Planning Lawyer

eNL Legal; West Yorkshire; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Generous annual leave

Job summary

eNL is seeking a Senior Planning Lawyer to lead the planning, highways and environmental work within a local authority in West Yorkshire. The role includes advising on complex matters, drafting and negotiating planning and highways agreements, and representing the team in inquiries and reviews.

The ideal candidate will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive with substantial senior-level planning experience and at least two related areas such as highways or local

Qualifications

• Senior level planning law experience.
• Experience in two additional areas: highways, public rights of way, compulsory purchase or local government law.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills.
• Ability to manage complex matters independently and mentor others.

Responsibilities

• Advise on planning, environmental, highways and traffic matters.
• Draft and negotiate planning and highways agreements.
• Advise on enforcement and legal challenges.
• Support planning inquiries and judicial reviews.
• Undertake advocacy where required.
• Deliver legal training and mentor colleagues.

Skills

Planning law

Highways law

Local government law

Environmental law

Litigation/Advocacy

Team leadership

Education

Solicitor / Barrister / Chartered Legal Executive

Job description

PLANNING LAWYER - HIGHWAYS & LITIGATION, 5+ YEARS EXPERIENCE, WEST YORKSHIRE/ HYBRID, up to £61,358 DOE – Excellent opportunity to take on a senior legal position within a local authority, advising on complex planning, highways and environmental matters while leading and developing a specialist legal team. JOB REF: 5865

THE ROLE:

The successful Senior Planning, Highways & Litigation Lawyer will advise on planning, environmental, highways and traffic matters, public rights of way, Town and Village Greens, and compulsory purchase orders. You will draft and negotiate planning and highways agreements, advise on enforcement and legal challenges, support planning inquiries and judicial reviews, and undertake advocacy where required. The role will also involve delivering legal training, mentoring colleagues and helping maintain a high quality legal service.

THE CANDIDATE:

The ideal candidate will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive with substantial senior level planning law experience and recent experience in at least two additional areas, such as highways, public rights of way, compulsory purchase or local government law. You will have strong technical, drafting and negotiation skills, excellent communication and advocacy abilities, and the confidence to manage complex matters independently. Experience supervising or managing staff, alongside the ability to build stakeholder relationships, provide senior level advice and support positive change, is essential.

THE PACKAGE:

The role offers a competitive salary, generous annual leave, senior level responsibility and involvement in strategic legal matters, with the opportunity to lead and develop a specialist legal team while managing a varied and complex caseload across planning, highways, environmental and local government law. You will work on a hybrid basis, requiring just two days per month in the office.

At eNL we value diversity and inclusion. We want to attract people at all levels and encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates, whatever your ethnicity, religion, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any characteristics protected by law in the jurisdictions in which we operate.