Entry Level Solicitor WCC625345

Job Details:

Salary range: £44,331 - £50,778 per annum. Salary negotiable depending upon experience 
Work location: Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London, W8 7NX
Hours per week: 36
Contract type: Permanent
Closing date: 29 November 2026 
Interview date: Week commencing 7 December 2026

About Us:

Bi Borough Legal Services | Westminster City Council & Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

At Westminster City Council, our work is full of extraordinary stories. Every day, our lawyers help shape a city known across the world, balancing vibrant night time economies, iconic events, complex developments and the needs of residents and businesses alike. This is work with real visibility, real consequence and real impact.

We are looking for a Solicitor to join our Bi Borough Planning, Licensing and Highways Team, undertaking licensing work for both Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The Role:

Build your legal career at the heart of a global city

This is an opportunity for a solicitor at the start of their career to develop specialist licensing experience across Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. From Soho to major cultural and sporting events, the two boroughs offer a varied setting in which to build your skills and contribute to decisions that matter to residents and businesses.

You will manage a varied caseload with supervision appropriate to your experience. Your work will include researching legal issues, drafting advice and decisions, and supporting experienced colleagues on more complex cases and appeals. As your knowledge and confidence grow, you will develop towards advising Licensing Sub Committees across both boroughs on a rota basis, attending hearings in person with appropriate preparation and support.

Growing talent, supporting each other
We work the Westminster Way, valuing difference, acting with integrity and taking responsibility for the impact of our work. You do not need to be an established licensing specialist. You will join an experienced team who share knowledge and support professional development, helping you build your judgement, take on greater responsibility and develop a long term career in this specialist area.

Please refer to the Job Description for more information.

About You:

You will be a qualified solicitor looking to build your experience in licensing and local government law. We welcome applications those with limited post qualification experience. Previous licensing experience is helpful, so is highways and planning, but you do not need to have independently advised committees or conducted appeals. You will bring:

•    Strong legal research and analytical skills, with an interest in applying these to licensing law and practice.
•    Clear communication skills and the ability to explain legal issues in a practical, accessible way.
•    Careful drafting and attention to detail when preparing advice, summaries and decisions.
•    The ability to organise your workload, meet deadlines and recognise when to seek guidance.
•    A willingness to learn from colleagues, respond to feedback and build confidence in supporting hearings and appeals.

Most importantly, you will bring sound judgement, professionalism and a commitment to public service.

You will gain practical experience across two distinctive boroughs, learn from experienced colleagues and see how your advice supports local decision making. It is an opportunity to build a strong foundation in licensing law, contribute from the outset and take on more complex work as your skills develop.

Westminster City Council is committed to supporting Care Leavers into the workplace. Care Leavers seeking their first job and who wish to be considered under our scheme, will automatically be invited to interview should they meet the essential criteria for the role.

What We Offer:

Westminster is an amazing place. We are home to more than 200,000 residents from all backgrounds, and over 50,000 vibrant and vital businesses and three-quarters-of-a-million people work in our borough. Westminster City Council is one in which our communities are at the heart of our decision-making and help to determine the city’s future. By working directly with our communities and other partners, we can build a more inclusive city that celebrates our diversity, and where residents, workers and visitors from all backgrounds feel welcome and safe.

At Westminster City Council, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive workplace and employer of choice. We encourage and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that, at all levels, represents the communities we serve. We champion equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, has a sense of belonging and is empowered to be their best, that is Our Westminster Way. To find out more about how we do this visit https://www.westminster.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/

As a forward thinking Council we appreciate that people work in different ways, therefore our staff benefit from working a range of flexible working patterns as well as Agile working.

The Council is a Disability Confident Employer. If you have declared a disability in your application , we guarantee an interview if you meet the essential criteria of the job. If you are invited for interview, you will be asked if you need any reasonable adjustments in order to attend, and we will make these wherever possible.

We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants.