“After working in both private practice and for other local authorities, I’ve found that Warwickshire Legal Services gives me the best of both worlds”.
Neil Rawlings is a Solicitor in the Property team at Warwickshire Legal Services (WLS) and joined Warwickshire County Council in January 2023. His role follows an already successful legal career as a specialist in commercial property, spending eleven years at large corporate law firms in Birmingham, and a further decade in-house at a borough council, with a shared service arrangement with a neighbouring district council.
Neil said: “After working in both private practice and for other local authorities, I’ve found that WLS gives me the best of both worlds. I get to work on a wide variety of legal property matters, from dealing with acquisitions and disposals, advising on landlord and tenant issues, to third party agreements and property development.
“I also enjoy working for a range of different clients, from Warwickshire County Council to external clients including Police and Crime Commissioners, Academy schools and the council’s development company. I have really enjoyed getting to grips with the different responsibilities and pressures of working within local authority, and ultimately helping to deliver services for local businesses and residents.”
Neil’s role at WLS has provided him with great learning and professional development opportunities. This has included leasing multiple sites across the council’s estate to a third-party contractor for recycling and reuse services; acquiring a brownfield site for a new housing development; negotiating complex overage arrangements on a potential development site sale; and advising the council’s ecology team on a new Conservation Covenant deed to support habitat improvements.
Warwickshire Legal Services places a huge focus on staff development and support, creating a motivating team environment to succeed and achieve in. Neil values being part of this environment where colleagues bring a wide range of expertise and experience.
Reflecting on working with the people at WLS, Neil explains “I have found everyone in the department very friendly and approachable, and at all levels of seniority which is very refreshing. I am always able to seek advice or help from colleagues when I need it, and I have the opportunity to work on larger transactions and projects with legal colleagues in different specialisms. The level and quality of administrative support that lawyers receive here is great too, and I am always amazed at how quick and efficient the support team are”.
WLS employees are continuously given the opportunity to explore and further their career, and being responsible for the diverse needs of the county means there are a variety of opportunities for everyone. Neil explains: “My team leader is very supportive and encouraging of my development and exploring options for career progression. For example, I had little experience of agricultural law when I started at WLS, but I have been supported to develop my experience and expertise in this area. There are extensive training resources available too, from an excellent range of online legal material and training resources to the council’s own inhouse training and development courses”.
As a Solicitor, Neil is also able to get involved with mentoring trainee solicitors during their time at WLS, and finds it rewarding to help develop their skills, confidence, and ability over time. He adds: “It also helps me to improve my own communication skills by attempting to explain complex issues to the trainees more clearly.”
If you are someone who is prepared to get stuck in, who wants to do the best job possible, and who approaches everything with passion and purpose, then view our current vacancies.
Neil adds: “There is a genuine work-life balance here, and whilst with any legal job there will always be times of pressure, there are no expectations to constantly work long hours or meet excessive targets. I have an enjoyable and fulfilling job, and I can honestly say that I feel valued working here”.