NQ Solicitor - Environmental/Planning

VanRath; Belfast; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading commercial law firm in Northern Ireland seeks a Newly Qualified Solicitor for its Environmental & Planning team. This role involves assisting with planning applications, supporting litigation, and providing legal advice on environmental compliance. Candidates should possess strong legal research and communication skills, along with a keen interest in environmental law. Excellent training and career development opportunities are provided, with a competitive salary above market rates.

Benefits

Outstanding training and mentorship

Highly competitive salary package

Long-term career prospects

Qualifications

• Strong legal research, analysis, and drafting skills.
• Genuine interest in environmental and planning law.
• Ability to interpret complex legislation.

Responsibilities

• Assist with planning applications and compliance matters.
• Support litigation and judicial review cases.
• Provide practical advice on environmental regulations.

Skills

Legal research

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Drafting skills

Education

Newly Qualified Solicitor or near qualification

Strong academic record

Job description

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NQ Solicitor - Environmental & Planning

About the Role
We are working with a leading commercial law firm in Northern Ireland to hire a Newly Qualified Solicitor to join its highly regarded Environmental & Planning team. This is an offer to develop your career within a top specialist practice, working on major projects across multiple sectors including infrastructure, energy, development, and manufacturing.

Why This Role Is Exceptional

• Join one of the largest and most specialised Environmental & Planning teams in the region, with a rapidly expanding presence in Belfast.
  
• Work across a full spectrum of environmental and planning matters from regulatory compliance, planning applications, judicial review, to environmental impact assessments, licensing, enforcement, and litigation.
  
• Be involved in high impact mandates advising on significant infrastructure, renewable energy, retail, and development projects.
  
• Gain experience in both contentious and non-contentious work, including planning appeals, environmental prosecutions, and advisory work.
  
• Receive outstanding training and mentorship from experienced partners and senior solicitors across environmental, planning and public law divisions.
  
• Excellent long term career prospects if a clear path to becoming a specialist associate and for those who excel, potential evolution toward partnership.
  
• Competitive compensation the firm is ready to offer a salary above NQ market rates.
  

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with planning applications, environmental permitting, compliance matters and due diligence.
  
• Support litigation and judicial review cases, including legal research, drafting, preparing bundles, and assisting in strategy development.
  
• Contribute to environmental assessments, risk reviews and advisory notes.
  
• Provide practical advice to clients on planning processes, environmental regulations and policy considerations across multiple sectors.
  
• Work with other internal teams such as Real Estate, Corporate, Infrastructure and Litigation to give integrated legal support.
  
• Engage with public bodies, environmental regulators, planning authorities and key stakeholders.
  
• Support business development drafting articles, attending events, and contributing client proposals.
  

Person Specification

• Newly Qualified Solicitor or approach qualification.
  
• Strong academic record and excellent legal research, analysis and drafting skills.
  
• A genuine interest in environmental and planning law, prior experience is welcome but not required, enthusiasm and willingness to specialise are key.
  
• Ability to interpret complex legislation and regulatory frameworks.
  
• Strong communication skills and confidence interacting with clients, regulators and colleagues.
  
• A proactive, organised and collaborative approach with a depth to develop specialist knowledge.
  

What You'll Get

• Hands on major environmental and planning work from day one.
  
• Outstanding training, mentorship and development opportunities within a specialist team.
  
• Involvement in high profile, strategic projects across Northern Ireland and beyond.
  
• A highly competitive salary package that exceeds typical NQ market rates.
  
• A supportive, ambitious team environment plus excellent long term career prospects.
  

For further information on this job, or any other legal job in Belfast or Northern Ireland, apply via the link or contact Ciaran Gallagher for a confidential chat today.

VANRATH acts as an agency and employment business for permanent recruitment and supply of temporary workers.