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Porter Dodson · 1 month ago

Family Childcare Senior Associate

Exeter

Full-time

Hybrid

Mid, Senior Level

Porter Dodson is an award-winning Top 200 UK Law Firm, providing commercial and private legal services to individuals and businesses across Somerset, Devon and Dorset. They are seeking an experienced solicitor to join their Family Childcare team, where the successful candidate will provide expert legal advice on family childcare law matters and manage a caseload of childcare issues.

Legal

Responsibilities

Manage a caseload of childcare matters, including care proceedings, pre-proceedings (PLO), adoption and private law applications

Attend and represent clients in court and tribunals, conducting advocacy where required

Provide specialist and strategic legal advice to clients, such as local authorities on child protection matters, policy and procedures

Handle all aspects of care proceedings, from initial applications to final court judgements

Advise and represent clients on issues of contact with children in care and on adoption proceedings

Advise on the processes and issues surrounding children becoming or ceasing to be looked after

Advise on all aspects of private law proceedings to include arrangements as to where children should live, spending time with arrangements and special guardianship applications

Build and maintain strong client relationships

Qualification as a practicing solicitor, or fellow of CILEX (with advocacy certificate)

Qualification

Family childcare lawChild arrangements ordersAdvocacyLegal adviceTeam player

Required

Qualification as a practicing solicitor, or fellow of CILEX (with advocacy certificate)

Proven expertise in handling child arrangements orders, contact disputes, parental responsibility, adoption, emergency orders, childcare proceedings and social services, relocation and child abduction

Significant experience practicing family law in complex childcare matters

Exceptional interpersonal skills

Pro-active and enthusiastic attitude

Ability to manage a caseload of childcare matters, including care proceedings, pre-proceedings (PLO), adoption and private law applications

Experience attending and representing clients in court and tribunals, conducting advocacy where required

Ability to provide specialist and strategic legal advice to clients, such as local authorities on child protection matters, policy and procedures

Experience handling all aspects of care proceedings, from initial applications to final court judgements

Ability to advise and represent clients on issues of contact with children in care and on adoption proceedings

Ability to advise on the processes and issues surrounding children becoming or ceasing to be looked after

Ability to advise on all aspects of private law proceedings to include arrangements as to where children should live, spending time with arrangements and special guardianship applications

Ability to build and maintain strong client relationships