Principal Lawyer, Planning Highways and Licensing

LLG Enterprises Limited; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Kensington and Chelsea Council, Westminster City Council, seeks a Principal Lawyer for Planning, Highways and Licensing. You will lead a team of about ten lawyers and paralegals, delivering high-quality legal advice to support the Council’s priorities across planning, highways and licensing.

You will personally manage complex matters, attend committees, advise senior officers, and help shape policy within a bi-borough legal service that covers central London authorities.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or barrister with eligibility to practise in England and Wales.
• Experience leading or managing legal teams, with a track record of delivering high-quality legal advice.
• Strong ability to advise senior officers and elected members on complex matters.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of about ten legal professionals (solicitors and paralegals) delivering high-quality planning, highways and licensing advice.
• personally handle a caseload of complex planning matters and provide governance and procedural guidance.
• Regularly attend committee meetings to ensure decisions are legally sound and transparent.
• Shape policy and contribute to service development within a bi-borough legal service.

Skills

Team leadership

Planning law

Highways law

Licensing law

Stakeholder management

Education

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister (England & Wales)

Job description

Kensington and Chelsea Council, Westminster City Council

Principal Lawyer, Planning Highways and Licensing

Contact: [e-mail]

Job Description:

This is an advertisement for a vacancy at Kensington and Chelsea Council, Westminster City Council. LLG is advertising this vacancy on behalf of Kensington and Chelsea Council, Westminster City Council.

What you’ll be doing:

You will lead a team of around ten legal professionals, including solicitors and paralegals, ensuring the delivery of high-quality legal advice that supports the Council’s priorities.

Alongside managing and developing your team, you will personally handle a caseload of complex and high-profile planning matters and also be knowledgeable in one or both of the followings areas; highways and licensing. Your work will involve advising senior officers and elected members on significant decisions affecting the borough.

You will regularly attend committee meetings, providing legal, procedural and governance advice to ensure decisions are legally sound and transparent.

This role operates across two central London authorities as part of a bi-borough legal service. This offers the opportunity to work on some of the most high-profile planning and licensing matters in the country.

Working closely with Monitoring Officers and senior colleagues, you will help shape policy, guide decision-making and contribute to the ongoing development of the service. You’ll also foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration and professional growth within your team.

What you’ll bring

You will be a qualified Solicitor or Barrister entitled to practise in England and Wales, with strong experience in planning and also highways or licensing law.

You’ll bring a proven track record of leading or managing legal teams, alongside the ability to provide clear and confident legal advice on complex matters.

Strong stakeholder management skills are essential. You’ll be comfortable advising senior officers and elected members, communicating complex legal Issues in a clear and practical way.

You will also bring strong judgement, political awareness and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving local government environment. A commitment to professional standards, equality and inclusive service delivery will be central to how you work.

Experience or interest in wider areas of local government law will also help you thrive in this collaborative legal service.