Deputy Head of Legal Services

Overview

The Legal Services Department at Gloucestershire Constabulary is seeking an exceptional senior lawyer to join our in‑house team as Deputy Head of Legal Services. We provide expert legal support to the Chief Constable and to the officers, staff and volunteers who serve our communities every day. Our work is varied, meaningful and directly connected to public protection and operational policing.

This is a rare opportunity for an experienced legal professional who wants to use their expertise in a leadership role with real purpose, influence and impact.

• As Deputy Head of Legal Services, you will play a pivotal role in leading the delivery of high‑quality legal services across the organisation. You will undertake complex and sensitive advocacy, including high‑profile and urgent court applications designed to safeguard the public and protect vulnerable individuals.
• Provide authoritative advice across a wide range of legal disciplines.
• Act as a trusted senior adviser to senior officers and staff, supporting operational decision‑making and strategic policing activity.
• Lead, manage and develop a team of lawyers and paralegals, ensuring high professional standards, effective performance management and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Contribute to departmental planning, risk management and service development, helping to shape the legal frameworks that underpin frontline policing.

This is a leadership role in a fast‑paced, high‑impact environment. No two days are the same. You will be working at the heart of operational policing, where your advice can have immediate and significant real‑world implications. We are looking for someone who is:

• An experienced senior lawyer with strong professional judgement
• A confident advocate capable of handling complex, sensitive and urgent cases
• A collaborative and supportive leader, able to inspire and guide a multidisciplinary team
• Highly‑organised and able to manage competing demands under pressure
• Resilient, adaptable and committed to delivering excellent service

You should have substantial post‑qualification experience (typically 5+ years) in at least one of the following areas:

• Civil litigation
• Human rights law
• Police operational law
• Judicial review
• Employment law
• Police misconduct

Previous advocacy experience is essential, and experience in supervising or leading legal professionals is highly desirable. Experience with in the public sector—particularly policing—is an advantage.

We are looking for UK‑qualified lawyer with rights of audience in the Magistrates’ Court. When completing your application, please refer to the role profile for full details of the essential qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills required. Please also ensure you will be in a position to provide proof, when requested, of one of the following, depending on your professional route:

• SRA number and date of admission to the Roll
• Bar membership number and Year of Call
• CILEx membership number and date of Fellowship

At Gloucestershire Constabulary we recognise the benefits of increasing diversity across our force and the value of building a representative workforce. That is why it is important that people from ethnically diverse backgrounds and under‑represented groups, including those with a disability, apply and help us deliver excellence in policing throughout Gloucestershire. We are a proud Disability Confident Employer and are committed to providing equal opportunities.

You may wish to register with our Talent Bank- the link can be found here: https://glouce