Head of Legal (Fitness to Practise)

Morgan Hunt are currently working with a Professional Regulatory Body in their search for an interim Head of Legal (Fitness to Practise). This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Senior Lawyer with a strong background in Fitness to Practise regulation to take on a senior leadership position, overseeing the delivery and development of legal services across a busy regulatory function.


The organisation is currently experiencing a period of continued growth and organisational change, with an ongoing review of its wider Fitness to Practise legal structure. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting this work, providing operational leadership, managing a multidisciplinary legal and advocacy function, and ensuring the effective progression and preparation of complex Fitness to Practise cases.


Reporting into the Assistant Director of Regulation, you will be responsible for the day-to-day management and delivery of the Fitness to Practise Legal Team, providing specialist legal advice across triage, investigations and case preparation, while leading the organisation's in-house advocacy service. This will involve overseeing the preparation and presentation of interim order applications, interim order reviews and substantive order reviews, alongside providing senior legal oversight and decision-making on complex and high-risk cases.


You will also work closely with external legal providers, managing instructions, supporting case progression and ensuring the quality and effectiveness of external legal services. Alongside this, you will provide strategic and operational advice to senior stakeholders, support the development of colleagues and contribute to the ongoing improvement of Fitness to Practise processes, procedures and guidance.


The organisation is looking for a credible and experienced legal professional who combines strong technical Fitness to Practise knowledge with excellent operational management skills. You will need to be comfortable working in a fast-paced, reactive environment, balancing competing priorities and providing pragmatic legal advice to support effective regulatory decision-making.


Job Title: Head of Legal (Fitness to Practise)
Location: Hybrid/Sheffield - Predominantly Remote Working (occasional travel to Sheffield required)
Contract: Fixed-Term Contract - 18 months (Secondments Considered)
Salary: £73,000 - £75,500 per annum
Hours: Full-Time (flexible and compressed working arrangements considered)


Key Responsibilities
· Provide strategic direction and operational leadership for the Fitness to Practise Legal Team, overseeing day-to-day service delivery, work allocation, resource planning and budget management.
· Lead, manage and develop a multidisciplinary team comprising legal professionals, paralegals, the Fitness to Practise Advocacy Team and Professional Advisors.
· Oversee the delivery of the organisation's in-house advocacy service, including the preparation and presentation of interim order applications, interim order reviews and substantive order reviews before adjudication panels.
· Provide specialist legal advice and guidance across the wider Fitness to Practise function, supporting colleagues across triage, investigations and case preparation.
· Advise on complex and high-risk cases, including investigation planning, case progression, regulatory concerns, disclosure matters, interim orders and the application of relevant regulatory rules and procedures.
· Act as a senior decision-maker, providing final legal oversight and approval, where required, of case plans, statements of case, sanction bids and complex proposals for interim orders.
· Manage relationships with external legal providers, working alongside relevant colleagues to oversee the quality, performance and delivery of external legal services.
· Provide direct instructions and senior legal oversight to external legal representatives in relation to complex, high-profile and sensitive Fitness to Practise cases.
· Work collaboratively with senior stakeholders to support organisational projects, strategic initiatives and the continued development of the Fitness to Practise service.
· Review and contribute to the development of existing regulatory rules, procedures, policies and guidance, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.


Candidate Requirements
· Qualified Lawyer, registered with the SRA or BSB (with a minimum of five years' post-qualification experience).
· Significant experience working within Fitness to Practise regulation, with a strong understanding of the end-to-end regulatory process.
· Experience of advocacy before a variety of tribunals, ideally including Fitness to Practise proceedings and interim order applications.
· Strong technical legal knowledge and experience relating to investigations, case preparation, rules of evidence, human rights, regulatory case law and tribunal procedures.
· Demonstrable experience managing and developing teams, ideally within a legal, regulatory or multidisciplinary environment.
· Strong operational management experience, with the ability to oversee workloads, allocate resources, manage competing priorities and maintain high standards of delivery.
· Excellent decision-making and risk management skills, with the ability to assess complex and sensitive matters and provide clear, pragmatic and legally robust advice.
· Experience managing external legal providers, including providing instructions and overseeing the quality and effectiveness of legal services.
· The ability to communicate complex legal matters clearly and effectively, providing advice and guidance to both legally and non-legally qualified stakeholders.


If you are an experienced Fitness to Practise Lawyer looking for a senior leadership opportunity, and have the technical expertise and operational management experience required to lead a busy regulatory legal function, Morgan Hunt would be keen to hear from you.

Morgan Hunt is a multi-award-winning recruitment business for interim, contract and temporary recruitment and acts as an Employment Agency in relation to permanent vacancies. Morgan Hunt is an equal opportunities employer. Job suitability is assessed on merit in accordance with the individual's skills, qualifications and abilities to perform the relevant duties required in a particular role.