Principal Lawyer - Planning & Highways

Connect Executive Search Group; Huddersfield; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Connect Executive Search Group is seeking an experienced Principal Lawyer specializing in planning and highways to join a public-sector legal team on a permanent basis. The role offers hybrid working, with most work done remotely and limited days in Huddersfield town centre.

You will provide specialist legal advice across planning and highways matters, supporting inquiries, enforcement, and environmental issues while guiding officers and elected members and helping develop the team.

Qualifications

• Substantial senior-level experience in planning law, highways law, or both, in England and Wales.
• Strong drafting, advisory and communication skills.
• Ability to manage complex legal matters and provide clear, practical advice.
• Confidence to work with senior stakeholders and contribute to team development.
• Willingness to broaden expertise into public rights of way and local government law.
• Local government experience would be advantageous but is not essential.

Responsibilities

• Advising on Section 106 and Section 278 agreements.
• Providing legal advice on planning and highways matters.
• Supporting public inquiries and enforcement proceedings.
• Advising on public law and environmental matters.
• Providing guidance to officers and elected members.
• Supporting the development of the legal team and service improvements.
• Developing expertise across public rights of way and wider local government matters.

Skills

Legal drafting

Advisory skills

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Education

Solicitor with practising certificate

Barrister

CILEx Fellow

Job description

Make a difference through meaningful legal work

We are seeking an experienced Principal Lawyer specialising in planning and highways to join an established public-sector legal team on a permanent basis.

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior legal professional to take a leading role in planning, highways, rights of way and environmental matters, while contributing to the development of a collaborative legal service.

The position offers hybrid working, with only a small number of days each month required in the Huddersfield town centre office and the remainder worked remotely.

The Role

As Principal Lawyer, you will provide specialist legal advice and guidance across a broad range of planning and highways matters. Your responsibilities will include:

• Advising on Section 106 and Section 278 agreements.

• Providing legal advice on planning and highways matters.

• Supporting public inquiries and enforcement proceedings.

• Advising on public law and environmental matters.

• Providing guidance to officers and elected members.

• Supporting the development of the legal team and contributing to service improvements.

• Developing expertise across public rights of way and wider local government matters.

About You

To be considered, you will be a qualified solicitor with a current practising certificate, a barrister, or a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx).

You will also have:

• Substantial recent senior-level experience in planning law, highways law, or both, gained in England and Wales.

• Strong legal drafting, advisory and communication skills.

• The ability to manage complex legal matters and provide clear, practical advice.

• The confidence to work with senior stakeholders and contribute to team development.

• The aptitude and willingness to broaden your expertise into public rights of way and local government law.

Previous local government experience would be advantageous but is not essential.

Benefits

• Local Government Pension Scheme, including life cover from day one.

• 28.5 days' annual leave, increasing to 33.5 days after five years' service, plus bank holidays.

• Payment of practising certificate fees.

• Hybrid working arrangements, with the majority of work undertaken remotely.

• Enhanced family leave.

• Employee healthcare benefits.

• Clear opportunities for career progression through the legal grades.