Lawyer (Legal Health Team)

Job summary

Location: We offer home‑based, office‑based and hybrid working options. Hybrid working includes two home‑working days each week. Our office locations are London, Newcastle, Leeds, Nottingham and Bristol.

Please note that within the Legal Team, we do not currently have any team members based in the Nottingham, Leeds or Bristol offices. Candidates choosing to work from either of these locations would therefore be the only legal representative based there.

Make a difference
Every role at CQC contributes to our mission, If you’re looking for a new role in Legal Services that gives you real purpose, then you’ve found it. As a Lawyer in the Legal Health Team, you’ll help make sure CQC’s decisions are fair, lawful, and protect people who use health and care services.

Post 1 – Permanent Full-time (37 hours per week):
This role is full-time, working Monday to Friday, 37 hours per week. Due to existing flexible arrangements within the team and business needs, the successful candidate will be required to work across all five days.

Post 2 – Part-time (22.2 hours per week):
This role is part-time, working Wednesday to Friday (three full days per week). This post forms the second half of a full-time role and operates as a job-share, with one overlapping day.

Picture this
You’re the first point of call when colleagues need clear legal guidance. You help them understand risks early and choose the right path, so decisions are safe and robust.
As a Lawyer in Legal Services, you might get the chance to work on:

• A piece of complex casework where you help shape important legal arguments that support CQC’s work to keep people safe.

• Providing advice on CQC health related projects look at for example mental health or equity and rights

Job description

The role
You’ll work closely with others to deliver shared outcomes. In this role, you’ll:

• Provide legal advice: Offer clear, practical legal support across CQC and help colleagues understand risks, responsibilities, and the legal framework they work within.

• Support legal casework and policy: Work on complex cases, contribute to policy development, and handle contentious matters with guidance from Senior Lawyers and Legal Managers.

• Support and develop colleagues: Coach and guide Trainees and Paralegals, helping them learn and supporting the wider team’s goals.

Person specification

Show us
We will be looking for the following skills, knowledge and experience in your application form:

• Experience delivering legal advice: You are a qualified solicitor, barrister or CILEX professional with either two years post‑qualification experience or strong, proven experience advising on legal matters in health or social care regulation.

• Experience managing your own legal workload: You can show that you have handled varied casework, assessed risks in fast‑moving situations, and presented complex legal information in a clear and accessible way.

• Established history of managing caseloads: You have experience advising on legal matters and managing enforcement activity as part of your legal role.

Join us and help CQC shape the future of health and care.

Benefits

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!

Please see our benefits page for the full list.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

To apply, please click the ‘Apply at advertiser’s site’ button located at the bottom of this page.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Marianne Pitteway, Senior Lawyer
• Email : Marianne.Pitteway@cqc.org.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cqc.org.uk

Further information

https://www.cqc.org.uk/

Attachments

Lawyer JD Opens in new window (docx, 37kB)