Specialist Planning Lawyer

£72,268-£80,062

A public sector legal service is seeking an experienced Specialist Planning Lawyer to join at Principal level, leading a small, established planning and environment team.

This is a senior, hands on role with a strong focus on complex planning casework, along with light touch management. It will suit a specialist who enjoys advising at committee level, building trusted client relationships and leading by example.

• Manage a complex and often high profile planning caseload
• Advise on planning law, highways matters and associated agreements
• Attend and advise Planning Committees and senior officers
• Lead a team of around seven lawyers, supported by a paralegal
• Improve client care through responsive, constructive advice and clearer work allocation
• Balance casework and management, moving from an initial 60/40 split to around 80/20

• Qualified solicitor, barrister or legal executive
• Extensive experience in local authority planning law
• Strong background in highways work and committee attendance
• Previous experience supervising or managing lawyers
• Pragmatic, organised and confident in politically sensitive environments

• Senior specialist role with autonomy and influence
• High quality planning work rather than management heavy responsibilities
• Flexible, hybrid working
• Permanent opportunity within a respected public sector legal service