Criminal Lawyer

Do you care about the safety of products and want to protect people and places? Can we use your skills, knowledge and experience to enable UK business to thrive? If the answer is yes, then we would like to hear from you! We are the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business & Trade. We are here for the purpose of making regulation work to deliver real world impact. Regulation is a powerful Government tool to address market failures, influence behaviour and promote positive action. Crafted and delivered well, regulation can be an enabler of growth, innovation and efficiency. Since early 2018 we have been building a positive and creative team that enjoys a position of influence and respect within an organisation that continues to grow, most recently with the addition of construction products regulation planned. Our primary purpose is to protect people and places from product-related harm, ensuring consumers and businesses can buy and sell products with confidence. Further information can be found on our website here. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. We embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. We are Inclusive We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation if required to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. About the Team Join the highly regarded OPSS Legal Services team, composed of professionals from both public sector and private practice backgrounds, we are a growing team committed to protecting the public and making smarter regulation work. The OPSS legal team plays a pivotal role in safeguarding people and places from product-related harm. Our enforcement policy champions a proportionate and risk-based approach to tackling non-compliance and product safety risks. By supporting our enforcement teams to foster collaboration and build strong relationships within industry, we drive compliance and ensure that safety standards are met. When necessary, our legal team takes decisive action by pursuing criminal prosecutions to hold repeat and serious offenders accountable. This robust approach not only deters non-compliance but also reinforces OPSS's mission to maintain public confidence and ensure that products on the market are safe and compliant. This is an incredible opportunity for a highly motivated lawyer with strong interpersonal skills who thrives in a team environment. You will have the chance to collaborate closely with various OPSS teams, delivering pragmatic, solution-focused, and high-quality legal advice. Reporting directly to the Assistant Director, Legal Advice & Practice, who in turn reports to the Chief Legal Officer, you will play a pivotal role in providing legal advice and services across OPSS's functions. The OPSS Legal Services team is growing, reflecting the expanding scope and impact of our work. You will advise on enforcement across a range of civil and criminal legislation, manage a prosecution caseload, and liaise with DBT, other government departments' legal advisors (GLD), and other regulators and commercial entities as appropriate. This dynamic position offers a unique chance to make a significant impact within OPSS and beyond. Key Responsibilities Your key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Understanding OPSS's regulatory functions.
• Leading the provision of delivery-focused legal advice to OPSS's enforcement teams regarding enforcement policy, powers, processes, and regulatory action in both civil and criminal spheres.
• Building effective working relationships with colleagues involved in OPSS enforcement work, particularly with investigators, to develop and pursue focused case strategies.
• Managing your own caseload and progressing enforcement casework in the criminal courts.
• Instructing Counsel or solicitors where appropriate.
• Advising on data protection and FOI Act issues.
• Contributing to the learning and development of the OPSS Legal Advice and Practice team, as well as to OPSS more broadly.