“I really enjoy working with the people at the County Council. Everyone is extremely friendly, there is great management in place, and you always feel really supported working here."
Samantha Woolley works as a Solicitor in Warwickshire Legal Services and joined Warwickshire County Council (WCC) in 2017 after gaining experience in private practice and qualifying as a legal professional in 2016. Samantha has become an important part of Legal Services’ Commercial and Contracts Team, who advise internal and external clients of the County Council about a wide range of corporate and commercial matters.
Speaking about her role, Samantha said: “the work in the Contracts & Commercial Team is hugely varied. One day you could be advising on a £20 million construction contract for a new secondary school or leisure centre, the next day drafting a data sharing agreement for a mental health app, or the day after advising on the procurement of a new broadband network. We also work with multiple external clients including several police forces, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, as well as charities and District and Borough Councils.”
At WCC, employees are continuously supported and encouraged to take on new challenges during their career, and being responsible for the diverse needs of the county means there are a variety of opportunities for everyone.
Samantha explains: “I have been fortunate enough to get involved in some great projects at WCC that have developed my legal skillset. This has included working on contracts for major sporting events such as The Tour of Britain and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, to advising on large procurements such for as a new waste collection, grounds maintenance and street cleaning service for a District Council, which is an important service for residents. Getting involved in projects that impact your local area are really rewarding as you get to witness your work come to life after months or years of working on a particular project.
“I am currently undertaking a secondment in the Governance Team, which has also given me another fantastic opportunity to experience a different area of law and broaden my legal knowledge even further. I really enjoy working with the people at the County Council as everyone is extremely friendly, there is great management in place, and you always feel really supported working here.”
For many solicitors working in the private sector, they may not have considered working for local government before. Samantha adds: “The advice and standard of service that we provide at Warwickshire Legal Services is the same as private practice. We still have to meet client deadlines and provide high quality legal advice. We bill for our work much like private practice, both for in-house and external work, but there is always a good level of work/life balance. You are also able to build strong relationships with clients, as you are often working for them on more than one project and at regular intervals.”
Warwickshire Legal Services is one of many areas across the Council that is passionate about improving the county and making a meaningful difference to real people. Samantha adds: “one of my recent highlights was being involved in advising for contracts that supported social care services. It always feels good to be involved in work that is going to have a direct and positive impact on people’s lives.”
This is the difference you can make, working for Warwickshire County Council.
There are a variety of job opportunities available at Warwickshire. If you're someone who is prepared to get stuck in, who wants to do the best job possible, who approaches everything with passion and purpose, then we want you to work for us! Find out more about joining us at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/jobs
To find out more about Warwickshire Legal Services, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wls