
• effective organisational and time management skills to ensure you can work under tight deadline pressure;
• strong self-motivation and proactivity, and confidence in using your own initiative where appropriate to deliver consistently high-quality work that meets the client's needs;
• a strong team-working ethic, with an enthusiasm for working within a close-knit team internally but also working closely with client teams;
• an interest in or a passion for working to improve lives, communities and society through the work that you do.

Benefits:

• Hybrid working.
• 25 days holiday, 2 gift days at Christmas.
• The opportunity to give back and have 3 days available for social purpose volunteering.
• For Birmingham Colleagues, we have a newly refurbished office with an onsite café and free access to an on-site gym.
• All IT equipment and support for effective home working
• An excellent technical training programme and opportunities to grow sector expertise

Anthony Collins Solicitors is a specialist law firm with a clear purpose - to "improve lives, communities and society". For over 50 years we've been successfully combining market-leading legal expertise with a commitment to excellence and long-term relationships underpinned by a strong set of values. What makes Anthony Collins Solicitors distinctive, beyond simply being a sector-specialist law firm, is our people and the values we share.

Anthony Collins Solicitors is a committed Equal Opportunities employer promoting equality of opportunity. This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.