Scottish Young Lawyers’
Association
In-house event
27th March 2013
Kevin McKee, Acting Principal Commercial Solicitor,
City of Edinburgh Council
[email protected]
0131 529 3906
1
My background
• Trained at large firm and worked 6
years’ PQE in Projects team
• Undertook project for CEC on
secondment
• Returned to private practice for 1 year
before taking permanent position with
CEC
2
City of Edinburgh Council
• 16,000 employees (largest employer in
city)
• Annual budget of circa £1bn
• UNESCO world heritage site
• Strives to be great city to work, live,
study and visit.
3
CEC Legal
• 36 Solicitors, 2 trainees (4 trainees next
year).
• Split into Commercial, Property,
Litigation, Childcare, Licensing and
Employment.
• Internal charging system, client-firm
ethos
• External panel of firms
4
Typical work
• Large projects (Trams, Zero Waste, 21st
Century Homes, Connected Capital)
• Events (Festival, Hogmanay, sporting
events)
• High profile matters (Property Care
investigation)
5
Typical work
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
6
General commercial contracts
Data Protection
Freedom of Information
RIPSA
Procurement
State Aid
Internal Governance
Benefits
• Varied workload
• Not pure legal role
• Interesting – mix of legal, commercial and
political issues.
• Work/life balance
• Large organisation with career opportunities–
lawyers in various senior positions
• Public Service
7
Challenges
• No client/lawyer filter
• Breadth of potential issues to be
advised on
• In-house procedures and policies
• Reputational issues
• Political sensitivities
8
Summary
9
Questions?
10