Professional Support Lawyer

Description About the role Ashfords' Public Sector department is seeking to recruit a Professional Support Lawyer to join our busy and highly regarded Public Sector team based in our Exeter office, however, with the option to work the majority of the time from home. Nationally well regarded and ranked Tier 2 in Legal 500 for Local Government work across the South West and London, you will be joining a firm which acts for local authorities, quasi–governmental bodies and non–departmental public bodies, with a particularly strong reputation with many of the London Boroughs. True specialists in their field, the team advise on nationally important and complex public sector projects across the UK. In this non–fee earning role, you will be working as part of the firm's wider Knowledge Management team, with a focus on driving forward the firm's Public Sector practice in terms of knowledge capture, sharing and best practice. A key part of this role will be a focus on increasing the firm's Public Sector presence in terms of media content and thought leadership activity. Whilst primarily based in the Public Sector team, with specialists across many departments within the firm, you will have the opportunity to work with a number of different lawyers across various teams. About You A qualified and experienced lawyer from either a Law Firm or Local Authority background, you will have the ability to understand and relate to internal and external clients' needs, and demonstrate a commitment to delivering excellent client care. With good project management skills, you have shown your ability to cope with pressures arising from handling multiple tasks and conflicting deadlines. Highly organised and with an eye for detail, you will be able to develop and implement effective systems to organise your work and meet users' needs, whilst having a flexible and adaptable attitude to your work. With experience of the public sector a benefit, though not essential, you will be known for being a positive, proactive and motivated team player, keen to contribute and work collaboratively across all levels of the firm. With strong written and verbal communication and influencing skills, you are experienced in forging effective working relationships with, colleagues and clients, and quickly gain an understanding of their needs and perspectives. As a PSL, you will be a vital resource for the Public Sector group, and enjoy a varied and interesting workload which will fully utilise the skills and knowledge you have gained to date. Whilst primarily the role will be home based, on occasions you will be expected to attend in–person meetings/events in our Exeter / Bristol/ London office. About Us We are proud of being a professional and collegiate firm where we want our people to enjoy working together to achieve great results. Working for Ashfords, you can expect to be provided with excellent training and development opportunities, in order to further your career in a stimulating yet supportive, forward thinking firm. We're ambitious – for ourselves, and for our people – and want to support you to realise your full potential, whilst enjoying a positive work–life balance in a beautiful South West location. You'll also enjoy our range of flexible benefits, which include: Pension (5% ER, 3% EE) Life Assurance Private Health Insurance Private Medical Insurance Discretionary bonus scheme 25 days annual leave, all bank holidays plus your birthday off and an extra day at Christmas. Your holiday entitlement increases with length of service. Holiday Purchase Scheme Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Pay Free Legal Services to Staff: Including wills and conveyancing Medicash: Health care cash plan for employees Free Gym at our Exeter Office Free Parking Interested in this vacancy but not sure you match all the requirements? At Ashfords, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We offer training and development opportunities to all of our people to help everyone reach their full potential. Even if your skills and experience aren't a perfect match, we'd still love to hear from you. If you're not the right candidate for this role, you could be the right candidate for other positions at Ashfords. Find out more For an informal and confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Toby Tompkins, Talent Acquisition Assistant, on email: . Or apply now, and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible. Please apply via email: