What’s involved with this role: Interim Specialist Regeneration - Major Projects Lawyer Reference no: Merton 5260388 Pay Rate: up to £40.16 per hour PAYE DOE35 Monday – Friday, normal working hoursThis opening assignment is for 3-4 monthsCity: MORDEN, LONDONExperience and background in commercial property would be ideal although would also welcome applications from planning and procurement specialists.Key accountabilities: *Provide customer focused, high quality and responsive specialist legal advice in relation to Kingston’s regeneration and major property projects, including compulsory purchase orders.

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Represent Kingston’s General Counsel at their internal governance boards and to advise those boards on all legal and governance aspects of the schemes under discussion.

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Act as deputy Monitoring Officer for Kingston and to deputise for General Counsel in her absence

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Be responsible for reviewing and signing off on Committee reports and to attend as lead legal adviser at meetings of Kingston’s committees or Full Council

*Procure external legal advisers as agreed by Kingston and to act as intelligent client in relation to any such advisers, overseeing their advice and ensuring that it protects the interests of Kingston

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To ensure that the legal advice and legal services provided to Kingston are cost effective and of the highest quality and solutions orientated

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Support service transformation and change to meet Kingston’s needs

*Carry an extensive case load of complex and sensitive matters and to manage highly complex or organisationally high profile cases, including but not limited to; drafting legal letters, legal agreements, deeds, notices, orders, consents by-laws as well as negotiating agreements, settlements and such matters, managing competing demands and meeting deadlines .

*Where relevant, to prepare and process all matters relevant to any proceedings before a court, arbitration, mediation or public inquiry and to attend such as Kingston’s advocate or, if appropriate, select and instruct appropriate external legal representation.

*Provide advice and support to legal and non-legal junior staff 

Key requirements: *Qualified legal executive, solicitor or barrister or chartered legal executive with a background in local government and a minimum of 5 years PQE.

*Excellent knowledge of relevant legislation to the service area and the decision making processes and procedures

*Specific and demonstrable expertise in property, regeneration and planning law with the technical skill and knowledge to lead on it for the organisation.

*Experience of leading teams and the ability to manage, inspire and motivate staff

*A solid track record of providing proactive, expert, timely and authoritative legal advice and support to senior leaders and key decision-makers at the highest levels

*Good communication skills, both orally and in writing and good numeracy and analytical skills

*Ability to negotiate and draft complex legal agreements and deliver expert legal advice orally and in writing with a proven ability to provide practical, professional and straight forward solutions in delivering major strategic regeneration projects. 

*Ability to work under pressure and respond efficiently to the changing needs of the clients

Please quote the Job Title & Vacancy Reference No. in your application, or we will be unable to match your CV to the role being applied for.***Qualification details and any other experience/skills relevant to the role to help support your application (and help us to help you!) – please give full details within your CV document.Unless the DBS requirement stated above is for a Basic Disclosure, your DBS must be either through us or be accompanied by a subscription to the DBS updating service.Clients are generally looking for candidates who are local to, orwho can commute easily to the place of work.  It will help your application if your CV states,  in broad terms,  where you reside – there is no need for a full address.If you are successful in securing this role, please note that for the entire duration of this contract, regardless of extension, you will be working at the PAYE rate that has been advertised. For absolute clarity, we only work on a PAYE basis, rather than umbrella pay terms. We do not offer Ltd/umbrella or outside IR35 rates. If you wish to understand PAYE vs Umbrella more, please let us know and we can send you some additional information for clarity.Due to the number of CVs being sent to us under current market conditions, unfortunately we cannot respond to all applications. If you have not heard from us within 3 working days please assume that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion. We will, however, be very happy to receive future applications from you for other roles.Please note that clients invariably ask us to strip out contact details from CVs before we submit them for consideration. This is always quicker and easier to do if you send your CV to us in Word format, rather than as a PDF please