Community Care Solicitor

Our client is a Chambers Ranked Legal 500 Corporate Law firm based in Berkshire (commutable From London). The firm are now recruiting a further solicitor to their Community Care Legal Services Department.

The Department

• Knowledge and experience of giving community care advice in a legal capacity, including social care and continuing healthcare matters. This should include: applying for and challenging local authority decisions around: care that clients receive in their homes, health and housing services and respite care;  institutional accommodation supporting clients; assistance to access social care services for those not receiving the care they need; assisting with appeals regarding NHS continuing healthcare assessments and personal health budgets; and assisting with supporting applications for suitable accommodation for people with disabilities.
• Experience of effectively challenging decisions, including internal complaints procedures, appeals and judicial review.  
• To conduct legal matters efficiently and advise and act on behalf of clients and have the skills required to be an effective solicitor specialising in all aspects of community care law and to provide proactive legal assistance to the practice group.
• To manage own caseload in a proactive, timely way.
• Effective use of social media to market the team and firm events.
• Writing articles on a regular basis for firm websites and other special educational needs and disability (SEND) blogs.

The Role

• To predominantly work with the Special Educational Needs (SEN) team to resolve issues around social care and health for their clients in light of Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCPs). The work will involve working closely with the SEN team but is not restricted only to clients with SEND issues or just to children and young adults.  
• To work with other teams to support the development of the Boyes Turner child sector (including Education, Clinical negligence, Personal Injury, Court of Protection).
• To participate in the development of  the specialism within the firm focusing on SEN and disabilities of children to include taking part in marketing, maintaining the SEN website and representing Boyes Turner at events.
• Meeting with clients – at the firm’s offices or their offices and/or home.
• Taking instructions in verbal and written form.
• Taking and dealing effectively with new enquiries.
• Drafting, negotiating and advising on documents.
• Correspondence regarding the matter.
• Advising on all aspects of provision  and entitlement to social care and  health support, both orally and in writing.
• Representing clients at meetings with the local authority, school and other agencies.
• Challenging social care and health funding/provision decisions.
• Representing clients in dispute resolution.
• To maintain knowledge of legal developments in community care law and the overlap with SEN and disability issues, give effective legal advice and take a lead in this area of law.
• Some knowledge of the connection with SEND/EHCPs and community care would be an advantage.

A competitive salary and benefits are on offer for this role.

For more information about this Community Care Solicitor role please contacts Leilani Reader at LR Legal Recruitment or to apply please do so within.

*Please note our advertisements use PQE and salary levels purely as a guide. We are happy to consider applications from all candidates who are able to demonstrate the skills necessary to fulfil the role. Please be aware that due to the volume of applications that we receive if you have not heard from us within 48 hours your application has been unsuccessful.