Criminal Prosecution Solicitor

Advocate for justice. Protect communities. Make a lasting impact in Gateshead.

Who we are \& what we stand for

Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives? If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match.

We’re delighted that you’re interested in working with us. You’d be joining us at a very exciting time.

We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward-thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive.

At Gateshead Council you’d be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work / life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi-time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we’re confident that it isn’t just the salary that attracts our staff.

Put your prosecution expertise to work for the community.

Our Legal team provides comprehensive advice and support across both contentious and noncontentious matters, helping to ensure lawful, robust, and highquality decisionmaking across the organisation. The team covers a broad portfolio of specialist areas, including Commercial and Regulatory Law, Litigation, and Property, Planning and Highways. The team plays a vital role in enabling effective service delivery and protecting Gateshead Council's interests. This is a dynamic, solutionsfocused team supporting colleagues at every level.

Help shape safer, stronger communities through expert legal advocacy.

Gateshead Council is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Prosecution Solicitor to join our Legal Services team. This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of local government, providing specialist legal advice and advocacy across a diverse criminal prosecution caseload, including school attendance enforcement, environmental crime and anti-social behaviour matters. Working closely with colleagues, partner agencies and the courts, you will use your legal expertise to support the Council's statutory functions, protect community wellbeing and deliver fair, effective and proportionate legal outcomes for residents.

What you'll get to do:

• Provide expert legal advice, support and advocacy across a range of local authority criminal prosecutions.
• Manage and prosecute cases relating to school non-attendance, environmental enforcement and anti-social behaviour.
• Represent the Council in Magistrates' Court proceedings and at meetings with partner organisations and external agencies.
• Prepare, progress and effectively manage a varied criminal prosecution caseload from initial instruction through to conclusion.
• Keep up to date with relevant legislation, case law, guidance and best practice within your areas of responsibility.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with internal clients, partner services and key stakeholders.
• Deliver practical, customer-focused legal advice to support Council objectives and service delivery.
• Instruct and manage external legal specialists and counsel where required.
• Work closely with the Legal Manager, providing updates and seeking guidance on complex or sensitive matters.
• Contribute to the continuous development and improvement of the Legal Services team.

• Respond positively and flexibly to undertake other duties commensurate with the grade and responsibilities of the post. What you'll bring:

• A qualification as a Solicitor or Barrister, with the professional credibility and expertise to provide trusted legal advice and representation.

• Comprehensive knowledge of criminal prosecution law, including relevant legislation, case law, procedures, guidance and policy.
• Experience of providing clear, practical and solution-focused criminal law advice to clients and stakeholders.
• Strong advocacy skills, with the confidence to provide criminal law advice and represent clients effectively and persuasively in court proceedings.
• Excellent research and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex legal issues and identify robust legal solutions.
• Outstanding drafting skills, producing accurate, concise and high-quality legal documents, reports and court papers.

• Strong communication and negotiation skills, enabling you to build positive relationships, influence outcomes and work effectively with a wide range of colleagues, clients and partner organisations. What’s in it for you

• Competitive Salary: We offer fair and transparent pay that reflects your skills and experience.

• Outstanding Pension Scheme: We don’t just offer a great salary we invest in your future too. Find out what benefits a Local Government Pension provides: https://twpf.info
• Generous Annual Leave: Enjoy 28 days of annual leave, rising to 32 days after 5 years (2 of which can be fixed by the Council), plus the option to buy up to 10 extra days.
• Flexible Working Hours: Benefit from up to 26 flexi days per year (subject to business needs), giving you more control over your time.
• Hybrid \& Flexible Working: We support a healthy work-life balance with flexible and hybrid working options.
• Learning \& Development: Access a wide range of training, development, and progression opportunities to help you grow your career.
• Health \& Wellbeing Support: From discounted gym memberships through our partner GLL to mental health resources, we care about your wellbeing.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Save money and stay active with our tax-efficient cycle to work programme.
• Electric \& Hybrid Car Scheme: Get behind the wheel of a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle through our salary sacrifice car scheme in partnership with NHS Fleet Solutions a cost-effective, environmentally friendly way to drive (after 12 months service).
• Exclusive Discounts \& Salary Sacrifice: Through our VIVUP employee benefits platform, enjoy discounts on shopping, travel, and services plus salary sacrifice options on white goods, electronics, and more, helping you spread the cost of essential purchases (after 6 months service). Everyone's welcome here

Were an equal opportunities employer and aim to have a culture and a workplace where our people feel a sense of belonging, are respected and empowered to do their best work. At Gateshead Council we're an employer who embraces, and welcomes diversity, who's truly inclusive and who demonstrates equality for all. We'll go the extra mile so that our approach is representative of the communities we serve and each other. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Ready to join us? Here's how

If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, we’d love to hear from you.

You can apply online by pressing the apply now button. Within the form, you’ll be asked for details about you, your career history, skills, experiences and qualifications.

We advise you to be as detailed and specific as possible, paying particular attention to any of the above which are relevant to the role to which you are applying.

If you have any questions about your application, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our recruitment team via [email protected]

Please note: As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. However, in high-volume recruitment situations, it may not always be practicable to interview every eligible candidate. In such cases, we may need to prioritise those who best meet the essential criteria, based on the information provided in the application.

Additionally, the Council reserves the right to close this vacancy early or adjust the shortlisting criteria, including the pass mark for interview selection, to ensure a fair and manageable recruitment process. We encourage early applications.