Jobs

Epping Forest District Council - Legal Services

Principal Litigation Lawyer - Epping Forest District Council

£55 per hour Umbrella

36 hours per week

Closing Date: Monday 9th February 2026

Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be supporting Epping Forest District Council to recruit a Principal Litigation Lawyer on a full-time, temporary basis.

We are looking to recruit to a vacant role in our Legal Services team. We take pride in our supportive and collaborative team culture and our focus on delivering the Council's objectives. We aim to be solution driven, providing the highest level of professional standards within a value for money framework.

The District - Epping Forest District Council takes its name from the forest which runs from its southern boundary northwards and shares boundaries with Greater London and Hertfordshire. The three main settlements of Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell and Loughton contain more than half the population of approximately 131,000 people but occupy only 5% of the district.

Working at EFDC- As a Council, we're no longer reliant on a fixed desk, in a fixed building with fixed working hours approach. Remote and new ways of working are our new normal. We have developed new ways of working and here at Epping we made this a success by quickly adapting to modern technologies and placing new levels of flexibility and trust in our employees.

The role:

Principal Litigation Lawyer

£55 per hour Umbrella

36 hours per week

This role is the Council's expert for all matters relating to criminal and civil litigation, providing technical and professional advice to officers and members and contributing to the overall direction of the Service.

The role includes:

• Conducting cases on behalf of the Council in the Magistrates and County Court
• Housing evictions for anti-social behaviour
• Homelessness appeals
• Judicial reviews
• Defended debt cases
• Licensing appeals
• Injunctions
• Planning prosecutions
• Licensing Committee Hearings

The successful candidate would need to be/have:

• A qualified Solicitor, Barrister, Legal Executive or equivalent
• An experienced advocate in the Magistrates and County Court
• Experience of advising on whether there is sufficient evidence to issue proceedings or defend a case.
• Experience of drafting summons and appropriate claim forms together with associated documents necessary for criminal and civil cases
• Experience in managing criminal and civil litigations cases through to completion (bringing in other legal expertise as appropriate)
• A willingness to be included on the Licensing hearing rota and advise at hearings, (experience would be an advantage or a willingness to undertake licensing training).

For a copy of the job description, please contact Ashleigh.Drake@essex.gov.uk

Epping Forest District Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Company: Essex County Council

Salary: Up to £55.0000 per hour

Location: England, Essex, Essex

Sector: Corporate Services

Sector: Legal