About this role
Job summary
The Associate Director of Legal Services leads the strategic delivery of a high-quality, proactive legal service across the Trust focussing on claims, inquests and Court of Protection. Acting as the senior adviser on legal risk, governance and compliance within this scope, the role provides expert guidance on complex matters, oversees litigation and inquests, and ensures statutory obligations are met.
Working in partnership with clinical and corporate leaders, the post holder supports effective decision-making, strengthens governance, and drives continuous improvement within Legal Services. The role also leads the development of capacity, systems and processes to ensure a resilient and efficient legal function aligned to organisational and system-wide priorities with the aim of reaching a sustainable position within 12 months.
Main duties of the job
The Associate Director of Legal Services leads the delivery of expert legal advice to support safe, high-quality care and ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements in relation to claims, inquests and Court of Protection.
Key responsibilities include building strong relationships with senior leaders and external partners, influencing decision-making, and representing the Trust in high-profile or sensitive situations. The post holder ensures robust systems, governance frameworks and reporting arrangements are in place.
The role also has accountability for financial management, external legal spend, and workforce development, ensuring a resilient, high-performing legal function in relation to claims, inquests and Court of Protection.
About us
We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.
From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.
We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.
We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.
We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.
Job description Job responsibilities
Provide expert legal advice on complex, high-risk clinical and corporate matters, supporting safe and lawful patient care.
Lead the management of litigation, inquests and legal risk, ensuring effective outcomes and organisational learning.
Advise senior leaders and the Board on legal, financial and reputational risks, supporting informed decision-making.
Maintain strong governance, reporting and case management systems to ensure compliance and oversight.
Lead strategic planning and development of Legal Services, ensuring capacity, resilience and continuous improvement.
Oversee policy development and implementation to ensure compliance with legislation and regulatory requirements.
Manage the legal services budget and external providers, ensuring value for money and effective resource use.
Lead and develop the Legal Services team, building internal capability and strengthening organisational expertise.
Provide assurance on legal compliance, risk and governance, acting as the Trusts principal legal adviser.
This job advert may close early if a high volume of applications have been received. If interested, please apply for this post as soon as possible.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Degree or professional qualification, with additional postgraduate study and/or extensive senior professional experience equivalent to Masters level, supported by ongoing advanced CPD in law, governance, regulation, risk or assurance. Extensive senior-level experience in governance, risk, assurance, regulatory compliance or legal oversight within the NHS or a comparable public sector organisation.
Knowledge Essential
Advanced knowledge of legal frameworks, statutory duties, governance and regulatory requirements relevant to the NHS or public sector In-depth understanding of how legal risk, quality governance, regulatory compliance and assurance frameworks operate within a complex organisation Strong understanding of the management of litigation, inquests, claims and regulatory processes, including when to commission and rely on external legal advice Knowledge of health and social care legislation, public law, regulatory regimes and Board assurance requirements
Personal Attributes Essential
Credibility and professional authority Strong ethical judgement and integrity Resilience in high-pressure and contentious situations Collaborative and solution focused approach
Experience Essential
Extensive knowledge of NHS law, governance and regulatory frameworks Significant experience managing complex litigation and inquests Experience advising Boards/Executives on high-risk legal issues Experience commissioning and managing external legal services Experience of policy development with organisation-wide impact Highly developed analytical and judgement skills in complex legal matters Ability to communicate highly complex and sensitive legal information Strategic leadership and influencing skills at senior level Financial and resource management capability
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Address Durham and Darlington
West Park Hospital, Edward Pease Way
Darlington
DL2 2TS
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)