Litigation and Advisory Lawyer (maternity cover)
Job summary
Performing a key role in the Litigation and Advisory Team within our Legal Directorate, the Principal Lawyer will be responsible for a mix of legal advisory work, legal stakeholder engagement, enforcement work and legal input to compliance work. Your main subject area of focus will be AI but a proportion of your work will also arise in other areas including employment, education, freedom of expression etc. You will need excellent knowledge of the Equality Act and the Human Rights Act, together with strong stakeholder engagement skills and understanding of the Commission’s legal levers.
Based in either the London, Manchester or Cardiff office, this post will be line managed by a Senior Principal – Legal, based in the Manchester office.
The Commission’s strategic plan identifies 3 areas of work, in this role you will be the legal lead for AI, working collaboratively with the other lawyers and teams in the Commission to explore and develop legal work whilst also delivering planned work and ensuring that it achieves its optimum strategic value and impact.
You will share our values of fairness, dignity and respect and will work with us to build upon our achievements, ensuring our vision becomes a reality.
You may be responsible for supervising the work of others and this role will require travel and engagement with colleagues in the Commission’s other offices including Glasgow, London, Cardiff and Manchester.
Job description
You will:
- provide specialist technical expertise and advice on equality and human rights law
- work as part of a team who conduct cutting-edge litigation and interventions across a range of appellate courts often on untested and grey areas of equality and human rights law
- provide legal advice and support to other teams on complex issues across the Commission including those working on s16 Equality Act 2006 inquiries, policy initiatives, UN treaty monitoring and parliamentary work, guidance and website materials
- lead and/ or input into responses to consultations and select committees
- provide advice on and input into new and emerging human rights and equality issues, for example in the area of artificial intelligence
Person specification
Full details, including the criteria you will be assessed on, can be found in the Candidate Pack at the bottom of this advert.Benefits
Alongside your salary of £57,723, Equality and Human Rights Commission contributes £16,722 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.In return you can expect to receive a competitive salary, 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays (full time FTE) and access to the Civil Service Pension Scheme and partnership pension schemes.
We will provide investment in your career, giving you access to Civil Service Learning, our peer learning programme, specialist training and mentoring.
We offer a range of family friendly benefits, such as enhanced parental leave, flexible working including non-contractual hybrid working.
You will also have access to our wellbeing offering, including our employee assistance programme, mental health supporters, health checks, discount gym membership and retail discounts, cycle to work scheme and other salary sacrifice options. In addition, we have a range of staff networks and social groups.
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 complete both parts of the application form and submit to recruitment@equalityhumanrights.com. These are available to download at the bottom of this advert.Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).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
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 : Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@equalityhumanrights.com
- Telephone : 0161 829 8100
Recruitment team
Further information
Appointment to the Equality and Human Rights Commission is overseen by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, please email the Commission’s People Helpdesk in the first instance.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.
Attachments
Principal - Litigation and Advisory Lawyer_Candidate Pack Opens in new window (docx, 75kB)577_Part 1 - Personal details Opens in new window (docx, 121kB)577_Part 2 - Application form Opens in new window (docx, 44kB)Share this page
Salary range
- £57,723 per year