Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Legal Team within the Trust. We are seeking a legally qualified professional with experience in handling a mixed caseload of contentious healthcare-related matters. This role will provide expert legal and practical advice across all aspects of healthcare law, demonstrating high-level analytical and judgement skills.
This role is integral to ensuring that inquests, employer's liability, public liability, and clinical negligence claims, are managed effectively and in accordance with the Trust's Policies, NHS Resolution Scheme Rules, Civil Procedure Rules, Pre-Action Protocols, and Coroners Rules.
The postholder will play a key role in minimising financial, reputational, and operational risks to the organisation. Reporting to the Trust Healthcare Solicitor.
The successful candidate will demonstrate strong advocacy skills and will represent the Trust at Coroner's Court hearings across its geographical footprint.
Main duties of the job
Provide expert legal advice across healthcare law, including consent, capacity, confidentiality, and end-of-life decisions. Support clinical and operational teams by interpreting legislation and briefing senior leaders on sensitive legal matters.
Manage inquests and litigation, including clinical negligence and personal injury claims, ensuring compliance with NHS Resolution protocols and legal frameworks. Represent the Trust at Coroner's Court and prepare staff for hearings.
Advise on court applications, prepare legal documentation, and assess implications for the Trust. Monitor external legal counsel usage and contribute to policy development and governance reporting.
Deliver legal training, supervise junior staff, and support national learning initiatives. Liaise with police and security teams on investigations and legal actions to protect staff and patients.
Lead the Legal Department, overseeing performance, recruitment, wellbeing, and budget management. Collaborate with Patient Safety to identify risks and embed learning across the Trust.
About us
DBTH is one of Yorkshire's Leading acute trusts, serving a population of more than 440,000. Our services are based over three main hospital sites and several additional services employing over 7,000 colleagues.
At DBTH we have a comprehensive framework of behaviours that guide us in our daily working lives, these form the DBTH Way. We pride ourselves on our commitment to the values of We Care and now the DBTH Way builds upon these foundations, providing further clarity on what it means to embody these values in our everyday interactions.
As an organisation that supports flexible working, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applicants from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including those with disabilities, members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities.
We offer a range of benefits to support our people including:o Extensive range of learning opportunitieso NHS Pension Schemeo Generous holiday entitlement in line with Terms & Conditionso Comprehensive health and wellbeing supporto NHS Car Lease schemes and a range of salary sacrifice schemeo Discounts on restaurants, getaways, shopping and finance through external providers.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached to the advert a job description and person specification for further details. Please ensure you read this document carefully.Please note, if your application is successful you will be required to present original certificates of qualifications that are listed in the person specification under essential.
Certificate of sponsorship
Applications from individuals who require a Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applicants. For further information and to check your eligibility for this post please following the link UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK. Please note that from April 9th 2025, band 2 & 3 entry roles are no longer eligible for sponsorship.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached to the advert a job description and person specification for further details. Please ensure you read this document carefully.Please note, if your application is successful you will be required to present original certificates of qualifications that are listed in the person specification under essential.
Certificate of sponsorship
Applications from individuals who require a Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applicants. For further information and to check your eligibility for this post please following the link UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK. Please note that from April 9th 2025, band 2 & 3 entry roles are no longer eligible for sponsorship.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Strong technical expertise within the area of Healthcare law including; litigation, inquests and general healthcare advice, derived from specialist expertise in the healthcare sector
- Experience of dealing with complex clinical negligence claims.
- Maintain up to date knowledge of legal developments and case law.
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
- Analyses legal principles and facts to derive technically sound strategies for complex cases; and also to inform decision making up to Board level.
- Excellent drafting skills and experience of preparing inquest cases including supporting witnesses and drafting witness statements.
- Strong advocacy skills including the ability to question witnesses, present complete legal submissions in court and regularly attend court.
- Experience of managing own caseload and delegating work at an appropriate level to others
- Knowledge and understanding of professional standards and requirements
- Providing technical guidance and working effectively within a team and alonecitors Regulation Authority).
Personal Attributes & Skills
Essential
- Able to present and receive highly complete, highly sensitive information within a multi-professional team.
- Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Highly developed negotiation skills with the ability to be authoritative and persuasive.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Ability to provide clear and appropriate legal advice within tight deadlines.
- Ability to maintain and respect confidentiality (information governance, data protection, freedom of information).
- Commitment to continuous improvement.
- Ability to manage sensitive issues, engineer Trust and develop and maintain constructive relationships with staff at all levels within the Trust.
- Demonstrate organisational and planning skills with the ability to assess and adjust plans as required.
- Strong organisational and management skills with a methodical approach in all aspects of work and the ability to act independently.
- Ability to deal with challenging situations in a formal setting
- Produce timely, accurate written/electronic records and documents when required.
Desirable
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Qualifications & Training
Essential
- Degree in Law (or other degree with completion of relevant conversion course)
- Qualified Solicitor with a current Practising Certificate (issued by Solicitors Regulation Authority)
- Devises and provides learning and development to other professionals from a non-legal background.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Strong technical expertise within the area of Healthcare law including; litigation, inquests and general healthcare advice, derived from specialist expertise in the healthcare sector
- Experience of dealing with complex clinical negligence claims.
- Maintain up to date knowledge of legal developments and case law.
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
- Analyses legal principles and facts to derive technically sound strategies for complex cases; and also to inform decision making up to Board level.
- Excellent drafting skills and experience of preparing inquest cases including supporting witnesses and drafting witness statements.
- Strong advocacy skills including the ability to question witnesses, present complete legal submissions in court and regularly attend court.
- Experience of managing own caseload and delegating work at an appropriate level to others
- Knowledge and understanding of professional standards and requirements
- Providing technical guidance and working effectively within a team and alonecitors Regulation Authority).
Personal Attributes & Skills
Essential
- Able to present and receive highly complete, highly sensitive information within a multi-professional team.
- Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Highly developed negotiation skills with the ability to be authoritative and persuasive.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Ability to provide clear and appropriate legal advice within tight deadlines.
- Ability to maintain and respect confidentiality (information governance, data protection, freedom of information).
- Commitment to continuous improvement.
- Ability to manage sensitive issues, engineer Trust and develop and maintain constructive relationships with staff at all levels within the Trust.
- Demonstrate organisational and planning skills with the ability to assess and adjust plans as required.
- Strong organisational and management skills with a methodical approach in all aspects of work and the ability to act independently.
- Ability to deal with challenging situations in a formal setting
- Produce timely, accurate written/electronic records and documents when required.
Desirable
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Qualifications & Training
Essential
- Degree in Law (or other degree with completion of relevant conversion course)
- Qualified Solicitor with a current Practising Certificate (issued by Solicitors Regulation Authority)
- Devises and provides learning and development to other professionals from a non-legal background.
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
