Associate, Planning

Dentons; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Dentons’ Planning and Public Law team in the UK seeks an experienced planning lawyer to guide major projects, including settlements, infrastructure and regeneration schemes. You will advise landowners, developers and planning authorities on all aspects of planning law, from complex applications to policy drafting.

The role emphasizes independence within a collaborative environment, mentorship, and driving business growth while delivering high-quality legal solutions for a diverse client base.

Qualifications

• Qualified England & Wales lawyer with strong drafting and negotiation skills.
• Experience advising on complex planning applications and environmental assessment processes.
• Proven ability to lead planning-related projects and teams.
• Demonstrated business development and client relationship skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise landowners, developers and planning authorities on planning law.
• Lead complex planning applications, infrastructure agreements and related matters.
• Coordinate public inquiries and judicial reviews; engage Counsel as needed.
• Contribute to developing the practice and raising the team's profile.

Skills

Drafting & negotiations

Planning litigation

CIL schedules & payment

Planning due diligence

Local plans development

Public inquiry coordination

Team leadership

Business development

Education

England & Wales qualified

Job description

Our top-rated Planning and Public Law team has been involved in some of the most exciting and high -profile projects of recent times. With work including new settlements and urban extensions; infrastructure and energy projects; orders work (promotion of, and objections to) CPOs, TWAOs, DCOs; major regeneration and town centre redevelopment projects; mixed used, retail and residential led schemes; our lawyers advise on a huge variety of both contentious and non -contentious planning matters. Our client base is impressive and diverse, covering central and local government, leading developers, retailers, investors, corporate vehicles, national representative bodies and local community organisations., The role is varied and you will be required to advise landowners, developers and local planning authorities on all aspects of planning law, including:

• Complex planning applications and environmental assessment processes.
• Section 106 agreements/undertakings, highways agreements, stopping up orders and infrastructure agreements.
• Community infrastructure levy.
• Development of local plans, neighbourhood plans and local development orders; review, assessment and drafting of planning policy.
• Garden cities and urban extensions.
• Affordable housing and viability.
• Complex issues presented by major infrastructure and transport projects, and urban development and regeneration schemes.
• Public inquiry work, including instructing Counsel and team coordination.
• Judicial review and High Court litigation, including instructing Counsel and team coordination.
• Listed building consents, neighbourhood plans, local plans, assets of community value and conservation areas.
• Compulsory purchase.
• Planning due diligence on commercial and corporate transactions for a wide range of schemes, student housing, hotel, retail, residential, and particularly energy projects (solar, BESS and wind).

It is important that the successful candidate is able to communicate clearly with colleagues, clients and the wider market. The successful candidate will be expected to be able to work independently within a collegiate environment and to act as a mentor to others, driving their own practice through networking and other marketing. The successful candidate will be expected to take on extensive responsibility and pay a pivotal role in developing the business and the profile of the team.

Technical Skills (Essential)

• A strong academic background.
• England and Wales qualified.
• Effective delegation skills with strong team collaboration.
• Business development - experience of contributing to developing and maintaining existing client relationships, as well as wider marketing, networking and thought leadership.
• Demonstrable experience in several of the following:
  • o Drafting and negotiating planning agreements.
  • o Advising on CIL charging schedules and triggers for payment.
  • o Planning litigation.
  • o Advising on housing or power projects.
  • o Compulsory purchase orders.
  • o Planning due diligence on commercial and corporate transactions, including the negotiation of planning warranties and indemnities.

Technical Skills (Desirable)

• Experience - broad planning experience with some real estate experience.
• Legal ability - detailed grasp of complex legal concepts, excellent drafting skills with a plain English approach, ability to see issues from a commercial perspective and able to communicate complex legal advice to clients effectively.
• Delivering excellent client service - excellent communications skills, driven to deliver to clients promptly, sets themselves challenging goals and resilient in achieving them.
• Initiative and managing change - resilient in the face of multiple priorities, able to deliver difficult messages, takes ownership for resolving problems pro -actively.
• Teamwork and communication - seeks out the views of others, always willing to assist others, assured and succinct in communications with other departments.
• Impact and personal development - proactively requests feedback from others, able to deal with constructive criticism and takes ownership for self -development.
• Finding and winning - able to build relationships with clients, identifies opportunities and networks effectively internally.
• Practice/firm promotion - acts as an ambassador for the firm, writes blogs/articles for publication, is visible in the planning world on social media.
• Financial performance - familiar with key drivers of firm performance.
• Developing and retaining - works to become a trusted advisor to the client, aware of client industry dynamics.
• Risk management and professional ethics - takes responsibility for personal and professional ethics, understanding of reputational risk and the regulatory framework, prepared to seek advice where appropriate.
• Firm contribution - high level of personal integrity, contributes to developing a diverse and innovative culture, prepared to go the extra mile.

• Proactive with a passion for planning.
• Have opinions on planning issues and be willing to defend them.
• The ability to take responsibility to manage your own workload, with attention to detail and high accuracy.
• Excellent service orientation and communication skills.
• Ability to cope with conflicting demands and meet deadlines.
• Ability to establish professional credibility.
• Intelligent and commercially minded.
• Good time and people management skills.
• Keen interest and enthusiasm to learn about our clients' business.
• Empathetic, responsive and reliable.
• Ability to offer pragmatic and innovative in the solutions offered to clients.
• Good at fostering relationships with clients.
• Entrepreneurial vision and a desire to assist in the growth of a practice area.

Across more than 80 countries, Dentons helps you grow, protect, operate and finance your organisation by providing uniquely global and deeply local legal solutions. Polycentric, purpose-driven and committed to inclusion, diversity, equity and sustainability, we focus on what matters most to you.

Inclusion and Diversity

We are committed to building an inclusive culture here at Dentons where our people can thrive, regardless of their background or circumstance. As well as being the right thing to do, it makes good business sense too. A richness of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives helps us best serve our clients and the communities in which we operate. You can find out more about inclusion and diversity at Dentons here: Inclusion and Diversity

Dentons is committed to providing equal opportunities for all. We welcome applications from everyone including of any age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, neurotype, disability, or with parental or caring responsibilities. We are also Happy to Talk Flexible Working and welcome conversations about flexible working arrangements.

Dentons is a Disability Confident employer. Candidates with a disability may choose to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme. We will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. Where application volumes are high, we may offer interviews to those who best meet the minimum criteria, consistent with our approach for all candidates.