Principal Lawyer, Planning Highways and Licensing

Lawyers in Local Government; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Kensington and Chelsea Council, Westminster City Council is advertising the Principal Lawyer, Planning Highways and Licensing position. You will lead a team of around ten legal professionals and oversee a demanding caseload of high-profile planning matters, with specific emphasis on highways and licensing.

The role involves advising senior officers and elected members, attending committee meetings, and working within a bi-borough legal service to shape policy and ensure legally sound decisions

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or barrister entitled to practise in England and Wales with strong planning experience and exposure to highways or licensing law.
• Proven ability to lead or manage legal teams and provide clear, practical legal advice.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of around ten legal professionals, including solicitors and paralegals, delivering high-quality legal advice.
• Personally handle a caseload of complex planning matters with highways or licensing exposure.
• Advise senior officers and elected members on significant decisions affecting the borough.
• Attend committee meetings to provide legal, procedural and governance advice.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Team management

Legal advisory

Education

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister

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.